Standing out at a tradeshow is tricky, but standing out at a tradeshow for the tradeshow industry is even trickier. When the Stacey Lee Agency came to us for support in planning a booth strategy for Exhibitor 2010 – The World Conference and Exhibition on Tradeshow and Corporate Event Marketing, we were psyched for the challenge.
Established in 1989, the Stacey Lee Agency is widely recognized as a leading source for tradeshow and convention personnel, with services including exhibit booth hosts, spokesmodels, product specialists and demonstrators, interpreters, sales representatives, entertainers, brand ambassadors and more.
The target audience for Exhibitor 2010 consisted of the world’s top tradeshow and convention planners, managers, creative directors, talent bookers, corporate event organizers and other individuals in search of ways to: 1.) Keep their companies and clients on the cutting edge; and 2.) Meet the demands of busy consumers in a competitive convention atmosphere.
On a tradeshow floor, people leapfrog to the next conversation, the next idea, the next booth, and the average attention span is about nine seconds. We had to find a creative way to drive qualified traffic to the Stacey Lee Agency’s booth, to make the booth interactive and to give people a reason to remember the name. The Stacey Lee Agency’s secret sauce for success has always been the human element. In an effort to practice what they preach, we planned an exhibit strategy that would not only spark initial interest, but also would create a lasting emotional connection and generate long-term behavioral changes.
And so the Stacey Lee Agency Three-Ring Circus was born.
Under the 10’ x 20’ “Big Top”, the Stacey Lee Circus Ringmaster, who stood 10 feet tall on stilts, led fascinated onlookers through a 5-minute presentation consisting of three different acts; one in each ring.
Ring One featured a spokesmodel, who enthusiastically performed an "elevator" pitch for Bringing it Home with Laura MacIntosh, an Emmy-nominated show on the ION network. Ring Two featured a product demonstrator, who engaged the crowd while showing them how to make the perfect cup of coffee using Melitta's Ready Set Joe. The Center Ring featured a different attention-grabbing performer everyday including an Elvis impersonator, a Jay Leno look-a-like, and a real Las Vegas showgirl. The show concluded with an aerial artist, whose stunt hoop hung 50 feet from the ceiling and 20 feet off the ground.
The Big Top performance was nothing short of jaw dropping. However, while Stacey Lee Agency professionals in business suits didn't stand out as much as the stilt walker and aerial artist, they were just as powerful when it came to generating leads and keeping the attention of potential clients at the show. Using proven sales techniques, the agency’s representatives were able to engage leads on an emotional level in order to convert them to sales.
The daily giveaways were a huge hit as well. Stacey Lee gave away an iPod Touch on the first two days and a Nintendo Wii system on day three. In order to qualify for a chance to win, guests had to have their show badge scanned by a Stacey Lee Agency Sales Representative. Those leads were then qualified and coded in the computer using a number system, making customized follow up a snap.
Photographers were on hand so guests could have their photo taken with the talent. The photos were then uploaded to Facebook using a special application, so people could log in to their own account, enter their own caption for the photo, and post it to their wall to share with all their friends. This strategy significantly increased the number of general impressions, as well as the Stacey Lee Agency Facebook Fan base.
Other marketing initiatives included:
Advertisements: The agency advertised on the Exhibitor Preview Pack, which was mailed to 2,000 registered attendees prior to the show; on the back page of the Exhibitor 2010 show guide, which was given to every registered guest; on the Exhibitor email newsletter, which also went out to registered attendees prior to the show; as well as on the Exhibitor web site, using animated GIFs. The intriguing circus design and creative verbiage teased and encouraged people to stop by SLA’s booth to “come see for themselves.”
The numbers speak for themselves. The Stacey Lee Agency re-launched its brand in a new way, raked in hundreds of new leads and created a memorable and ongoing campaign.
The team’s efforts resulted in 254 new leads at the show (154 percent over goal). The company collected 32 Exhibitor Preview Pack advertisements, which proved a 1.6% response rate for the pre-show mailers, 60% higher than SLA’s goal of 1%. The web banner advertisements received 373 page views and generated 51 click-throughs (13.7%). Since the show, they have received a total of eight RFPs attributed to our efforts at Exhibitor 2010.
The company’s image also improved, even among long-time clients who, armed with new knowledge about SLA’s website capabilities, began tapping the company for a wider range of services. The re-launch has SLA on track to experience an 80 percent growth in annual revenue compared to 2009.
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