After several years of virtual conventions and canceled plans, convention season is back! That means it’s time to dust off the old banners, update messaging, and refresh your marketing collateral. For those who aren’t prepared, however, conventions can be overwhelming. By identifying key goals and using your collateral to support meaningful interactions, your brand can become the most talked about booth at the show! Here are a few tips for companies just getting started with conventions:
Figure out your convention messaging
Convention messaging is unique to your larger brand messaging. Sure, the tagline can stay the same, but what do you want to tell the audience at the convention about your brand that’s specific to their interests? In short, why is your booth there? The answer to that question will be the foundation of your messaging. By knowing what your company offers to the specific audience attending a convention, you can tailor your print collateral to reflect the most important parts of your brand and optimize it for meaningful engagements.
Think about the “how” of conversations
Conventions are filled with people and other vendors, all clamoring for attention. What’s most effective for conventions are getting passersby to engage in meaningful conversations and remember the interaction. In the digital era, these engagements can happen in several ways. Prize drawings can help companies gather emails which can support digital campaigns and newsletters. However, if your company offers in-person consultations or other high-value discussions, consider having well-constructed print materials like booklets or brochures that people can take with them after they leave your booth. And don’t forget the passersby! Make sure your large-format banner messaging is big enough to be seen by people who won’t visit the booth for long.
Stick to brand colors even at a convention
Yes, we know it’s tempting to find the brightest shades of neon to stand out among other booths at a convention. However, you still want your brand colors to be used at your booth! Why? Because people associate those brand colors (like your logo) with your company name. Having disjointed color schemes can confuse people who might be engaging with your brand for the first time.
Use your goal to determine your collateral
Want to drive people to a landing page? Use a large banner with an easy-to-scan QR code. Do you want people to spot your logo across the convention floor? Opt for stickers with your logo and a fun tagline or website that people can put on their water bottles. Let your specific goals for the convention determine what collateral you bring and how much you’ll bring. It’s tempting at your first convention to bring “everything but the kitchen sink,” but you’ll wind up with mounds of extra collateral you might not be able to use at your next convention.
Use a printing partner to reduce the hassle
An effective digital printing partner does more than create stellar assets for your convention booth. At Xerographic, we deliver collateral directly to customers’ booths and convention spaces. This gives our clients the peace of mind that they didn’t leave a new banner at the office. It also helps out-of-state vendors travel lighter while getting to the Central Florida area. If you’re looking for a printing partner to help make your next convention appearance a success, give us a call at 407-490-0690 or drop us an email at info@xerocopy.com.
