Generating trade show leads through Twitter – Does it work?
Generating leads through Twitter is a difficult act to balance – on one hand Twitter focuses on allowing individuals to choose what they want to follow, which can make them unreceptive to sales trickery, and on the other hand people who have chosen to follow you have already expressed an interest in your product.
The first thing to realize when using Twitter is that a successful application of the tool involves expending some time. It is not hard to start a Twitter account but if you want people to use it and track your business ideas, then you need to make it good. Concise (what else can you be with 140 characters?), witty writing, interesting image links and regular input will all affect the end result.
For a trade show, generating leads through Twitter has its own nuances. For starters, there are specific Twitter channels which follow this medium - #TradeShowName being the most obvious example. If your company is represented in such sources it increases brand awareness and the chances of potential clients coming across your product or booth.
Twitter is a conversational marketing tool, one that if used correctly, can reach a wide audience.
What to do before a show?
Before a show, build up a dialog with your followers and reply to their tweets. It is imperative that you use the medium to draw people to your exhibit. Of course, first you need to organize attractive events at your booth, but you were doing that anyway, right?
Emphasize in a positive language the exciting discoveries they will make if they stop by your exhibit. Give your customers good reasons to visit your booth, such as games, competitions, give-aways – anything to hook them in! Remember, everyone exhibiting is doing the same thing. Be sure to stand out by enticing your audience with your latest product offerings and how your products will make a difference in your prospect's life. Don't oversell and be sure to give your booth location so they can find you more easily on the crowded floor.
What to do when at the show?
At the show itself, make sure you entice visitors to follow you on your social media platforms. Encourage prospects and customers alike to stop by your booth to say Hello. Perhaps offer a prize to one lucky new follower. Update your feeds frequently, always hashtagging the show itself.
The follow-up.
Frequently comment on presentations, discussions, demonstrations and games that took place in the booth to draw people into a conversation and inform them of upcoming product launches, events etc. Don't wait til the show is over. Start following appropriate people who have stopped by your booth. It is a clear message that you respect them and will encourage their future business.
As the global usage of social media increases so does the potential for business networking and increasing your client base. Generating leads through Twitter uses similar skills to other forms of marketing and promotions; it just tweaks them for a new medium. As with any new method of communicating, the key is not to be left behind.
How do you use Twitter for your business?