How to Create an Engaging Trade Show Video

Trade shows are a sound investment for B2B and B2C marketers. That’s more than just hype. According to stats from Tradetec, 92 percent of trade show attendees are there to view new products, 46 percent are executives or upper managers, 81 percent have the authority to make purchasing decisions, and 67 percent are new prospects. It’s not surprising that B2B marketers committed almost 40 percent of their marketing budgets to trade show exhibits in 2011.

Trade shows represent an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your products and connect with new customers. But succeeding at trade show marketing means understanding and effectively leveraging the unique challenges trade shows present.

A TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD

Think about the last time you attended or exhibited at a trade show. You probably noticed that there was a lot going on–lots of exhibitors and booths, lots of foot traffic, lots of casual conversation, lots of distraction. In the rough-and-tumble world of trade shows, it’s hard to get noticed, to cut through all that background noise, to grab attendees’ attention and to hold it.

HOW TO GRAB THE SPOTLIGHT

So, it is what it is, and we can stipulate that trade shows are not the easiest of marketing environments. Being a trade show success means shining with a presentation that sells your products. One proven strategy is to engage booth visitors with a persuasive, high-quality video. Here are four tips for creating a trade show video that works:

• Understand your customers: Much has been written about creating buyer personas. What it really means is doing the market research to identify your ideal customer, and that means more than demographics. It means understanding their problems. To be relevant, your video needs show that you understand a particular problem and then show how your product solves that problem. It needs to step inside your customers’ shoes and persuasively describe both the problem and its solution in language they can relate to.
• Follow the five-second rule: Five seconds is about how much time you have to pull passersby to your trade show booth. You’ll probably be looping your video, so don’t assume that the first thing visitors see is the opening. Your video needs to be structured in such a way that it will grab attention no matter which five seconds visitors see first. Ensuring that every piece of your video is strong begins with a tight script. You should also position strong titles and graphics strategically throughout.
• Follow the five-minute rule: Don’t assume that booth visitors will want to stick around for 10 or 20 minutes. In general, keep your video to no more than five minutes. You can begin with a longer draft then pare it down to the essentials, namely how the features of your product benefit your customers. Concise but powerful customer testimonials are a great way to highlight benefits and connect with prospective customers.
• Give them quality: You’ve spent significant money developing your product. Don’t scrimp on cost when it comes to your trade show presentation. Think of your video as in investment. Even the best product looks inferior if your presentation includes fuzzy photographs and grainy action. Unless you have the talent in-house, work with experienced professionals who will add that touch of quality. The investment will pay for itself many times over.

Some people argue that the growing number of trade shows has created an oversaturated market. That may be true, but it’s all the more reason to create an engaging presentation. Doing the requisite market research to understand your audience and investing in a professional-quality video can take your trade show marketing to the next level and help you achieve your business objectives.