There are many elements that go into developing a meaningful strategy, and I will write more about them in upcoming posts, but at the core of an effective strategy - the piece that must be understood without exception - is data. Without meaningful data about the market - your buyers, your prospects, your competition, the need for your products or service-you can't possibly determine the best way to grow.

For tradeshow marketing, data is typically abundant. Properly mining the data is the key. A well thought out attendee survey should yield all the information you need to develop a strategy for attracting buyers to future shows. When you have similar data for several prior years, you can see trends that take virtually all the guess work out of developing a strategy. The data should tell you exactly what products or services buyers are looking for, the distance they are willing to travel, and how well you are satisfying their needs.

This information will enable you to develop copy and designs that speak exactly to what buyers want. It will also give you valuable demographic information to enable you to research and obtain lists for direct marketing. It will help you understand the best ways to communicate with prospects, whether via mail, email or otherwise.

Properly gathering and mining data goes way beyond accumulating information from shows. The tradeshow owner or manager should also have access to other data - membership lists, people who have registered for other events, inquiries, and so on. This can also provide much needed information about buyer profiles.

The same type of data should be available for exhibitors as well, and should enable you to craft messages and develop marketing strategies to sell exhibit space and sponsorships.

Good ideas for attendee and exhibitor strategy abound. Here are a few good places to start:

www.eceforum.com ECEF (Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum)

www.tsea.org (Trade Show Exhibitors Association)

www.pcma.org (Professional Convention Management Association)

www.iaee.com (International Association of Exhibitions and Events)

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