Audience Targeting for Trade Shows

is the traditional B2B roadshow dead? no, but it needs life support. over the past decade, I've watched companies pour millions into events with diminishing returns. the problem isn't face-to-face connection. it's using yesterday's playbook in today's multi-channel world. the highest-performing B2B companies follow this three-phase framework: before: build momentum through strategic targeting and multi-channel outreach before anyone walks through the door. during: create experiences that extend far beyond the physical venue through hybrid design and real-time content. after: convert momentum into revenue with sophisticated follow-up systems that actually drive pipeline. our clients implementing this approach have transformed their results. with one single campaign: ↳ pilot generated 100+ high-quality leads and saw 132% LinkedIn engagement surge ↳ elation lighting achieved 500% increase in impressions and won a prestigious industry award all in one trade show ↳ aeroflow healthcare achieved 47% higher acquisition at 34% lower cost bottom line: the companies gaining market share are treating roadshows as integrated campaigns rather than isolated moments. remember: face-to-face still matters, but only when it's part of a seamless journey that matches how today's B2B buyers actually make decisions. #b2bmarketing #b2bpr #gtm #eventmarketing #roadshow #cmoinsights

Over the next 3 months, I’m hosting 4 major events in France, UK, USA and KSA. Beforehand, I want to share my top tips on how to get the best out of networking. 1. Set Clear Targets Action: Make a hit list of the top 10 companies or people you need to meet. Research what they care about—know their wins, pain points, & what they’re hunting for before you walk through the door. Outcome: These conversations won’t just happen by chance. By doing your homework, you’ll turn a five-minute chat into a deal-building moment. Schedule meetings in advance, & after the event, send a tailored follow-up email that shows you were listening. 2. Take the Stage (Literally) Action: Get on the agenda. Whether it’s a keynote, panel, or fireside chat, nothing says “I’m the one to watch” like holding the mic. Use this time to address the industry’s biggest challenges & position yourself—& your company—as the answer. Outcome: Speaking builds instant credibility. It’s not just exposure; it’s authority. Post-event, share the highlights on LinkedIn & invite attendees to continue the conversation, turning an audience into a lead pipeline. 3. Own the Floor Action: Don’t just lurk—work the room. Engage with key exhibitors, ask questions, & position yourself as a resource, not just another pitch. Be direct but curious: “What’s your biggest challenge this year?” and “How can I help?” are powerful openers. Outcome: You’ll stand out as someone who listens. Take notes during conversations, & follow up within 48 hours with a personalised message. Not a generic “great meeting you”—send actionable insights or specific ideas that move the ball forward. 4. Host the Inner Circle Action: People bond better in a more relaxed setting than over Wi-Fi. Organise an exclusive dinner, roundtable, or cocktail event for a curated group of heavy hitters. Keep it intimate—this is about building relationships, not just showing off. Go easy on the heavy sell. Outcome: People remember who brought them value & connections, not who handed out free pens. Post-event, share any key takeaways & book one-on-one follow-ups to solidify what you started over drinks. 5. Hack the Tech Action: Use every tool at your disposal—event apps, LinkedIn, QR codes. Pre-event, reach out to attendees & book meetings. At the event, swap contacts digitally to keep things seamless, & use a CRM to track every interaction. Outcome: You’ll leave the event with an organised roadmap of leads, not just a stack of business cards destined for a desk drawer. Follow up strategically with segmented, value-driven emails & keep the momentum alive. The Bottom Line: Trade fairs & exhibitions aren’t just networking. Preparation, presence, & follow-up separate those who close deals from those who just collect swag bags. Be human. Don’t think of this as just a branding exercise but an opportunity for long term partnerships. Be genuine - your new contacts will become close contacts, if not friends. Make it count! #revenuegrowth

🚀 The Era of One-Size-Fits-All Events Is Over. Stop Doing It. Personalization isn't a single action, it's a series of intentional, strategic choices that come together to make every attendee feel genuinely valued. We’re not just organizing events anymore — we’re crafting journeys. 🧭 In today’s marketplace, attendees expect more than just a badge and a schedule. They want curated content, meaningful connections, and real-time relevance that makes them feel seen. That’s where hyper-personalization comes in. And no, it’s not just using someone’s name in an email. It’s about using data and technology to design experiences that feel custom-built for each person. 🧠📊 As an event marketer, I’m all in on data-driven strategy. This is where we move beyond logistics and design every touchpoint to be personal, memorable, and valuable. Here's some ways that can look like across the attendee journey: Before the Event: 🎯 Targeted Invitations & Content: Use behavioral data to send invites that speak directly to someone's interests. A marketer might get a blog post on campaign strategy, while a developer receives a product case study. 📝 Dynamic Registration: Ask tailored questions based on the attendee’s role or industry to build rich attendee profiles from the start. During the Event: 🤖 AI-Powered Agendas & Recommendations: Event apps can recommend sessions, speakers, and exhibitors based on real-time behavior, interests, and profiles — reducing decision fatigue and maximizing impact. 🤝 Smart Networking: Go beyond job titles. Use AI to match attendees with shared goals, values, or expertise for deeper, more meaningful conversations. 🎉 Personalized On-Site Experiences: Greet attendees by name on welcome screens, print session tracks on badges, or use RFID to tailor in-person interactions. 📽️ Customized Content Delivery: Make booth visits unforgettable. When someone scans their badge, show a video personalized to their company, role, or industry — turning a quick interaction into a memorable moment. 🧢 Personalized Swag: Skip the generic t-shirt. Offer attendees the ability to choose colors, styles, or even print their name on a water bottle or notebook. After the Event 📬 Tailored Follow-Up: Instead of a generic “thanks for coming,” send curated content based on sessions they attended, people they connected with, and their unique interests. 📚 Personalized Content Hubs: Create a portal where attendees can revisit the event — with homepages tailored to their track, interests, or role. 📊 Custom Surveys: Don’t ask vague questions. Personalize post-event feedback forms to reflect their specific journey. 🤔 What's one thing you're doing to add a touch of personalization to your events? Or, as an attendee, what's a personalization strategy that has truly impressed you? Let's share some ideas in the comments! #EventProfs #EventMarketing #HyperPersonalization #EventTech #ExperienceDesign #EventStrategy #PersonalizedExperiences

How do you get the most value out of trade shows and industry events? For me, it's a process. Let me start by saying that booths aren't the right fit for us, because we're not focused on "anyone with freight to move." We have a super specific type of target. Step 1 is identifying the attendees, and trying to set up individual meetings (lunch, coffee, etc). If you're my ICP, I want to talk to you... and no, I won't ever refer to you as "my ICP" when we're chatting. If there is a larger group of prospects I want to meet with, I'll try to put together a companion event (maybe an offsite dinner) with a group of folks. Am I selling at dinner? Unlikely... but I do want to get to know people (logistics is a relationship-based business). Also- I HATE the idea of a sales person attending a show and simply walking the floor (or hanging out in the lobby while trying to eagle-eye name badges). I try to find a few talks that I think are relevant to the business, and attend them. If there's a keynote or panel discussing something relevant, I want to be in the room, and that's for two reasons: 1- My target audience probably has the same interest, so it's a chance to catch folks I didn't connect with in advance. 2- There's an excellent chance I will learn something. And this one is really important. I ask anyone attending a show to share out their notes to the whole team (using Google Docs). The team (folks who weren't at the event) then piles in questions, comments, and thoughts*. A rising tide lifts all boats... and it does no good for me to be the only person getting smarter.... this is organizational development 101. FINALLY- it's all about follow up. Shippers aren't walking around trade shows looking to hand out their freight, so being in contact within a few days is critical. What's in your playbook that I'm missing? *I used to think it was worth doing a presentation about learnings, but I feel like most organizations already have too many meetings. This approach let's us synch up asynchronously.

I’ve been leading demand generation strategy for events at Microsoft and these are the top 3 key audience marketing strategies: First step when assigned to an event 🔍Segmentation and Targeting: It’s super important to understand the audience by breaking them down into specific segments based on their unique needs and behaviors. This enables us to deliver tailored messaging and campaigns. For example, we might segment our audience into "enterprise customers," "small businesses," and "individual users." By customizing our approach for each group, we ensure our marketing campaigns resonate and address their distinct challenges thus drawing them in as registered attendees. Secondly, a focus on ✍🏿Personalization and Engagement: As a demand gen lead, I want to make our interactions feel personalized to ensure our target audience engages with any content we put out so we can foster deeper connections. This includes personalized email campaigns, product and event recommendations, and targeted ads. In our touch points we also showcase various other pull-through methods such as interactive content such as webinars, surveys, and live events to keep our audience engaged. By understanding and addressing individual needs, we create a more meaningful and impactful relationship with our customers and partners. Last but not least 📝Storytelling and Content Marketing: As a storyteller myself, it’s important to me that we craft compelling narratives that showcase the benefits of our products and services through our events. Through a mix of content formats like blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and social media updates, we tell stories that highlight how our solutions solve real-world problems. For example, we might share stories about how our cloud services have transformed businesses, or how our AI technologies are driving innovation, or how AI-skilling is making an impa on real people. This approach helps build an emotional connection with our audience, making Microsoft a trusted and relatable brand. These are only a few key strategies, but, by implementing these strategies, we drive demand generation and build lasting relationships with our customers and partners through our event experiences. As a demand gen lead, my workstream is the first touchpoint to the potential attendee — and I love to make it a magical one. Are you an event marketer? What are your marketing tactics? Share below. Here's to successful marketing! 📈🚀 #theBOLDjourney #audiencemarketing #eventmarketing

💡 Planning for Success: Key Questions Exhibit Planners should be asking for their 2025 trade show exhibitions💡 As we gear up for 2025, achieving exhibition success is more critical than ever. With evolving social trends, attendee expectations, sustainability considerations, and tech innovations, it’s essential to take a strategic approach and join all the dots to achieve business success. Whether you're planning your first exhibition or you're a seasoned pro, asking the right questions during the preparation phase can set you up for exhibiting success. Here are 5 critical questions every exhibit planner should be asking themselves right now: 1️⃣ Why am I exhibiting? Are you focused on lead generation, brand awareness, networking, or launching a new product? or are you exhibiting because you have always done the same show year in year out regardless of your outcomes? A clear "why" will shape your entire business growth strategy. 2️⃣ Who is my target audience? Understanding your ideal attendee helps tailor your messaging, booth design, and engagement tactics. Who are you trying to attract, and how will you resonate with them? 3️⃣ What’s my budget—and how will I maximise ROI and ROO? Exhibitions can be costly, so it’s essential to allocate resources wisely. What percentage will go toward booth design, staff training, promotional marketing, and post-event follow-up? 4️⃣ How will I measure success? Define KPIs that align with your objectives. Will it be the number of quality leads, attendee interactions, or follow-up meetings booked? Set benchmarks to track your progress especially if you have long sales cycles. 5️⃣ What’s my follow-up strategy? Did you know that over 70% of exhibitors don't follow up after the initial "thank you for visiting us" email? A well-thought-out post-event plan ensures you capitalise on your hard work. How will you nurture leads and maintain the sales momentum after the show ends? By addressing these questions, you’re not just planning an exhibition—you’re setting the foundation for meaningful engagement and long-term growth. Are you struggling to answer these questions? Don’t worry—help is just a click away! 🎯 💬 DM Me to book a free discovery session with me to assess your current strategy, identify gaps, and create a roadmap for success in 2025 using our TEO frame work. Let’s ensure your next exhibition is your most impactful one yet! What other questions do you think exhibit planners should be asking in 2025? #ExhibitionPlanning #tradeshows #exhibitions #TradeShowSuccess

"If you build it (strategically) they will come." To achieve your event's KPIs, it is crucial to have a well-defined audience acquisition strategy that effectively reaches, registers, and retains your target customers. With 15 years of experience in the Tech sector, I have successfully led audience acquisition efforts for both live and digital events. I’ve executed ABM events for 20 C-Level executives, launched inaugural proprietary events, and driven attendance at large-scale conferences with over 20,000 attendees. To help you expand your audience outreach, increase attendance conversion, and surpass your KPIs, I focus on the following strategies: Identify and align with your target audiences—whether they are practitioners or buyers—and communicate using their language and preferences. ⭐️The North Star: Develop a consistent brand message and value proposition that resonates across all communication channels. 📌It's not you, it's them: Focus your content on addressing customer needs, and not solely your product. 🤝Team work makes the dream work: Foster collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders and exhaust all possible channels and opportunities in your marketing efforts. 📣Everything, Everywhere, All at Once: Engage with your audience with an optimized content marketing approach where they are most active: community groups, industry events and publications, social media, blogs. 💥Giddy Up: Harness the power of speakers, industry influencers, partners, attendees, alumni, and sponsors to amplify your outreach and generate buzz around your event. By implementing these strategies and a disciplined tactical plan, you can expand your audience acquisition efforts, drive higher attendance rates, and achieve or surpass your KPIs.