Introducing your newest product or service to the business community as well as consumers is easiest at a trade show or expo event. Interestingly, this is also an excellent occasion for building an email list offline.
- Hand out brochures. Glossy brochures are part of the trade show presentation. Encourage email sign-ups for the regularly scheduled product or service updates and special offers.
- Host contests. Joining the game is as simple as entering a ticket with an email address. Winners will be notified via email. To generate interest in the contest and the sign-up, give away something that is of unique appeal to your targeted demographic. For example, a rug retailer or manufacturer might give away rolls of non-slip rug pads.
- Offer samples. If at all possible, incorporate your website address into the jingle or marketing of your product. When trade show attendees take home your samples and like them, they are more likely to visit your website and sign up for special savings offers. Let consumers know that they are entitled to free offers because of their trade show attendance. Ask them to email you with the term “trade show” in the subject line.
- Point of sale collection. When you sell products or service vouchers at the event, make it your standard practice to ask customers for their email addresses. Train your staff to explain the benefits of receiving regular email updates.
- Electronic presentation. If you use iPads at your booth, allow visitors to enter their email addresses into a database application. For example, you might present your standard landing page information but then require the email sign-up for behind-the-scenes information.
When building you email list offline, remember to provide value-added benefits to the consumer. Additionally, put these hard-won email addresses to good use with a management program that ensures nobody falls through the cracks. Contact us today to find out what that could look like.