Engineering trade show marketing should be an integral piece of your trade show experience to attract the purchasing agents, project managers and business owners who attend the show. Facilities managers and government agency purchasing agents should be contacted ahead of the show to let them know you'll be exhibiting.

To build engineering trade show traffic, create an unique booth and use unique engineering tradeshow giveaways such as slide rules and drafting pencils. Make your engineering tradeshows advertising work in a number of ways by purchasing additional placement in the show directory and industry trade magazines. Try to get your experts to make presentations at show seminars.

1. Create a buzz with your engineering trade show giveaways.

2. Use the show directory for engineering tradeshow marketing opportunities.

3. Purchase engineering tradeshow promotions in advance by advertising your participation in association publications.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Enlist professional services for engineering tradeshow marketing

Even if you have an in-house marketing department, it can be a worthwhile investment to hire a marketing firm with extensive trade show experience to make the most of your engineering trade show experience. You can use a firm to handle your entire marketing plan, or just to provide special engineering trade show promotions, like multimedia presentations.

I recommend: For an overall marketing plan, seek out the services of a marketing company such as Pickering Creative that specializes in trade shows. Pure Imagination, used by engineering companies like Bison Gear and Engineering offers full tradeshow marketing services, including multimedia presentations that can serve as both pre-show marketing and as a compelling way to draw attendees to your booth at the show.

Look for additional engineering trade shows advertising opportunities through the trade show itself

Check into marketing opportunities offered by major trade shows. For example, industry associations that are always looking for sponsorships put on many trade shows, so you can increase your exposure as a sponsor or by buying engineering trade shows advertising in the show directory. You can also receive engineering tradeshow follow-up by being credited with your involvement in the show through participation on a committee.

I recommend: Members of the Association of Energy Engineers have lots of opportunities to get involved in the organization's trade shows--and get advertising opportunities. If you attend tradeshows offered through the American Association of Engineering Societies, you can gain exposure through the association's website. For more pre-show marketing, announce your participation in the trades show at the Green Sustainable Building Controls Conference & Expo through webinars and other opportunities offered by the group.

Use engineering trade show giveaways to ensure that customers remember your name

Your trade show display and the products and services you're marketing will be the primary draw for trade show goers. However, it helps if they have something to take away besides just your business card and literature. For name recognition, offer engineering-themed giveaways imprinted with your name.

I recommend: Try using the mini-flashlights provided by 4 Imprint as one of your engineering trade show giveaways. Find a number of customizable slide rules and other calculating tools at Date Wheels to hand out at your booth.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ask the tradeshow organizers for additional tickets to the show as part of your exhibit fee so that you can send invitations to important clients or prospects you have been courting as another way to increase your engineering trade show sales. You can also send out press releases to local news media and industry guides to announce your participation and promotions at the event.