What they're saying about Tradeshow Success...
"It's a great book, Tim. I've been doing trade shows for years and yet I never knew much about how to go buy or select an exhibit until I read your book. I highly recommend this to small to medium sized businesses looking to take their trade show marketing to the next level." - Anders Boulanger, CEO and Founder of the Infotainers
"Your book is really wonderful. Amanda in our Marketing Department saw it and said, “Oh, that’s really smart! It could be like a textbook for marketing students and professionals.” She’s right. It’s a really smart move for your brand. The content is great. I’m still trying to figure out if QR codes really do kill kittens : )" - Matt Cox, Vice President of Marketing, Bob's Red Mill
"When Tim asked me to read Tradeshow Success, I thought, “Oh crap! Does the world really need another prescriptive manual about tradeshow marketing?” Boy was I wrong. You are in for a treat. Tim takes the dark arts of tradeshow marketing and makes them accessible to anyone – whether you’re a novice to a tradeshow warrior. You’ll meet characters like Katie from Gotcha! Cookies ‘n’ Treats and Wally from Pharaoh, with engaging and entertaining stories about their tradeshow challenges. Social Media? Tim immerses you in the “whys and hows” of using LinkedIn, Twitter, Emails, etc. to drive attendees to your booth and boost your ROI. And that’s just one chapter! Design ideas, staff training tips, lead management, and more. It’s all there for you to enjoy, implement, and share." - Mel White, Classic Exhibits
Mike Vincent ,
Tim, you’re not alone. QR codes are nice and visually attractive, but in reality until all phones can scan automatically without first downloading and then opening an app it’s a frustrating experience. Combine that with the use of non-mobile optimized web pages, and it’s usually a waste of 30 seconds for someone interacting with the code.
At trade shows, SMS keywords are my recommendation. Why?
1. ~97% of folks have SMS capability on their phones.
2. You can read keywords on a sign from a distance, and send the text discreetly. I’d say the same attendees that may not want to talk to you are also not going to walkup, point and shoot for fear that they’ll get a pitch.
3. SMS is very interactive. Surveys, contests, alerts,trivia, text-2-vote (with screen integration) are a few examples.
Tim Patterson ,
Thanks for your comments, Mike. I agree that QR Codes are visually ‘cool’ but in reality have some ease-of-use issues. And I can see how SMS would be much easier for the user, even if it’s not as hip.