Before we present our 5 concrete tips for successful trade fair marketing, we would like to briefly clarify two questions: What is trade fair marketing and what are the goals of trade fair marketing. This way, our tips for trade fair success can be categorized immediately.
Trade fair marketing comprises the well thought-out conception and implementation of marketing strategies for trade fair appearances with the aim of expanding the customer base and establishing business connections. An appealing stand design, meaningful advertising materials and captivating interactive elements are key components in attracting visitors and effectively communicating the benefits of products or services. The lasting success of a trade fair presentation depends to a large extent on a precise target group analysis in advance and a structured follow-up after the event.
Goals and tasks in trade fair marketing
Trade fair marketing pursues a variety of strategic goals that go far beyond immediate sales success. The central tasks and objectives include
Increasing brand awareness: presence at trade fairs significantly increases the visibility of the company and its products in the industry.
Acquisition of new customers: Trade fairs offer a unique platform for personal interactions that can be used to gain new business contacts and potential customers.
Maintaining and improving the brand image: direct contact with visitors makes it possible to actively and positively influence the perception of the brand.
Expanding the business network: trade fairs are ideal opportunities to deepen existing business relationships and forge new partnerships.
Conducting market research: Direct exchange with customers and competitors provides valuable insights into current market trends and customer needs.
These multidimensional objectives underline the strategic importance of trade fair marketing as an integral part of a company’s marketing mix.
5 tips for successful trade fair marketing
Trade fairs are still an important instrument in the marketing mix of many companies. They offer the unique opportunity to make personal contact with customers and interested parties, present products and position your own company. But how do you make your trade fair marketing successful? Here are five key tips that will help you make your next trade fair presence a complete success.
1. Plan well ahead
Successful trade fair participation begins with thorough and early planning. Ideally, you should start preparations at least six to twelve months before the event. This gives you enough time to:
Develop a clear trade fair concept
Plan budget and resources
Design and equip your stand
Secure better stand locations at the trade fair and take advantage of any discounts for early bookings
Develop and initiate accompanying marketing strategies for the trade fair
Create marketing materials
Train and prepare your team
2. Know the location and your target group
In order to design your trade fair marketing effectively, it is essential to know the target location and your target group precisely. Do thorough research:
Who are the typical visitors to the trade fair?
Which industries and companies are represented?
What are the current trends and challenges in the industry?
What cultural particularities need to be taken into account at the trade fair venue?
What opportunities are there to position your brand as prominently as possible at the trade fair, in the exhibition halls and in the city?
3. Adapt communication and media mix to target group and event
A successful trade fair appearance requires a well-thought-out media mix. Tailor your communication channels and content to your target group and the type of event. Take this into account:
Social media channels for pre-event communication and live updates
Press releases and specialist articles in relevant media
Email marketing for personalized invitations
Printed materials such as flyers or product catalogs
Digital presentations or interactive displays at the trade fair stand
Outdoor advertising (digital and analog) in the trade fair city and especially in front of the exhibition halls
Make sure that your messages are consistent across all channels and reflect your brand identity.
4.Generate attention
At a trade fair, you are competing with many other exhibitors for the attention of visitors. Therefore, use creative and eye-catching elements to stand out from the crowd:
Develop a unique stand design that represents your brand
Plan interactive elements such as virtual reality demonstrations or live product tests
Organize prize draws or competitions
Use eye-catching displays or modern technologies (e.g. holograms) to create eye-catchers
The more you appeal to visitors’ senses, the more likely you are to be remembered.
Also use additional placements beyond the trade fair stand to appeal to visitors in multiple ways. These include, among other things:
Participation in debates, lectures or panel discussions
Sponsoring or article placement in the trade fair catalog
Placement of advertising media on the exhibition grounds, around the trade fair and at touch points
5. Address the target group and customers directly and invite them specifically to the trade fair
Personal contact is the heart of every trade fair. Take the opportunity to address your target group and existing customers directly and invite them specifically. But how do trade visitors find their way to your stand to talk to you?
Send personalized invitations by e-mail or post
Offer exclusive benefits for visitors to your stand, such as special trade fair discounts or VIP treatment
Use social media to arouse interest and generate anticipation
Contact important customers personally and arrange appointments at the trade fair
Create incentives for visitors, such as the presentation of new products or exclusive networking opportunities
Take advantage of advertising opportunities at the most important touch points for national and international trade visitors on their way from the airport, via the main railway station to the trade fair station, to inform visitors once again of the location of your stand (hall and stand number).
The more targeted and personalized your invitations are, the more likely it is that your target group will visit your stand.
Conclusion: What is needed for successful trade fair marketing
With these five tips, you are ideally equipped to make your trade fair marketing successful. Remember: a trade fair is an investment in your brand and your customer relationships. With careful planning and creative implementation, you can ensure that this investment pays off for your company.
So, which trade fair is on your agenda? Perhaps even the ITB in Berlin? ITB will take place in Berlin from March 4-6, 2025. If you are attending here, then you have already completed most of the steps on our list. But what about organizing your presence outside the exhibition grounds?
In this article, we will take a closer look at the placement of out-of-home advertising at trade fairs and ITB Berlin in particular:
Do you have any questions or are you interested in outdoor advertising for trade fairs and events? Please use our contact form below or give us a call: +49 30 22 45 89 97.
We will be happy to answer your questions and send you a non-binding offer.
Trade fairs are major annual events that bring together visitors from many cities and countries. Technology, automobile, gaming, animation: In Germany various trade fairs take place. As marketing events, they attract many visitors through their variety of different activities. Manufacturers and retailers can present their goods and services there. In Hanover and around the trade fair grounds in there are many advertising faces ideal for creating visibility during the trade fair.
In this article, you will learn why outdoor advertising around the trade fair grounds is worth it and how different media can be successfully combined into a media mix to skilfully pick up the target group on their way to the trade fair.
Trade fair advertising – your media mix
Draw attention to yourself and be visible!
There are many advertising media available for your trade fair advertising. Not only directly in front of the fairgrounds, but also at important traffic routes. The airport, the main station, the access roads and the train station in front of the trade fair in particular are important POIs (points of interest) to adequately accompany trade fair visitors to the trade fair.
Whether digital screens at the airport baggage belt, big banners at the main station, large-scale billboards and city light boards at the trade fair station or even mobile advertising spaces such as video trucks or cool light bikes right outside the door. You have the choice and option to put together your own media mix. Used correctly, the different advertising media will form a network that guides the people to the trade fair and your fair booth. Therefore, it is important to extend your branding beyond the fairgrounds with out-of-home advertising to attract as many people as possible. This will help your target group find their way to you.
Meeting places: Out-of-home ads at the train station and airport
Make the most of your options! – Approach your clientele directly with your advertising and create a visual statement at the same time.
The main station and airport in Hanover are the arrival point where it all begins. This is where your target group arrives. Thousands of people are processed at the airport and main station every day. That’s why advertising can also be seen here. Especially when trade fairs are in full swing, you can ideally meet many of your visitors at Laatzen station or Hanover airport. After all, these are the first touchpoints before they arrive at the trade fair.
At Hanover airport, various coloramas and lightboxes lead the way from the terminal to the baggage claim and straight to the exit. Strategic placement on these backlit posters makes the perfect first impression. After that it’s off to the city by train or cab. For those arriving by train, Hanover main station is the first place of arrival. Here lots of poster media and banners are available for your branding. Next stop is the trade fair. Use the poster advertising at the roads leading to the fair and at the Laatzen station to reach all arriving trade visitors.
The World rides on us – Hendrickson at the IAA
They know all about car mechanics and how to use advertising media, too. Hendrickson simply knows how to do it! – At the start of the IAA Transportation trade fair 2024 in Hanover, they will be present and pick up your target group at the important touchpoints outside the trade fair.
At the IAA, suppliers, retailers, and car enthusiasts come together to experience the innovations of automobile mechanisms. An exchange in which everyone present talks about their expertise. Hendrickson used the trade fair to their advantage to present their new product and invite visitors to their fair booth.
At Hanover main station, they displayed themselves on big banners on the glass elevator, which is located right at steps that go up to the platform where the train runs directly to the trade fair. Guiding the IAA visitor right to them. At the Laatzen station, they used the Station Tower. This three-sided advertising medium was placed directly at the passageway that leads to the west entrance of Hanover trade fair. It is therefore highly visible to all visitors arriving.
For those arriving by car or cab, they have also placed posters on City Light Boards on the main access routes from the city. This ensures that you meet all trade fair visitors.
Save to say, that out-of-home advertising at trade fairs is a very helpful tool to strengthen brand awareness in your direct target group. The amount of advertising media in this media mix is indispensable, as it addresses visitors several times on their way there and via different channels. Hanover is no exception.
Advertise your trade fair in Hanover now! You are closest to your target group at the airport, main railway station or Laatzen station.
Don´t miss out on this opportunity and book now, before the best location are gone.
In an increasingly digitalized world, out-of-home (OOH) marketing remains an indispensable medium for effectively reaching people in their everyday lives. The real estate and property management company Dydo has used the potential of digital outdoor advertising to increase its visibility in the Steglitz district of Berlin in a targeted manner. With a targeted programmatic OOH campaign on digital City Light posters, Dydo not only strengthened its local presence, but also achieved considerable reach. It is particularly noteworthy that the campaign was not only aimed at increasing brand awareness, but also at attracting potential new employees to Dydo. This best case study highlights the strategy, results and success factors of this programmatic campaign.
Overview of the campaign
⦁ Client: Dydo Immobilien & Hausverwaltung, Berlin, Schloßstraße 116
⦁ Campaign period: 8 days (30.09. – 12.10.2024), Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
⦁ Number of screens: 10 strategically selected digital city light posters
⦁ Location: Schloßstraße in Berlin-Steglitz
⦁ Spot duration and format: 10 seconds, 1080 x 1920 px
Aim of the campaign
The campaign had several objectives: Firstly, it was intended to raise awareness of Dydo Immobilien & Hausverwaltung in the immediate area and target potential customers. At the same time, an important focus was on addressing passers-by in Steglitz who could be potential new employees to strengthen the Dydo team. The programmatic approach enabled flexible and precise control of the advertising.
Strategic planning and choice of location
The location of the campaign was a decisive factor. Schloßstraße in Berlin-Steglitz, a busy shopping and business street with a high volume of pedestrians and traffic, offered ideal conditions. The choice to use only 10 digital screens in close proximity to the Dydo office ensured optimal visibility and targeted potential customers and applicants in the immediate vicinity. This targeted selection enabled Dydo to make efficient use of the budget of just €10,000 and achieve maximum local reach.
Results
⦁ Number of repetitions: 33,393
⦁ Impressions achieved: 465,326
With over 33,000 repetitions and almost half a million impressions, the campaign achieved impressive visibility. The high frequency on specific days and the limited times increased the impact of the campaign and ensured that the advertising message was concentrated.
Success factors
1. Geographical precision: Dydo selected the digital City Light Posters according to the following criteria: Location and proximity to Dydo headquarters, visibility of the digital screen to pedestrians and motorists, and frequency at the location, focusing on agglomerations based on supermarkets and bus stations. By limiting the campaign to 10 strategically selected screens in the immediate vicinity, the campaign could be placed particularly effectively in an area with high relevance for the target group.
2. Time limitation: The decision to run the ad only on specific days and at specific times (10am-7pm) resulted in higher visibility and relevance during peak hours when there are many passers-by on Schloßstraße. In addition, the strategic programming ensured that the budget was not used for playout at irrelevant times. Conversely, the budget was only used at relevant times and then with increased playout frequency. As a result, this digital out-of-home advertising benefitted greatly from increased advertising pressure during relevant periods thanks to programmatic planning.
3. Programmatic flexibility: Normally, the digital City Light Posters can only be booked in larger networks. However, the programmatic approach made it possible to customize the campaign and only use the screens that would best appeal to the target group. This flexibility led to the best possible use of the budget and a targeted approach to the desired target group.
Conclusion
The programmatic digital out-of-home campaign by Dydo Immobilien & Hausverwaltung in Berlin impressively demonstrates how digital out-of-home advertising can be used effectively to increase local brand awareness and reach new target groups. The opportunity to address not only potential customers but also new employees directly via this campaign was particularly valuable for Dydo. The precise selection of screens and exact timing ensured impressive reach and visibility. This best case study illustrates the potential of programmatic digital out-of-home campaigns for local companies that want to reach their target groups exactly where they are. Dydo serves as an inspiring example for companies that want to strengthen their marketing strategy through digital out-of-home advertising, both for reaching customers and for targeted recruitment.
At Geneva Airport, the media landscape is as diverse as the travel experience itself. From digital media to traditional analog media, the formats cover all areas – from departure to parking.
The Ellinikon: eye-catching advertising with digital screens at Geneva Airport
Together with the agency THE NEWTONS LABORATORY SA, we successfully realized a campaign at Geneva Airport for the new resort of The Ellinikon. The Full Digital A & B, Digital Business Lounges and Digital Business Aviation networks were booked for the campaign.
The choice of digital screens in the arrivals area, departures area, waiting area, baggage area and business lounge proved to be extremely effective. These locations ensured maximum visibility and reached a wide audience consisting of both arriving and departing passengers, as well as business and leisure travelers. By placing the clip on the three networks, a high number of travelers were targeted and made aware of the new resort.
The campaign is planned to run for two months, in June and November, giving the client the opportunity to target the audience at different travel times. By displaying their advertising on the digital screens across three networks, The Ellinikon could be sure of the attention of travelers.
Price example for digital screens:
network
duration
quantity
format
media price
Full digital A & B
4 weeks
60 screens
UHD 2.160 x 3.840 px / FHD 1.080 x 1.920
CHF 21.292,04
Digital Business Lounges
4 weeks
8 screens
UHD 2.160 x 3.840 px
Digital Business Aviation
4 weeks
1 screen
UHD 2.160 x 3.840 px
plus VAT
Attention in flight mode: digital media at Geneva Airport
By placing digital screens in the busiest areas such as arrival and departure terminals, waiting areas and business lounges, you can reach a diverse target group. The digital media are characterized by their high visibility and high perception values. This campaign has shown that digital media at Geneva Airport offers a compelling opportunity to effectively stand out and attract attention in a dynamic environment.
Poster show cases have proven to be an extremely effective medium in Berlin’s dynamic outdoor advertising landscape. Every day, they attract the attention of thousands of commuters and tourists who use the U-Bahn and S-Bahn. The posters in individual frames offer an excellent opportunity to increase brand awareness and convey targeted messages.
Independent Living Foundation: advertising vacancies in Berlin through poster show cases
Independent Living Foundation, a care and support service, is looking for committed employees for its facilities in Berlin.
To effectively fill these vacancies, Independent Living opted for outdoor advertising on public transport (high reach, high proportion of women). They chose two specific networks for their campaign:
1. U-Bahn Network East: With this network, they targeted the eastern part of Berlin. The strategic placement of the poster display cases in subway stations ensures that the advertising messages are seen by numerous commuters and residents.
Berlin 01 S-Bahn full City: This network covers the entire S-Bahn ring as well as central areas in Berlin Mitte. By placing the posters at highly frequented S-Bahn stations, Independent Living reaches a broad target group and maximizes the visibility of its job advertisements.
Price example poster display cases:
Network
Duration
Quantity
Format
Media price
Berlin S01 City gesamt
4 weeks
53 locations
A1
3.487,40 €
U-Bahn Kiez Ost
4 weeks
75 locations
A1
4.114,00 €
plus VAT plus production
Effective use of poster show cases for employee recruitment in Berlin
Poster show cases at U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations are extremely effective for recruiting employees in Berlin and increasing awareness of a company or organization.
Holistic advertising strategy: The use of outdoor advertising as A1 posters in the poster show cases allowed Independent Living not only to advertise their vacancies in a targeted manner, but also to strengthen their brand image and position themselves as an attractive employer in Berlin. This holistic advertising strategy underlines the importance of well-thought-out outdoor advertising for the success and growth of a company in a dynamic city like Berlin.
