Ag shows are some of the most anticipated events in the farming calendar! It is a great opportunity to connect with farmers and other businesses in the industry. It is also a great place to spread awareness of your company and talk directly to your existing and potential customers in a relaxed environment.
A lot of the success of an ag show happens before the day, with a pre-show communication schedule. Here’s what you need to have a successful day:
1. Don’t just turn up – be remembered!
If you want to attract attention to your business and stop people just walking past or forgetting their interaction immediately due to something more exciting taking their interest. You need to ensure you have something interesting to share or show and do it in a way that is rememberable and newsworthy.
2. Don’t forget to tell your existing customers
With all the preparations for new customers, it can be easy to forget about your existing customers. But don’t forget to tell them you where you’ll be, your number, and what you’ll be doing, to bring them to your stand. This allows you to have direct contact with them, strengthening your existing relationships, earning more sales and it will attract the eyes of potential customers who can see you busy with others and enjoying their company.
3. Use your existing channels
As well as telling your existing customers, spread the word all over your existing channels that you’ll be there with which number you are a and what you’ll have on offer for them to engage with. This helps remind existing customers and rope in potential customers. One suggestion is to blog about it! This blog can be repurposed onto other channels to help spread the word.
Utilise your press and digital ad bookings to let new and existing customers who are in the market where you’ll be!
4. Video, Video, Video!
Video is a great way to get quick and important information across to your busy customers! All you need to start with is a mobile phone! Don’t focus on perfection as the more authentic the video and the person, the more engaging the content is!
5. Share it on your socials!
Announce where you’ll be on your socials a few times before the event. If the show has social media channels, tag them in, they’ll share your posts with their audience! Use the event’s hashtags if they’re available as they can help generate engagement and reach more people.
6. Utilise your email signature
If you send lots of emails per day (like us!) then putting the event you attending, site number etc in your email signature is a great way to reach those you are directly in contact with.
7. Put it on your website
Your website is one of the main ways people will find and interact with your business. Your website should be a one-stop-shop for all things related to your business. To ensure everyone who visits your website knows about where you’ll be, no matter what page they look at, you should have a banner or pop-up window on every page to make. This is more inexpensive than having a landing page.
8. Influencer marketing
Use your influencer’s and employees’ own pages to share with their audience on their social media channels that you’ll be at the show.
9. Reach out to special customers
Send specific customers/partners you want to connect with a personal invitation! Be the host with the most and offer great hospitality and privacy. People tend to be more receptive at shows, the possibilities of your meeting are endless!!
10. Reach out to media partners
Events typically have their own media partners, and they will be looking for news to report from the event. Make sure to get in touch and tell them of your big plan for the show and draft a press release with some background to ensure what you want to be read is said. Make sure someone is always available to speak to them as they will move on if you’re busy.
We hope these tips were useful!
If you need help with your pre-ag show communications, get in touch with us!