How to Drive Exhibitor Leads for Events through Digital Marketing

Event season is in full swing here in the UAE, from trade shows to consumer-led exhibitions, beauty events, to food festivals, winter and spring will see thousands flock to the Emirates to take part in some of the most global events on the calendar.

So, as an event organizer, how can you make sure that the exhibitors at your event are properly targeted? How can you convince them to exhibit at your next event?

We’re here to tell you.

Digital campaigns to drive exhibitor leads

Whilst it’s a no-brainer that any campaign should have a digital element, there are two specific campaigns that need to be included to drive exhibitor leads: PPC on Google and LinkedIn.
PPC can help bring in a larger pool of interested individuals who are actively searching for your event, or those like it. If you have a great strategy in place  and have experience in bidding and keywords (like us here at GTECH) then you can ideally place your messaging where the relevant parties will see it. 

With LinkedIn, you can easily directly target specific decision makers in a company that can be converted to a customer. You have the advantage that leads are already verified thanks to a number of parameters that LinkedIn have in place. A caveat, though: LinkedIn campaigns can be an expensive method of driving exhibitor leads.

Speak in numbers to drive exhibitor leads

Exhibitors want one of two things, ROI and to expand their network. In your communications, it’s vital that the audience is told who will be there, how many people will be there, and how effective it will be at putting the right people in touch with them. Make sure that your key talking points frequently include tangible numbers that are easily digestible by many, and that the results will be fruitful for whoever you are targeting.

Video Testimonials to drive exhibitor leads

Showcasing previous attendees in video format is one of the easiest ways to drive exhibitor registrations. A simple ‘talking head’ video with a previous exhibitor (preferably from a well-known company) describing their positive experience, and highlighting a few key figures can really enhance and establish credibility and trust with your brand, and sway potential exhibitors into joining your event.

Utilize your audience to drive exhibitor leads

If your event has been running for a couple of years now, there’s a likelihood that you’ve built up a large pool of emails that can be used to your advantage. Rather than just utilizing the list as an email database, use it to create a lookalike audience within your digital campaigns. These lookalike audiences will likely be an accurate representation of your target audience and can boost your marketing efforts significantly!

sponsored content advertising

Sponsored content advertising can be a highly effective way to attract exhibitors to events by promoting event participation through strategic content on social media and publisher websites.

Retargeting to drive exhibitor leads

Remember: The targeting funnel is your friend. Whilst we may not be going into much detail about the whole funnel process, it’s essential that your digital marketing efforts are well thought-out. Retargeting website visitors with specific messaging can narrow down a targeting pool that can convert to becoming a customer, in this case, an exhibitor. Conveying urgency in these targeted messages is also necessary to invoke a response from them as well. Think: “Hurry, there’s limited exhibitor spaces” or “Only 3 days left to become an exhibitor at our event”.

Drive exhibitor leads with GTECH

From Icons of Porsche to GITEX, Taste of Dubai to Parenthood: The Unconference and so much more, our team at GTECH has seen it all when it comes to driving exhibitor leads. Our team has helped generate traffic and have contributed to exhibitor registrations. 

All of the points above are just some of the methods that our awesome team employs to help events reach their maximum potential. Shoot us through a message if you’d like to get in touch to supercharge your event exhibitor registrations!