What do we mean by a “Sandwich?” For the fourth consecutive year, Gilson made the trek to GlobalShop, the world’s largest annual event for retail design and shopper marketing. Anyone who’s ever been involved in an annual event or campaign knows that repetition is the key to success. Moving forward with that in mind, our team knew this was potentially a BIG year for Gilson at GlobalShop.
Trade shows. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. On the one hand, you need to attend to be considered a viable player in the industry. On the other hand, you’re sharing space with hundreds of your biggest competitors—all vying for the attention of people who may not even be the decision-makers you’re trying to reach. On top of that, you’re juggling freight charges, booth fees, hotel charges, entertainment and travel expenses, and (of course) the costs associated with developing a whiz-bang, knock-out, show-stopping trade show promotion.
Whew! So the question is, with all that pain and suffering, how can marketers make it worthwhile? Let’s take a look at how we handled our most recent trade show experience, and the takeaways you might borrow for your own event marketing campaign.