If you want to maximize your trade show appearance, you must tie your trade show exhibit to your digital marketing strategy. Traditionally, trade shows wasted time and money on the floor while marketing and sales execs networked with their peers in the cocktail lounge. But, trade show exhibits don’t come cheap if you want yours to stand out.

If you want the exhibit to pay off, you must make it the center of your digital strategy. Digital marketing tools help you contact and engage potential customers before the event, keep them involved during the show, and stay connected after everything is over.

The trade exhibit runs two days, but you need an email strategy that leads up to the dates and follow up thereafter. The email might offer directions to your exhibit floor location, but it should also build the sales cycle. Website content landing pages and social media posts must anticipate the show, cover it while it’s going on, and review the performance after. With enough planning, you can integrate tactics like videos and photographs that feature trade show visitors interacting with your product and people.

These are strategies, tools, and tactics, you cannot manage yourself while doing your leadership job at the trade show. Doing it right requires a six to twelve months’ effort at logistics planning, preparing creative design elements, determining the content, and testing strategies across participating company functions. You want to know as much about your prospects before you leave for the exhibit, plan your face-to-face with them in advance, and know best places and times to follow up after you return.