Why Exhibitions Are Super Cost-Effective In today’s tech-savvy world, marketers have all sorts of new tools at their disposal, but don’t overlook the power of face-to-face interactions. Exhibitions are key in this regard. They’re hotspots where professionals gather to share ideas, trends, and knowledge, all while showcasing products to potential buyers. In an era where impersonal marketing like AI is on the rise, exhibitions stand out as remarkably effective because they offer that crucial human touch. They’re like a magnet for maintaining market share and visibility. Think of it like magazine ads—if you’re not there, you’re missing out. Exhibitions are powerful because they bring together a targeted audience in one place, attracting buyers from near and far. They also provide a platform for showcasing the latest tech trends. Decision-makers, pressed for time, flock to exhibitions for immediate solutions. Tips for Exhibitors Success at exhibitions hinges on two main things: having a clear plan and executing it well. Here’s how to make the most of your exhibition presence: Stand Out: Make sure your booth grabs attention.Make a Statement: Leave a lasting impression.Be Memorable: Stick in people’s minds.Maximize Visibility: Get creative to get noticed.Set specific goals: like making new connections, generating inquiries, or launching products/services. The key is to have a solid strategy in place. Creating a Winning Exhibit There are four essential steps to nail your exhibition game: Step 1: Plan Set clear objectives and strategize how to achieve them using various marketing tools. Step 2: Design Choose the right approach—portable, modular,...

Outdoor is often part of a brand’s multi-media communication strategy, incorporating most candidate media. Outdoor is able to play an integral role in the media plan, by using the following: • Banners and flags • Billboards • Vehicle curtains • Vehicle signage from small decals to full vehicle graphics • Building wraps • Construction wraps The Role of Outdoor Advertising The rationale for the use of the medium ranges from cost-effectiveness to optimal reach to unparalleled frequency. It is able to draw huge audiences, at a fraction of the cost of other media. The reach of Outdoor advertising compares favourably with other media (Billboards last 4 -8 months). Fashion advertising on billboards is used very effectively to create awareness and increase sales. On average, a person travelling on the road will see your billboard for about three seconds. The message should be short and to the point with more on images than on text. The text must be written on the billboard large enough to be read easily. The latest technology now available is such that one can create incredibly eye-catching advertisements. Placement is extremely crucial to the success of the campaign. The human eye will rapidly fixate on an outdoor ad sign to help pass time and avoid boredom. Thus said, positioning ads at bus stops, busy intersections and/or along highways prone to high volume can be ingenious. This can be a big advantage when you have a business you want to draw traffic to right off a particular highway...

The initial lack of customers and cash flow often causes new small business owners to put off designing a logo and marketing materials professionally "until they get a few clients" or "until they get started." Unfortunately, designing their own marketing materials when they launch their businesses instead of having them professionally created will make getting those initial clients more difficult and may result in a business that will not succeed. Many entrepreneurs choose to design their own marketing materials when they launch their businesses, especially by creating their first business card. Or sometimes they will have an amateur designer, friend, or relative create the design. There are several reasons why this is not the best idea. An amateur logo design and business card can make your business more likely to fail for a number of reasons. Your business will not look stable.  It will appear to be more likely to fold or to fail. Clients will not have confidence in doing business with you. Would you do business with someone who seems to be on an unstable footing and who might not be in business by the end of your project or after you have purchased an item? You will look like a very small business.  Large, successful businesses would never consider doing business without professional, originally designed marketing materials. Using materials that are not professionally designed (i.e., Microsoft or Vistaprint templates) makes your business appear even smaller and can possibly indicate that you cannot perform to or meet the standards...

Reds Advertising designs labels or tags that will give buyers the relevant information to make the decision to purchase your product. If the label jumps out with an attractive look it will grab your attention and with clear and concise information it makes the decision to buy your product that much easier. Labels also help to build the brand and position the product into the market. The design of the label can materially affect its level of preference by offering cues to the consumer such as the quality of the product. A strong company name will often transfer powerful associations to new products such as 3M, Sony and Kellogg's. The label should make a spontaneous response to words that come to mind when shown. Consumers interpret scenes in which a brand plays a role. The culture conveyed by the brand core, its personality and its self-projection all comes into play when the consumer looks at your label. The label on the product should be incorporated in the brand themes and effective selling, advertising and promotional campaigns will communicate the brand's function and psychological values, trigger trial and reinforce commitment. The label as a silent salesperson can effectively enter new market segments and increase brand usage. The easiest and normally cheapest way to improve sales is to repackage your product that will attract the consumer's attention. This also repositions your product and brand in the market thereby improving market share. With new narrow web technology, lithographic, letterpress, flexographic printing and ink manufacturing...

A committed and well-managed approach to sponsorship results in vast and multifaceted long term benefits and rewards. The following benefits are unique to sponsorship: FlexibilitySponsorship positions your company with your target market's interest and is responsive to their preferences, lifestyles and attitudes. This is achieved because sponsorship allows for niche marketing.Many events and activities enable different sponsorships and can be selected to fit requirements. The opportunity to connect with consumers on a one-to-one by associating the brand or company with the qualities of the event is utilized. Brand EquityThe qualities of a sponsored event, through association, can expand, reinforce or even alter brand personalities traits. Sponsorship can serve as an important branding vehicle and is a unique way of generating brand loyalty and long term corporate awareness. Media ExposureSponsorship is the only form of marketing communication where the message does not compete with other promotional clutter.It can extend the ad campaign by creating a dynamic, interactive environment that makes the key message more relevant and persuasive. Cost-effectivenessSponsorship provides coverage and brand awareness at a more favorable rate than traditional advertising. It adds value and incorporates public relations and social responsibility programmes. Industrial Labour RelationsThe morale of staff is influenced by your company reputation and image. Open DoorsCorporate hospitality, reputation and a good corporate image can enhance its ability o do business with local and national governments. This produces access that otherwise would be costly and difficult to achieve. Cross All FrontiersSponsorship is global and crosses all barriers of bureaucracy, national prejudice...

Selection criteria consist of factors having a direct bearing on the choice of event. This is developed from sponsorship objectives and will depend on the needs of the company.The following are common sponsorship objectives: Corporate:* Increase or maintain awareness* Enhance or change a corporate image* Change target market perceptions or attitudes* Develop community involvement* Build business or trade relations* Enhance staff relations and motivation* Build goodwill among customers, business contacts and key influencers Product/Brand* Increase sales/market share* Increase target market awareness* Identify/build product image* Strengthen brand preference Selection CriteriaTarget Market CoverageThe event must reach the target market. Detailed information in terms of both the event and audience should be gathered. Also, investigate the degree of reach. Projections based on similar events can be used to determine coverage and the required transmission time. Timing /seasonalityConsider corporate marketing needs, product seasonality and other communication strategies. Establish that the event does not clash with another major or other events - as media coverage may then only consist of a few minutes or column centimetres. Competitor ActivityInvestigate competitor sponsorship involvement. If deciding to sponsor a similar event ensure that the event is high profile enough to dominate. Communication FactorsConsider the 'type' of sponsorship available, as different messages are conveyed and different communication strategies are required by different sponsorship types. Event ProfileInvestigate the history of the event and previous sponsors. Ascertain whether the created equity can be displaced in the target market. Potential Media ExposureTake the level of media exposure through on-site branding at the event...

The difference between a mediocre and successful sponsorship lies in the leverage of sponsorship. Maximizing visibility through creative and imaginative exploitation can maximize coverage and awareness and optimize the return on investment. An Existing EventThe success of an existing event depends on the skills and experience of the organizer. The following questions should be asked;* Who is responsible for event promotion?* Will it draw spectators?* How can attendance be maximized?* Are rights fees and admin costs understood?* What budget is set for sponsorship leverage? There are a few strategic considerations in selecting an existing event.* Will there be any other sponsors besides yourself and at what level of involvement?* What are the rights allocated to other sponsors and how does it differ from yours?* Did the other sponsors gain rights proportionate with their payments?* How was the price determined?* Are the other sponsor's businesses compatible with yours?* Ensure visibility of your brand if the event is cluttered.* Identify the opportunities of hospitality.* Can the brand association dilute and overpower the brand association developed by a previous sponsor? Creating your own eventCareful control is needed when creating your own event.Some areas to consider;* Positioning statement that is branding the image* Hospitality - how your customers and VIP guests are treated* Number and type of sponsors* Event quality Creating your own event involves risk and advice from lawyers, insurance professionals are required. Broadcast sponsorship provides the best coverage over the widest possible audience.Take the following into consideration when considering broadcast sponsorship* Market coverage...

How to use a data listing for a direct mail campaignYou can start your search for a list broker by looking in your local Yellow Pages. Check out their references carefully before getting involved. You're using your customers as templates for additional prospects. Depending on your product line, you might focus on postal codes, on subscribers to a particular magazine, sometimes on income (Sandton) or the youth (Schools/Technikons). List brokers have access to many thousands of lists. You'll pay up to ±R1300 per thousand names on a list, depending on the complexity of the list (i.e., if you want not only name and address but other demographic data). Brokers typically have a very thorough understanding of their lists and can give you insights into the best list for your use. The more you know about your current customers, the better use you'll be able to make of your list broker's experience. You don't buy lists – you rent them, usually for a single-time usage. If you want to send a second mailing later to the same list, that's another charge. If you know you'll be sending a series of mailings to a given list, mention this upfront for a cumulative rate. You can't simply fold these names into your database of customers. Not only would it be illegal and wrong, but you'd also get caught. Every list is "salted" with "ringers," names that aren't real but simply serve to give away any mailing done to the list. If the list broker's...

Direct marketing is an interactive system of marketing designed to create and keep customers by developing long term, personal relationships with each other through increasingly relevant products or services. Direct marketing is designed to:* solicit and close a sale* to generate interest* and to motivate a store visit. Methods of coding and tracking can lead you back to the advertising source. The final return can be calculated to the last cent. No other activity with the exception of personal selling can be measured this thoroughly. The advantages of direct marketing are:* Accountable advertising - each rand is accountable for* Added-value advertising - increases sales, creates awareness and builds brands* Answer back advertising - feedback* Allegiance advertising - communication builds loyalty* Appropriate advertising - relevant* Action advertising - provokes an action* Automated advertising - personal or direct The most cost-effective type of direct marketing activities are:Mailshot - personalized to the client with specific items that will create a desire for the need to purchase.Statement stuffers -DL leaflets inserted with the clients' statement.Inserts - effective in magazines that have a specific target audience.Telemarketing - effective but the most expensive form of direct marketing.Internet - effective and getting better all the time as the security for credit card purchases improves. There are four variables for ultimate success:Target marketResearch is needed to determine who is the target market and what their needs are. Accurate targeting makes direct marketing powerful and effective as it ensures efficient use of the advertising budget. Should be analyzed in tradition...

The service industry is the strongest growth and more people are employed in services than in all other sectors put together.Services have five important features that affect how they are managed and marketed. The services provided are of a specialized nature, these arise from the* intangibility of the offering,* inseparability of production and consumption,* heterogeneity - the difficulty of achieving standardization* perishable nature of the service.* ownership - the lack of full use only have the service for a limited time. Companies have developed new models of successful management practice. IntangibilityUnlike goods, services cannot be seen, touched, tasted or smelled. They are an experience or a process. This has a number of implications for the consumer and buyer.* Lack of physical qualities increases purchase risk - you can examine the shape, colour and features of a vehicle but you cannot do this with a haircut or an aeroplane ticket.* Quality of service can only be judged after it has been received - a repair on a vehicle.* Tangible clues gives the perception of the level of quality - appearance, staff and prices.* Lack of physical characteristics makes it difficult to display and differentiate the offering.* Impossible to patent services innovations - can be easily relocated by competitors. To deal with these problems the following strategy should be undertaken:* Stimulating personal influence sources as word-of-mouth. This includes encouraging customers to recommend the service to their friends.* Developing tangible cues that suggest high-quality service. These can include location, staff, equipment, advertising, and symbols...