Trade shows are a great way to connect with customers, showcase your latest product innovations and get a bump in sales. In fact, it’s why nearly 1,800 exhibitors and 130,000 people attended this year’s Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) show. But what happens after the show? What happens when your show car is tucked away in the garage, your product demonstrations aren’t dazzling a group of onlookers and your brochures are sitting in boxes back at the shop?
Between shows and sales calls, it’s important to connect with your existing customers while having an active plan to uncover prospects. Having a digital marketing plan as an automotive supplier not only increases your brand’s awareness, but it also opens the door to leads you would have never seen. But before you dive too deep into the tactics, take a closer look at your product messaging. Is it relevant to each one of your audiences? Or are you using a universal approach?
Map out the “need gaps” of each of your audiences to identify what type of messaging will be most meaningful to each group. Determine what problems your products solve for each of your customers. It’s not always going to be that you have the latest innovations or technology. And if you default to being the cheapest, you’ll find yourself in a race to the bottom.
Start with any one of your audiences, say a dealer. Ask yourself what they need the most. Does the dealer want a brand that has great equity and is trusted above and beyond competitors? Or are they looking for a brand that backs its products with best-in-class service or warranties? Perhaps your dealer audience is looking for a brand that comes with product training to inform their sales teams on how to make the best product recommendation for their customers.
Once you determine your messaging for each audience, write it down and make sure everyone on your sales team reads from the same script. Any deviation can make your brand instantly irrelevant to customers when your marketing message contradicts your sales message.
So how do you add fuel to the fire? You have a convincing story that resonates with your audiences, your website is updated, you’re posting regularly on the right social platforms to build your brand awareness, your sales team is firing on all cylinders and you’re loading up your lead lists from shows like SEMA.
There are plenty of tire kickers at tradeshows. Money is tighter, and prospects have more options to weigh when looking for new products. They may have questions, hesitations or it just simply isn’t the right time. The key is to stay present as long as possible. Lead nurturing is an effective tactic to stay in front of your audience until your products are needed. But your messaging must be on point.
Nurturing a lead is a daunting task if you’re relying on your sales team to send dozens of emails to hundreds of contacts. Instead, look into developing a lead nurture automation.
By automating the process of sending the right emails to the right leads at the right times, you can help guide them through your purchase funnel.
You’ll create a series of emails that address each messaging point that is so important to your audience. In some instances, just a few emails will do the trick and trigger your desired response. And other times, a lead may need to view a dozen emails before they can confidently reach out to inquire about a deal.
If you’re looking to add more selling power to your team with digital marketing, the experts at True Digital Communications can help you find the right solution for what challenges your company is facing. Whether it’s lead nurturing, technical content creation, social media, paid programs, SEO/SEM, or trade show support, our experts are ready to talk.
Request a needs analysis and let’s get started.
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