I have mixed emotions about food as a promotional marketing item. Yes, there are hundreds of delicious options in every price range and fitting of any occasion, and yes, food does make an impression, but only for the time that it lingers on the tongue. After that your branding (most likely on the wrapper) is tossed and your company is but a vague, sweet memory.
Food can make an impression but you need to follow it up with something spectacular. Trade show treats will get them in to your trade show booth but it will not keep them there; so here are a few tips to perfect your trade show approach.
Think Cinnabon
Cinnabon lures you to its kiosk or store through delicious smells but it also delivers on its tasty treats once you get there. Don’t lure someone to your booth with a great food and then stop short of delivering the conversation necessary to get them interested in your product or service.
The food will get them there but it will also be consumed, leaving them with nothing to remember you by if you don’t make an impression. Food is NOT a standalone promotional item. No deal will be cinched over a candy bar. If it ever is, please let me know.
Know the Trade Show Treats Rules
Some trade shows have rules about food. Some won’t allow you to give anything edible, while others will allow it as long as it isn’t consumed in the exhibit hall. Each conference or show is different so please double-check before ordering your promotional food items.
Don’t Place all Your Eggs in One Basket
Some products and services have a long sales process, a courtship of sorts. A mint is not going to convince them to buy. Food is best used as an icebreaker or a magnet. It’s supposed to lure them in so you can have a conversation about their needs. As we mentioned before, the food gets consumed and the conversations ends. If you’d like to use food at your next trade show, it’s best to pair it with something else, something you can give them to take home, so they will remember you.
Not everyone who takes a mint gets a promotional item as well. Save those for people with whom you have a good conversation. Promotional products should be tailored to where someone is in the buying cycle. A prospective customer who is just starting to investigate what you do and how you could help, is a good person to give food to.
Food is a good conversation starter but don’t miss an opportunity to connect on a deeper level because all you have is a mint giveaway.
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