Combining Outbound and Inbound Marketing through Video

Trade shows are still a great way to generate buzz for some companies, but have you ever thought about how to carry this buzz and excitement over after the show? Enter the power of video and content marketing. Online video is quickly becoming a sensible, versatile and rewarding method of marketing. Here, we take a look at how to utilize video marketing before, during and after trade shows.

Before You Go

One of the most important things to keep in mind before you attend a trade show is whether or not you are allowed to shoot at the trade show. There are still a plethora of shows and conference centers that have strict policies about who can and cannot shoot at their shows.

After you are certain it's OK to shoot, you need to gather your equipment. Essential equipment includes a camera,  a tripod and a good microphone where you can capture the audio you need without picking up too much of the excess buzz. Be sure to remember extra SD cards, extra charged batteries for the camera and microphone and a small camera mounted light, as this could come in handy with the poor fluorescent lights of the hall.

Another smart idea is to develop a plan of action or at least a rough idea of where you are going to be throughout the day. Having this time blocked out will help you organize the day and stay on task during the busy show.

At The Show

When you are at the show, be sure to remember the plan but allow for flexibility: The unexpected is bound to happen. The Kuno content team recently went to a show for one of our clients with the expectation of shooting all morning and editing and writing during the afternoon. But once we began rolling at the show, our team, in junction with the client, could not stop coming up with different ideas for more videos. So in reality, we shot all day and didn’t get a chance to edit until the next morning.

Keep in mind, there are a number of different types of videos you can produce at a trade show: product demonstrations, testimonials from your existing customers and quick company videos showing your representatives’ interacting with show attendees.

After the Show

Now that you have this awesome footage, it is time to edit and implement it into your content strategy. Depending on your message, your videos should be somewhere between 1-2 minutes, but can be longer if necesary. The main goal of these videos is to quickly capture the viewers’ attention and have them contact you for more information. With this in mind, videos work great as part of your email campaigns or as a compliment to a blog post. They provide a little extra for your subscribers and allow buyers to see the excitement behind what you have to offer.

Video is a great way to carry the excitement of a trade show over to your inbound marketing strategy. It allows for buyers and subscribers to learn more about your products, culture and what current customers are saying about you.

Are you utilizing online video in this way? Share some of successes or challenges to help inspire others in the comments.

photo credit: kino-eye 

With a degree in Electronic Media, Dan Romanski has five years of video production, both professionally and independently. When he is not assisting with projects at Kuno, he can be found exploring different parts of Cleveland with his camera. Connect with him on LinkedIn.