Sharp's A&D team has been attending KBIS, the leading Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, on behalf of clients for more than 6 years. With the 2016 show fast approaching – and Sharp representing a record seven brands on site this year – we wanted to share some of our learnings and best practices to help your brand make the most of these types of industry events.
1. Stand Out: With hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of attendees, and more events, sessions and activities than we can count, there are many opportunities to get your brand noticed at the Show. Here are a few approaches to make sure that you stand out:
- Partner Up: joining forces with like-minded brands helps increase your footprint and impact. Cross promote your major products in partner booths, join forces to sponsor (and sit on) a panel session, and collaborate to co-host an experience for media or bloggers.
- Get Involved: Make sure that your brand has a presence outside of your booth. Take advantage of networking opportunities, co-host educational sessions or sponsor a party or event. These activities get you out in front of people in unexpected ways and keep your brand name top of mind.
- Find your Voice: Identify a key point person to speak out on your behalf and help you rise above the clutter. Having a singular voice creates a consistency of message and helps elevate you as an expert in your field.
2. Get Scheduled: Once you have your game plan in place, it's not enough to simply stand in your beautifully designed booth and hope to catch media as they tour the show floor. Our job as an Agency is to identify media who would be a good fit for your brand or product collection and make sure that you're fitting into their busy schedules.
3. Do Your Homework: The real work is in the planning, which ensures that your time on site is as productive as possible. We help our clients develop a detailed schedule, making special note of important sessions to attend, networking events, and appointments. We do our homework before, during and following the show to make sure that no opportunity is lost.
4. Be Social: Attendees are increasingly turning to social media to find out what's trending at major events. Posting consistently and compellingly from your booth and around the show will ensure that you have a voice in that conversation.
- Listen: Monitor the show hashtags to make sure you're abreast of the latest trends and news.
- Join In: Like, comment on and reply to messages from influential people. Provide value to these conversations beyond just talking about your products.
- Get Creative: Make sure that your visuals are clear, compelling and sized appropriately for each channel. Short videos, GIFs and other dynamic content also help to catch the eye.
- Go Live: Unveiling a product? Think about experimenting with Periscope or other live video offerings to give followers a behind-the-scenes debut.
5. Have Fun: And remember, have fun! These types of events are great opportunities for building relationships. Attending networking events, dinners and parties creates chances for you to meet new people, solidify friendships, and cultivate partnerships. Enjoy!Anything else to add? We'd love to hear your thoughts. Share them with us on Twitter @Sharp_Think.Attending KBIS this year? Keep an eye out for innovations from Sharp clients – Cosentino, BASF, Grohe, Legrand, Coyote, Benjamin Moore, and NKBA University!