There are a wide variety of promotional tools you can use before, during and after the show. This guide gives you the advantages and disadvantages of each, and lets you match the promotion to your company’s marketing objectives.

Promotion	Advantage	Disadvantage	Objectives
Before the Show
Trade Press Ad	Wide reach, Reaches vertical audiences	Not selective or targeted	Image awareness, Product introduction, Sales
Direct Mail	Targeted Reach	List availability	Image awareness, Generate leads, Product introduction, Pre-schedule appointments
Telemarketing	Direct contact/direct feedback	Expensive and time-consuming	Generate leads, Pre-schedule appointments, Sales
Broadcast Fax	Targeted message to a targeted audience	List availability	Build awareness, Generate leads, Product introduction, Pre-schedule appointments
E-mail (broadcast)	Targeted message to a targeted audience, Generate a dialogue before the show	List availability	Build awareness, Generate leads, Product introduction, Pre-schedule appointments
Press Releases /editor contact	Inexpensive, Credible voice	Less control over type of exposure	Press exposure, Image awareness, Product introduction
At the Show
Billboards	Wide reach	Limited locations	Image awareness, Product introduction
Airport ads	Early exposure	Limited time for exposure	Image awareness, Product introduction
Hotel TV ads	Less competition for visibility	Limited time for exposure	Image awareness, Product introduction
Mobile Ads	Repeat exposure	Restrictions in some cities and for some shows	Image awareness, Product introduction
In-Room Promos	Less competition for visibility	Additional time and cost for distribution	Image awareness, Product introduction
Hospitality events	Less competition for visibility	Cost, limited control over who shows up	Image awareness, Product introduction
Show Issue trade publication ads	Wide reach	Not targeted or selective	Image awareness, Generate leads, Product introduction, Sales
Show Daily ads	Wide reach, show related editorial	Readership varies from show to show	Image awareness, Generate leads, Product introduction, Sales, Promote your at-show event
Hall Ads/Boards	Repeat on-site visibility	Limited choices	Image awareness, Generate leads, Product introduction
TV/ Photo ops	Local or national exposure	Limited time exposure, Little control, Limited audience	Image awareness to a public audience, Generate leads, Product introduction
Press Briefings/Interviews	Inexpensive press coverage, Exposure through a credible source	Little control, Requires additional staff to handle the press	Image awareness, Product introduction, Press coverage
Show Directory Ads	Outer covers provide good exposure, Selective reach	Limited availability, Costly	Image awareness, Generate leads, Product introduction, Sales
In the Exhibit
Contests, games, drawings	Ability to draw a large audience	Time-consuming, Audience too general	Generate qualified leads, Product introduction
In-booth premiums	Generate qualified leads, Relatively inexpensive	Frequently misused by staff	Generate leads
Celebrities	Ability to draw a large audience	Audience too general	Build traffic
Live Presentations	Ability to draw large audiences, Ability to deliver a targeted message	Can draw too general an audience, Can lose targeted prospects if staff fails to interact	Build traffic, Product introduction