Here are some tips on how to market your investment at this summer’s food shows from Louise Kramer, the former voice of the Specialty Food Association in years past, and Robert J. Barletta. Barletta is Executive Vice President at Marino Public Relations, overseeing the agency’s food and beverage practice, and Kramer is now a Senior Consultant with Marino.
Trade shows like the upcoming Summer Fancy Food Show in New York or Cibus in Parma, Italy, offer food companies a rare opportunity to connect in real life with potential buyers and existing customers, media and influencers, and show off your delicious offerings to people who can help build your business. It’s a big investment of time and money, and if done right, the payoff can be sweet.
Unfortunately, some brands don’t put their best foot forward. You may have the next Beyond Burger or Sir Kensington’s, but buyers and reporters alike will pass right by your booth if you’re glued to your phone, have your back turned away or are not even there.
As an agency whose representatives have attended or helped to run dozens of trade shows in the food and restaurant industry in the U.S. and abroad, Marino has tips to offer as part of its specialized trade show program. If played right, you too can make the most out of your presence and optimize opportunities to connect with the person who could be a game changer for your brand.
1. Be prepared: Get ready for your moment in the spotlight by updating your online press area and social media channels with current information and photos of your latest products. Use show hashtags to join the conversation and let people know you’ll be there.
2. Take advantage of all show press opportunities: Many trade shows provide lists of registered media, so feel free to ask them for it. Write a short press release and email it to media announcing your new products and include a show contact person with their name and cell phone number. Upload the release to your show directory listing and have copies at your booth. Invest in show press events where you can sample your products exclusively with media and influencers.
3. Identify the top reporters and social media influencers you want to visit your booth: Use the show press list to get started. You can reach the editors at Gourmet News by emailing editor@oser.com. A month before the show, send personal invitations and/or snail mail inviting them to meet your company Founder or Chief Executive Officer at the booth and follow up one week before with a reminder. Give reporters and influencers something to look forward to. Set aside an hour each afternoon for the media to meet with the founder or CEO. Add some fun by serving up some food and bubbly (if allowed).
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4. Enter contests: Everyone loves a winner! Check if the show has competitions for ‘best products.’ Winning an award could really be a key differentiator for your brand. In fact, one Marino client, Bono, the largest producer of extra virgin olive oil in Sicily, won two sofi Awards from the Specialty Food Association last year and was featured at a special press event at the Summer Fancy Food Show, plus in a high-profile showcase that got attention from buyers and media alike.
5. Train your ambassadors: Train all show staff, including temps, on the key points that make your product unique. Every encounter is an opportunity for buyers and press to learn or conversely leave a bad taste in their mouth. Gather the team before the show floor opens to make sure everyone is on message. Appoint a person at the booth to handle all questions from visitors, and make sure staff has contact info for the key press person on your team in case they are not there. If your brand has some great press clips from top media, display those at your booth in a frame or in a video. It’s great to have them as a handout too.
6. First impressions matter: Look alive. Try standing in front of your booth with a big smile. Show some passion and enthusiasm. Take turns with your colleagues. The most successful exhibitors have booths with lively activity and buzz. Take a research break to see what other companies are doing right so you can try something new and fun next time.
7. Be thankful: Send emails or actual notes to all press and contacts you connected with during the show. Remind them of your great new products and offer to send samples. Distribute product news and plant the seeds for future media coverage. Like all business, getting good press is all about building and maintaining relationships.
Bonus tip: Be sure to put your booth number on all correspondence. Make it easy to find you.
Following these simple tips don’t guarantee your product will be the next big thing, but they are a foundation for a successful investment of time and resources at one of the many trade shows offered to the food world in the U.S. and abroad.