Grow Your Show Marketing Playbook: Strategy Isn't Stodgy

In this week's episode of Grow Your Show Marketing Playbook, our co-hosts—Informa Connect Senior Director of Marketing for Food Service Exhibitions Caitlin Rodgers and mdg VP of Marketing & Strategy Emily Golding—dive deep into the essence of marketing strategy and its crucial role in driving growth for trade shows like the National Association Restaurant Show. These marketing experts discuss the importance of strategy in growing trade shows, emphasizing how strategic planning and agility can lead to better outcomes and ROI. Key topics covered: The importance of strategy in trade show marketing How to plan and analyze campaign data The role of agility in marketing strategies Aligning tactics with strategic goals Using data to inform audience targeting and campaign focus The ROI of strategic investments in marketing The process of campaign planning for the new year Adjusting strategies based on performance and market changes Takeaways: Strategy is the roadmap to growth, not just a plan. Agility allows marketers to pivot and improve campaigns. Aligning tactics with strategic goals maximizes ROI. Data analysis informs better decision-making. Consistent strategic planning drives long-term success. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the importance of strategy in trade show marketing 01:21 Why strategy is the key to unlocking growth 02:16 Reflecting on past campaigns and planning for the future 03:47 Using data to identify growth opportunities 04:42 Maximizing successful campaigns like Early Bird 05:15 The role of audience segmentation in strategy 06:10 The importance of agility and strategic adjustments 07:31 Making the case for strategy with limited budgets 09:30 Connecting strategy to measurable outcomes 10:56 Final thoughts and encouragement to prioritize strategy