Trade shows can be a very effective marketing channel for your business since they attract potential customers who are interested in your type of product or service. Whether your trade show exhibit is a large pop-up system or a small table-top display, here are some simple tips to help you stand out and get noticed. 

The first rule of effective direct mail marketing is to have a clean dataset - a record of names, addresses and other contact information that is accurate. Often, we find datasets that have been compiled from multiple sources and have duplicate entries throughout the file. If the data is in a spreadsheet, like Microsoft Excel, simple sorting is sometimes enough to identify duplicate entries and remove them. But other times, like when the dataset is very large or the duplicates aren't obvious, it requires some advanced filtering techniques to clean up the dataset.

In this video from Tech Republic, Bill Detwiler shows you three advanced techniques for sorting through your spreadsheet data to identify and remove duplicates. If you have questions about how to compile your dataset for direct mail marketing, or if you need help sorting through the data you have, contact us and we'll help you "sort it out."

Communicating with your customers is a critical component of a successful marketing plan. Communicating effectively, however, can be difficult if you don't utilize the channel(s) of communication your customers prefer. While some may be happy receiving emails about new products and services, others may prefer a postcard or brochure in the mail. Some may prefer searching your website or reading your Facebook page or Twitter feed. Still others are most comfortable with a phone call or personal visit. As your business grows, it can be increasingly difficult to recognize which channels of communication your customers prefer and in what context they prefer them.

One simple way to learn how your customers want to communicate is to simply ask them with a multi-touch, multi-channel campaign. The process is pretty straight forward:

1. Contact your customers via email, postal mail, website or other means.
2. Ask the customer to specify which channel of communication they prefer.
3. Use the channels they specify in the future.

There are many benefits of determining a customer's preferred channel.

• Improve the chances of marketing materials actually reaching your recipients
• Reduce time and cost associated with ineffective methods
• Enhance customer relationships
• Increase the frequency of communication
• Improve your return on marketing investment

Contact us to learn more about VisualHub and other ways you can use multi-channel marketing to improve your return on investment. While you're are it, let us know the channel you prefer as well.