22 Mar CEO Insights: Start Your Engines

Looking at the IBIE website, I was thinking about the juxtaposition of graphics combining bakery and snack items and modes of transportation. These images are a reminder that we’re an industry that’s strongly linked with the efforts of those in the transportation industry. This group is instrumental in helping our industry move everything from raw materials to finished product. In fact, who hasn’t looked at those full-color graphics on the sides of the trucks and thought, “I should pick some of that up on the way home.”?

These kinds of images stick with us, and I think this is an important reminder that where we put our marketing messaging matters. As we enter March, this is the time to start building your marketing campaign for IBIE. The work done now will be key to building and strengthening associations between your business and IBIE and creating a base for lead generation for your company’s varied services, ingredients and equipment.

March to May

As marketers in the industry kick off their initial communications, I highly encourage you to take advantage of the robust Online Exhibitor toolkit created by IBIE. The toolkit features easy-to-implement high-resolution logos and graphics that can be applied to company websites, email communications and newsletters to build important associations between your company’s offerings and its presence at IBIE.

Starting with the Basics

Consistency is the key, so start by including the downloadable IBIE logo, booth number and other pertinent information in all company ads, promotional literature, and email signatures. Banner ads can call attention when a visitor enter your site. The online toolkit offers the option to download a standard banner or to design your own.

Onsite sponsorship is another way to help tradeshow visitors make the connection between your company and IBIE. Such sponsorships can often be as simple as meeting an attendee’s most basic needs. Chilled bottles of water, hand sanitizer are appreciated and connect your company with the provision of thoughtful service. Sponsorship like digital signage on the massive digital board in West Hall, door or floor decals also gets your company’s name in front of the 20,000+ baking professionals expected to attend IBIE. Email sponsorships@BakingExpo.com or call (913) 338-1300 to learn more.

Rinse and Repeat

While the time between now and September is bound to fly, don’t forget that every meeting and every show between now and September is a potential touchpoint. Employing a simple marketing tool like a “Visit Us at IBIE” table tent can remind customers that they can find you at IBIE later this year. Not to mention, this can be a great conversation starter.

You can also automate your marketing to prospective and current customers with templates for a press release, postcard and an evite. Use the media to keep current and prospective customers informed of things you’ll be featuring at the show.

There are also templates to help you build a comprehensive social media strategy from pre- to post-show for audiences following your company on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Gain more exposure and encourage engagement by tagging your posts with @BakingExpo and #IBIE2022.

Stay tuned for more info on the online toolkits in upcoming BEMA CEO notes.