Good stories impress us - in marketing as in life. That's why clear storytelling brings more attention, more leads, more continuity in the overall strategy. A good, stringent story can be experienced on all communication channels and with all senses. So much for the theory.
If we assume that the story fulfils fascinating, noticeable criteria, then the touchpoint trade fair has absolute relevance in the entire marketing mix. B2B trade fairs are among the most effective marketing tools for companies: The target group can be reached directly and services and products can be experienced personally in dialogue. This makes it clear that the defined narrative thread must be continued at a trade fair and opens up another dimension. The corporate presence should be coherent and consistent on all channels, because the coordination of all communication measures ultimately leads to sustainable sales success.
A well thought-out communication concept, coherently laid out and consciously designed, makes a narrative tangible at the trade fair stand. Whether for a product launch or a repositioning, efficient storytelling as part of the communication strategy supports the brand positioning visually in terms of content and form in a comprehensive, holistic process.
"Efficiently shaping experientiality goes beyond a one-off brand experience. To anchor a consistent positioning, coherent and cohesive statements are important. Visual consistency is not crowned with success if it is not linked to a strong story", explains Gerhard Preslmayer, CEO of SPS MARKETING.
Who wins the attention contest? Making visible what you stand for – the creative central idea and leitmotifs as the core of a strong story bring your own distinctiveness to the point, linguistically and visually. They are the basis of an effective campaign and the springboard for the next creative steps. Always provided that the story is relevant to the target group, differentiates from the competition and ideally even breaks market standards. People are haptic beings and sensory experience beats all other statements! In this respect trade fairs are a unique opportunity to bring customers into your own story. Digital integrations at the trade fair also open up many opportunities to get the story across quickly and efficiently.
But how do you implement storytelling at the trade fair stand in concrete terms? Hammerer Aluminium Industries (HAI), the Austrian producer of high-quality aluminium products, has formulated a clear vision and positioned itself as the most dynamic and sustainable supplier of aluminium solutions on the market. Sustainability is an integral part of the corporate strategy and story. The trade fair "Aluminium 2022" in Düsseldorf was another building block to consistently continue the story that was launched in 2019 and to experience it live.
Every story needs relevant evidence to be credible. With the SustainAl product brand HAI is making a clear statement. The four pillars of technology, dynamics, partnership and sustainability, and the clear promise: "HAIend Aluminium Solutions for a sustainable Performance" underpin the ambitious goals of the management.
The claim "Expect more!" underlines the high standards and continuity at the same time. HAI's very clear brand image and design claim were to be reflected in the entire trade fair appearance. This led to the approach of combining product and sustainability in an aesthetic visual language and building a city out of products. Accompanied by a broadly integrated classical and digital communication, which tied in with the existing communication modules.
The Rico Group, a globally active premium full-service provider for individual elastomer and plastics projects, consists of the brands Rico, Silcoplast, Simtec and HTR. The group's brand architecture was redefined and a story built around the claim "Silicone Excellence Inside". The "K 2022" trade fair in Düsseldorf was defined as the optimal start for the roll-out. A very good opportunity to play on all relevant target groups from existing customers to media representatives with a big bang. At the trade fair, the group was able to bring its new brand architecture to life as a highly specialized group of companies and thus improve its level of awareness.
The creation of a corresponding symbolism made the narrative tangible - right down to a live production on site: a compact silicone design box (The Precious), which sums up the strengths of the corporate brands, was stylized into a cult object, produced directly at the trade fair stand and given away to customers as a valuable give-away. Colour codes of individual lines, dissolved into a line structure, symbolised the networked cooperation in an abstract form. The story is now being continued.
Good stories address both the mind and the emotions - and must be integrated into an integrated communication. Good stories are remembered and raise the profile of any company, product or solution. Trade fairs offer a great opportunity for the defined storytelling framework. If you want your trade fair investment to pay off, use the indispensable marketing tool for B2B companies and do not let the most important touchpoint for B2B communication go unused: rely on brilliant ideas and stories in an adequate environment for your brand image, product presentation as well as for personal customer dialogue.
Every company has a story, let us write yours together - for all communication channels including trade fair presentation. Contact me without obligation. I will take your storytelling to the next level!
