As a leader in the scleral lens manufacturing industry, we worked with our client to develop a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy to launch their new product at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium (GSLS) in Las Vegas.
The Challenge
The four-day industry conference is the most important trade show for the specialty lens industry as it brings in hundreds of key decision makers for our client. It was also the first trade show that they showed up together with their new parent company, and they wanted to demonstrate to customers that their product quality remains unchanged and create momentum to achieve their aggressive sales goals.
To help accelerate sales and generate demand, we opted to unveil their newest product at the trade show to make a big splash. Because of this, it was important to them to have a large attendance at both their booth and their breakout sessions. With big sales quotas on the horizon, they hoped to set the right tone for hitting those goals and impressing their audience.
Our Approach
We needed to position our client as the leading expert in scleral shape and lens design and highlight that their newest product was backed by data but offered a streamlined fitting process for optometrists.
To do this, we developed a multi-channel / multi-touch campaign that included product messaging, email and social marketing, digital advertising as well as on-site strategy to drive booth and session attendance.
The Results
Campaign highlights included:
- Messaging
The newest product has a “step-fitting” system, so we played with the “step” theme to create the message: “Step into a new fit.” This message provided opportunities to highlight multiple elements of the lens design, including: the launch of the new product, the importance of finding the right fit in a new scleral lens partner (our client) and using a streamlined, step-fitting process for the new lens. It also offered flexibility to build alternative messages, such as: we’re with you every step of the way.
- Email and Social Media Marketing
We created several email campaigns to build excitement and drive trade show attendees to attend the brand’s sessions and stop by their booth:
- A four-part email campaign to generate session and booth attendance at the trade show
- A three-part email campaign to non-customers about the product
- A dedicated email to current customers about the new product and its benefits
- An email via media outlet Pentavision to the trade show attendees
Our team also produced a new product page for the website and an animation for the header of the brand’s homepage. We developed an 11-part social media marketing campaign to promote attendance at their booth/sessions and the product.
- Raffle
To encourage attendance at the breakout sessions and the booth, we conceptualized and produced a raffle giveaway of custom Nike shoes — playing on the “step into a new fit” message. We promoted the raffle through social media posts, emails, and collateral included as attendee bag inserts, breakout session handouts, and hotel room drop-offs.
To be eligible to win, attendees needed to get two stamps: one from the brand’s booth and one from breakout sessions they hosted.
The breakout educational sessions were very well attended with over 60 people attending their sessions and 90% of those in attendance as completely new to our client.
As a result of the marketing efforts, the brand website received an over 500% increase in sessions from email and almost a 500% increase in sessions from social media, 84.6% of which were from new visitors. These efforts assisted our client in having one of the largest order months on record.
To see all the assets our team delivered, check out our case study.
To learn more about how our team can assist with your trade show efforts, connect with our team.
