A roadshow is an itinerant event that travels to several locations and is used to publicize a brand or a product of the same and thus expand its diffusion.
It is a direct marketing activity that is becoming more and more popular in the advertising world. It usually has very positive results, both for the attendees and for the organizing company, due to its originality and exclusivity. It is, in short, like a small tour of a music band.
One of the most valuable aspects is that it is a free and non-intrusive event since the people who attend it are those who are really interested in the promoted product or service; their interaction occurs naturally and voluntarily. In this way, the brand is brought closer to the user’s day-to-day life.
Where do I start?
The first thing you have to do when you are going to organize a roadshow is to choose the cities where you are going to be present and plan the number of days in each of them. If your company has several locations, it is advisable to make stops in all of them and do a little market research to find out which are, in addition to these, the cities that may be of most interest to you, where your target audience may be.
Once you have chosen the cities for your event, you should think about the spaces where you will set up the event. Depending on the type of roadshow you want to carry out, you will choose one type of space or another.
Most of these events are held outdoors and many of them on public roads, so the summer season is the best due to the good weather and the hours of natural light.
Although, if you want to avoid the paperwork of permits and authorizations, the most convenient is to choose a well-located property with large green areas or a garden or terrace in the center of the city. In traditional roadshows, the vehicle plays a fundamental role, since it will be the means of transport to move the equipment from one city to another with the products or services you offer.
So, if you want to include a truck or a bus labeled with corporate colors as part of your event, you should choose large spaces.
But, not every time it is necessary to expose the vehicle; nowadays roadshows are held in all kinds of spaces, from industrial style multi-spaces, with diaphanous and versatile rooms, to emblematic places full of histories such as castles or palaces.
Remember that we help you for free to find the best venues anywhere in the world, so you will save time and money.
What other aspects do I have to take into account to organize a roadshow?
Schedule
Depending on the target of your product you will choose a different date and time. It is not the same to hold the event on weekdays as on weekends, nor in the morning than in the evening, just as it is not the same to target university students than retirees. So, once you have determined your target, you will think about the best days and times for them.
Promotion
In order to have the widest possible reach, it is essential to promote the event before it is held, both through traditional and digital media.
Social networks are an excellent channel since it is a very economical and at the same time, very well segmented way of advertising. You can use them to attract your target and, after the celebration of the roadshow, for its subsequent loyalty.
Set up
Roadshows are events that have a limited duration, one or two days in each location, so the assembly and disassembly should not take a long time. It is necessary to look for something practical and manageable to make the most of the time in each city.
Merchandising
One way to awaken the attention of the guests and ensure that the memory of the event remains in their memory is through merchandising.
You can choose to welcome them with a welcome pack that includes a sample of the product or service you are promoting and some objects with which they will have to interact during the event, such as 3D glasses for a later projection.
What are the advantages of a roadshow for my brand?
Interaction
In this type of event, direct contact is established with the public that attends and the product or service can be tested and feedback can be obtained instantly.
Participation is greater than in other types of events since the public that attends is already predisposed to it and feels more involved, they do not feel that their space is being invaded.
Visibility
It is a very effective method to improve brand image and increase brand presence and recognition in the market.
They are usually spontaneous and fun events that help the organizer to make himself known to a receptive audience and, most importantly, from different locations and with different interests. Roadshows are an excellent way to get to know your target audience and find out what they are looking for in your products or services.
Innovation
Roadshows are event shows that have been around for a long time, but in recent years they have begun to acquire greater visibility and allow you to carry out different actions, never seen in any other type of event.
Originality is one of the main ingredients for the success of a roadshow; attendees are looking for unique experiences and are not just spectators.
Cost reduction
This is achieved by combining image, brand experience, and sales in a single event. It is a tool that concentrates on the promotion of the brand or product and at the same time obtains the customer’s valuation, so it also shortens the time between one phase and another, benefiting economically.
On the other hand, the same team carries out the entire tour, and training and equipping it once is enough, which also reduces costs and increases the efficiency of the work.
Roadshows are a type of event carried out by companies from all sectors and most of them do it at the national level, although sometimes they include other countries to begin to expand the frontiers of their business.
The duration is very varied and depends on the number of cities visited, although it is not usually more than 15 days. So, if you have already tried everything and need new ideas to attract new customers, investors, or simply promote your brand, a roadshow is a perfect event.