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Ready for
Show Time? 10 Tips from the Pros
In some respects, trade
shows are a gift from Sales Heaven. In just two to four days,
salespeople can meet, greet and sell more advertisers and prospects
than they could in weeks or even months of sales appointments.
At the same time, though, trade shows are often considered a "gift"
many salespeople wouldn’t mind returning. Here are just
a handful of typical gripes I’ve heard from salespeople
who walk the floors:
"I’ve got
too many clients and too much ground to cover."
"Exhibitors do
nothing but complain to me/ignore me/avoid me so they can focus
on their own prospects."
"Decision-makers
never seem to be at the booth."
"I’m never
sure when to present my media kit or make a presentation"
"It’s too
much information at once—I have a hard time organizing for
follow-up"
And finally, the most
common gripe of all:
"I’m beat!"
Let’s be realistic:
There’s no way to make a trade show a walk in the park.
But there are ways to cut back on the problems, soothe the sore
feet and rattled nerves, and even goose your productivity. Here
are my favorite ways to walk the floors with confidence.
1. Give yourself a
pep talk. Yes, we all need to respect the time and priorities
of exhibitors. Keep in mind, however, that they’re there
because they’re committed to marketing and sales--and that’s
exactly what you’re there to help them achieve.
2. Pre-qualify your
exhibitor prospects. Ever talk to someone at a party who kept
looking around for a better conversation? Don’t get caught
treating exhibitors that way. Well before the show begins, determine
your sales criteria and match them to the booths you need to visit.
You might want to hit current advertisers first, then quality
prospects and recent former advertisers, then new exhibitors,
and lastly, exhibitors unlikely to advertise. After color-coding
your show map to reflect your priorities, you’ll have the
precise route you’ll need for optimum floor walking. And
you won’t worry whether you’re missing out on some
better prospect around the corner.
3. Talk your exhibitor’s
talk. Prior to the show, look at the exhibiting and advertising
history of each company on the exhibitor list. Analyze their Web
sites to determine their products, marketing messages, competitive
situations and goals. Then read their show promotions (whether
in your magazine, show program or on their Web site) and match
their buyers to your circulation list. Once you have all the information
in hand, you can be sure your sales call won’t waste your
time or theirs.
4. Find the ally first,
then the decision-maker. Start the ball rolling with whomever
you know at the company, and then follow up by finding out who
else is on the media decision-making team. You might discover
the real decision-maker standing next to you, thanks to an introduction
from your contact. Another useful contact can be a friendly company
president who’ll be happy to introduce you to another president,
or an exhibitor ally chatting with other exhibitor companies.
Catch the eye of someone you know, and you just might get invited
into an important conversation.
5. Jump on new-product
prospects. Recently I talked to an exhibitor who said he "didn’t
need to advertise," even as he was showing off a new and
unique technology. When he acknowledged that his competitors were
two or three years away from introducing the same technology,
I asked, "So you’d prefer to hit the market aggressively
rather than wait for a slow buildup?" "Of course,"
he said. Since the next show was six months away, it was clear
we had a strong case for changing his mind about the need to advertise.
6. Remember: If they’re
at the show, they (most likely) should be in the magazine. Remind
non-advertising exhibitors that everyone dropping by the booth
has some relationship to the magazine. Why spend only a few days
reaching that audience instead of selling them month after month,
all year long?
7. Stay away from
the lazy question. Don’t rely on the most common opening
question, "How’s the show going for you?" If the
exhibitor has complaints, that’s probably all you’ll
get. Instead, ask positive, open-ended questions such as, "Which
of your products are you looking to attract the most attention?"
"What products are most important for meeting your show goals?"
"What types of attendees do you most want to see?" Once
you learn what’s important to your exhibitor, you can build
a connection to your own media.
8. Keep yourself fueled
and tuned up. A diet Coke might seem filling and those high heels
might be quite attractive, but neither is your friend at a trade
show. Think of shows as athletic events: You need the right shoes,
the right snacks and the right hydration or you’re out of
the race.
9. Keep it light.
Don’t carry unnecessary items: One media-kit or "tell-all"
sheet should suffice. Have a clipboard for easy writing and pockets
for business cards. Wear your name badge high and on your right
side (not dangling by your belly) so hand-shakers won’t
struggle to find out who you are. Take notes as you walk the show.
Better yet, record them. Then enter notes on your laptop ASAP.
And take timeouts to reevaluate and reorganize.
10. You are your company.
That means you’re "on" at all times--at networking
events, at parties, in the elevator, hot-dog line and rest room.
Don’t join the legions of ad salespeople (often former ad
salespeople) who’ve been heard by the wrong ears while trashing
a client or spreading a rumor.
Finally, enjoy the
personal interaction and adrenalin rush.
Helen Berman
For Print, Internet and Exhibition Sales
The Helen Berman Corporation
15332 Antioch St. #164
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Phone: 310-230-3899
Fax: 310-861-0661
Website: www.helenberman.com
Email: hberman@helenberman.com
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