People attend marketplace tradeshows for numerous explanations. Whether you go and set as an exhibitor or register to visit the vendors, everyone has their own personal motives for checking out often the show. Interestingly enough, a few people just want to get away from the office for a little bit and make it a “working” vacation! This is true for participants as well as buyers, either way, it is a business write-off!!
We’ve attended industry shows being a buyer and an exhibitor off and on over the last twenty years. In the beginning, most of my focus ended up being on the Awards & Decoration arena. Through the years it became rather obvious that this was a quite small industry, as compared to a number of “sister” type industries for instance; screen printing, apparel, or maybe sign business type shows. A good deal of my time over the last several years has been spent exhibiting from the larger arenas.
As an exhibitor, I’ve had several different positive aspects in mind while at the present; including building from individuals’ experiences once back with the home office. Seems as if I’ve accomplished it all at one time or another. Besides, one year I even concealed as “Logo Man” (a take-off of Batman), dressed in the cape and a total of nine yards! All this is for you to stir up interest in each of our newest software releases named, LogoBahn. It was the hottest issue around and won its place that year for ideal technology development!
Now I’m not necessarily suggesting you need to dress up in the goofiest outfit in order to have a very good tradeshow but I do really encourage you to think outside the box. One year this company joined forces with a number of other well-known firms. We called ourselves typically the Texas Connection, which appropriately referred to us due to our companies being all located in the state of texas. We placed advertisements throughout popular industry magazines, revealing our FREE GRAND AWARD giveaway, at the next Sin City International Tradeshow. In addition to the place ads, each company mailed two postcard messages prior to the show date. Many of us set up a “punch card” to be handed out to each listed individual as they entered the actual tradeshow exhibit hall.
All of us had a special pass-away punch with different emblems. All of us utilized this punch card to point that an individual had actually stopped by our unit. Once a person had almost all five company marks smacked, they would then drop this into a centrally located hopper (raffle bin). On the last time of the show just before the finish of the day, we gathered about to draw out the successful attendee’s card. It was a smash hit, a true champion for all five of us because it exhibited in many different ways.
Our own grand prize that yr was a big-screen TV priced at around $1500. This was a little price to pay considering all of us shared in the purchase of the tv. We were at the forefront associated with people’s minds long after the actual show had ended and several asked what we were getting giving away at the next occasion!
Here’s the real beauty of the entire deal. As I mentioned earlier there are several various outcomes each exhibitor offers while attending an industry tradeshow. Too many facts to cover within this one article but I wish to share one of the better results all of us experienced as a company. Really so cool and customized for anyone in sales in order to implement this concept in your organization. Whether you are selling a product range or a service this gives you a great follow-up plan or a great lead-in for your own personal sales force.
Here it is! Recall the punch card each individual ended up being required to have marked with the participating exhibitors. Well, whenever they approach your booth and enquire for their card to be smacked, hand them ANOTHER CREDIT to be filled in while they can be getting their card proclaimed by you. It’s a good idea to obtain another incentive to benefit anybody filling out the additional card. A thing small, keep it simple. Many of us used an additional giveaway piece of our own. A portable DVD AND BLU-RAY player, at the time, was a mere $40 and we shipped the idea to our winning visitor (or handed it to them whenever they were present). A little raffle of our own!
This kind of accomplishes two specific issues:
1 – They are presented “captive” in front of you to fill in their information, allowing you the perfect time to “pitch” your deal directly to them. Otherwise, they will merely get their card punched along with moving on down the junction!
2 – This “other card” will now become your own personal LEAD CARD to return returning to the home office. You can ask for essential information on these lead cards to enable your salespeople to focus on the specific needs of each person.
Example:
If your item is really a software program, you may need to know specific “facts” before pitching your own product. Facts such as, which kind of computer is used, what edition of the operating system, email address, have you got a website, do you use every other type of drawing software, in that case, what kind, etc.
The options tend to be truly endless and become a very important source of knowledge for your salesforce. Imagine this, now rather than waiting on the tradeshow business to send you the show attendee’s list or print out the actual “standard” name, address, zero, phone, etc information. At this point, you have specific FACT-DISCOVERING answers to your need-to-know queries without having to call and ask on the phone. Your salespeople tend to be truly armed with solid information that allows them to build relationships with their prospects. Making the “sales call” a much warmer, much more friendly invitation to your newly found friend.
Remember, no one loves to be sold but all of us like to buy. It’s been documented that people prefer to buy from a pal and NOT a stranger. Most of these fact-finding questions create wonderful lead-ins, enabling you to get from odder to a friend much faster. Let’s take a face it when you turn to a prospect and you ready have a working knowledge of who they really are, what they are doing, and how they are often doing it… it simply makes their experience more comfortable. Not your normal sales call!
We all know most people buy on emotion and later it was backed up with logic. Contemplate it, what about that last auto you bought? Did you have to have typically the leather seats with auto windows and door locks? Not to mention typically the DVD player and the nav system! Okay, Okay… I know you’re the exception, therefore I wrote… MOST PEOPLE.
My spouse and I trust this article will benefit those who exhibit at tradeshows. The above ideas are just a few which we’ve experienced over the years and located to have successful results. My spouse and I titled this article with the expression “gimmicks” in it, not necessarily suggesting these are gimmicks but rather “nifty ideas” in order to create a more productive outcome from your next tradeshow.
Aubrey Richardson is the president of LogoFax one of the most significant and fastest-growing Art logos & Clip Art websites online.
Read also: Creating Your Coaching Business About What Works – Not Exactly What Doesn’t