It’s that time of year again. Tradeshows and EXPOs. Are you going to attend? Is it right for you? Before you answer, consider this: studies show that up to 75% of trade show leads are not followed up on. 75%!? You could make an assessment that some organizations do not participate in these events because of the lack of business they attract at such an event. However, knowing this information, that up to 75% of leads from shows are not followed up on, could organizations be incorrectly assuming that the leads were bad? It’s hard to get an order if you never call, isn’t it? We are not saying that you should or shouldn’t participate in shows. This article is for those that have made the decision to participate and would like to see business come from it. If you are simply participating strictly for branding purposes, this article may not be for you.
For our purposes, we will assume that your booth has already been decided on or even set up. We will assume that you don’t have a table out front to “block” would be prospects. We will assume that you only give literature to those that qualify for it and have been told that being on your phone, sitting down, reading the paper and standing in the back of the booth are all “no-no’s”. Let’s address some systems that can be employed in order to make you more successful at a tradeshow or EXPO.
Lead collection system
Have an effective system for collecting leads. Rather than piling up all of the business cards in a stack or piling up information cards from each prospect, put a rank to each person’s information that you collect and put them in order at the show. It might make sense for some to have two clipboards as example: one with a list of those that want immediate feedback and others who simply want to be on your newsletter list. How to tell which list to put them on? Ask. Not only does this help you know better what to do with them, it acts as a qualifier. I.e., At the end of your brief discussion: “We have two lists. One list that tells us that you would like a call from us immediately following the show and another that simply keeps you in the loop with information we occasionally send. Which one would you like for us to put you on?” You might be surprised what assumptions you make before they answer this question.
For those less organized, another system would be to simply take their business card and put it into one of your four pants pockets. As example, ‘front left’ pocket is for good leads to follow up on immediately after the show. ‘Front right’ would be considered a later follow-up. ‘Back left’ could be to put them on your “tickler” file or newsletter list. ‘Back right’ could mean you discard them after the show; no potential. Having a system ready in advance will help you and your company stay organized to assure yourselves that the leads get followed up on when the show concludes.
Calling the leads
Have a system to effectively follow-up with potential customers. Merely calling with language such as, “I’m just following up on our conversation we had at the EXPO” makes you sound typical and even “salesy” and isn’t effective. Try asking questions instead, such as, “Do you remember what we talked about that caused you to want to speak with me?” Or, “What issues or concerns did you have about ______ that you were hoping we could help with?”. With questions, we put the ball in their court while qualifying whether or not this is a real situation we can help with versus a shopping experience that you likely do not want to be part of.
When you do begin speaking with them, keep it to what they want, what they are worried about, what they deem as important. This is not a time to spew out data about your organization, what your expertise is, how long you’ve been in the business and why you are better than other organizations. This is a time to find out what caught their attention about your company while passing by your booth. Or, again, maybe it was something that you said to one another that caused them to believe you might be different. Questions about them are the magic, not statements about yourself.
Take the pressure off
We’ve all been at shows where the person in the booth practically tackles you as you try to pass. They ask bait questions to draw you in, act over-eager and enthusiastic and ask questions only so they can have the opportunity to talk…about themselves.
Instead, learn to ask leading questions to find out more. Similar to what was already mentioned, “Thanks for stopping by. Mind if I ask what caught your attention and caused you to stop just now?” Whatever they say next will be great information. Or, ask something unrelated such as, “have you had good luck so far at the show?” or even, “What have you gotten out of the show so far?”. Asking a question like this not only breaks the ice and rids you of the potential awkwardness, but also makes it more comfortable for them to stand there for a while and ask you some questions as well.
On a side note, use phrases like, “Not sure we’re a fit for what you’re looking for, but can I ask you a few questions?” when you’re speaking with people in the booth. It keeps the pressure off them while making you look better than the other 95% that are talking too much…about themselves.
Strategize for traffic
So often, companies that have booths at shows don’t discuss their strategy. They simply wing it. One area they wing it is how to handle traffic coming into the booth. When it gets busy they miss good prospects because they are stuck with someone that has no intention of purchasing anything, but they can’t break away. Or, too many good prospects show up at the same time, and they can’t get to them all, missing potential leads as they get frustrated and walk down the concourse to talk with somebody else.
Instead, have a system for traffic. One such system is to have one person dedicated as the “greeter”. Their role is to quickly qualify or disqualify each person that enters the booth. If they seem like a qualified candidate initially, they introduce them to the other(s) in the booth to assist them, then go to greet another individual. If they aren’t qualified, they remain with them, keeping them from their colleagues, until another prospect arrives. At that point they gently and politely excuse themselves, with little risk of costing them business.
In the event that everyone is overwhelmed with participants, one can simply suggest, “You know, it’s probably impossible for us to do business at the show today, would you agree? If you’re comfortable with it, I’d like to suggest I call you tomorrow to discuss further details of your project. Would that be ok?” Obviously, if you have time, spend it with them. But for situations where you simply can’t speak with everyone, have a system like this to accelerate the process and secure an appointment to call them”. Notice how we use permission in order to allow the prospect feel more comfortable and in control?
Other last minute, but important tips
- Don’t talk too much/ask questions instead!
- Don’t talk about your company/ask them about their concerns instead
- Don’t provide solutions too quickly/ask questions to thoroughly understand instead
- After the show, call all A+ leads within 24 hours/or they might go somewhere else!
- Take notes when they talk/it makes them feel important
- When they ask about your company, tell them what you help, fix or solve/they don’t care about features and benefits…trust me.
I hope this article helps you sell more to the people coming through your booths. Don’t be part of the statistic, don’t forget to follow-up with all leads that qualify for it. And, do it quickly. Trade show leads can be like a ripe banana. The longer you wait, the browner they get! Now go out and get your share of business and put some of these tactics to work!