BARQ & A

Posted By: BEK

We have a huge tradeshow coming up and have been given the opportunity to showcase our product (software) on the second day of the show in one of the reserved conference rooms. We would like to get the audience to visit our booth the next day for a demo and need an incentive to have them do that. We are already giving away ipods (at our booth) so we need something different. Looking for a brilliant idea that we can offer them to get them there for the demo.
Thanks!

BARQ’s response:

The most valuable commodity at a trade show is your time. You have a very limited number of people and hours to sell all you can at a trade show. Why give away something that every attendee would want, and waste your valuable personnel and time serving those who are more interested in an iPod than your software?

Take a look at what your product solves, and the type of person who needs that solution. Then target your gift / incentive to that person and his or her job / life / work environment. This is not easy, but with some planning, forethought and creativity it will save you an immense amount of lost productivity at the show.

If you are not working with an ad agency, I would suggest that you call advertising specialties salespersons and have them brainstorm with or for you about this. They do this ALL DAY LONG and have lots of expertise at incentives. And this costs you nothing until you buy the incentive.

Also, be sure you do plenty of pre-show promotion (direct mail and email) to make the target attendees aware of your presentation and demo.

Sharpen you focus on the target market — the select few among the thousands who really can use what you sell. You will waste much less time and money qualifying the “trick-or-treaters” who come around just to fill their bags with goodies.

BARQ
SELMARQ Brands’ Best Friend

Posted By: VNA

If i’m looking at increasing the visibility of my software solution (a restaurant automation) through a trade show, what are the collaterals that I’d need

What are the important contents of my Brochure?
Creative ideas are needed.

BARQ’s response:

Pre-show marketing is hugely beneficial. Trade shows are a very unique and powerful venue for selling. I would first recommend that you determine and document your specific objectives for being at the trades show: How many leads, how many new customers, how much in sales… you can answer these better than we. This will determine how best to market your wares.

I rarely recommend handing out expensive printed matter to show attendees. 75% of it ends up in the hotel or exhibit hall garbage.

The most valuable thing at shows is your time. If you have an attractive exhibit, you should be spending most of your time taking to qualified prospects. I suggest this to our clients:

Print padded sheets for the exhibit sales staff with list of your products, features/benefits, capabilities (whatever is most appropriate for your product / audience). This is what the staff holds in their hands, like an order sheet. The body language says, “I am ready to do business.”

When a suspect approaches, say, ” Hello, my name is XXX, and you are?” (Don’t rely on the badge name – it may be false, and you don’t want to lose eye contact.) Then you ask “what attracted you to our exhibit?” and listen. Listen and take note! This is booth design and product development intelligence.

When they say “just looking” you show the pad, and ask if anything there is of interest. If not, tear off the sheet and tell them that if they ever do need these, they know where to get them (politely, of course). Then thank them for stopping and let them go. No time or literature wasted on lookers.

When the visitor notes something in which they are interested, scan their badge (or get their card) explain the benefits and work toward taking the order, or promise to have a brochure sent to their office where they will have time to study it closely. Ask qualifying questions about purchase intent, usage, etc. — whatever advances your sales process.

OF MOST IMPORTANCE, FOLLOW UP! RIGHT AWAY. 80% of companies at that show will fail to follow up in a timely manner. Be the company that cares. (It also adds to trust when you do what you say, when you say!)

Don’t forget best practices at trade shows:

DON’T TALK among yourselves as staff… stand at least 2 arms length from the next staffer; you are there to sell, not discuss company issues; and polite buyers are hesitant to interrupt a conversation — missed opportunities.

Don’t stand with hands in pockets, or on hips, or with arms folded. (Bad body language. See tip above for posture.) And whatever you do, DO NOT swing your arms, smacking one fist into the other palm! (This is an obscene gesture in some cultures!)

Happy Selling!

BARQ
SELMARQ Brands’ Best Friend

Posted By: GYL

We are a company that manufactures scientific equipment for animal laboratories, dna labs, hospitals and blood banks. In this industry, it’s very tricky to explain exactly what we do. We know that Trade Show graphics should only be a few key words that sum up our company so that they can be quickly read, but it is impossible to state what we do without writing a story. We are designing a few new graphics for the new year and are interested in learning what techniques you may have to offer for people like ourselves who HAVE to have a full story. Are there any layouts that are more attractive than others? A little less bland perhaps? I know you are probably thinking that I’ve summed up what we do already, but I haven’t touched anywhere on it. If someone else from the industry saw that first line I wrote, they’d say “so does everyone else, but what do YOU do?” if you get my point. Very, very specific industry.

BARQ’s response:

Is it possible to simply say what you DON’T do (as compared to all the other equipment manufacturers)?

For “walk by” traffic, the main thing to keep in mind at trade shows is that the visitor needs to be able to tell 3 things from 6 to 9 meters away:

Who are you?
What do you do?
Why should I care?

Of greater importance, though, you should be selecting from ALL attendees, who you would MOST like to visit you at the show and start appealing to them at least 6 weeks before the show opens. Give them a SELECTIVE reason to put you on their agenda — 3 out of 4 attendees have already decided who they want to talk with before going to the show.

Good luck,

BARQ
SELMARQ Brands’ Best Friend