As important as the planning and preparation, few things will impact your ability to sell at a trade show as much as your ability to meet and qualify customers at your booth. Because of the carnival-like atmosphere that exists at many shows, this usually isn’t as easy as introducing yourself to every person who walks by; it takes a mixture of energy, enthusiasm, and even flair that I like to call boothsmanship.
No matter how dazzling your company’s display is, you’re going to be competing for your prospect’s attention at every moment. That’s because there are going to be other salespeople – not to mention models, video displays, live demos, and all other manner of distractions – sitting just a few feet away. And yet, your ability to take passing faces and turn them into potential customers will determine whether you ever have the chance to enter into the rest of the trade show selling process in the first place.
To help you make the biggest impact at your booth, here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Make the most of your greeting. By failing to acknowledge potential customers as they approach your booth, you aren’t just being rude – you’re closing the door on opportunities. Try to introduce yourself and engage visitors at the same time. My method for achieving this is simple: I just ask, “What caught your eye about our booth today?” It’s an easy, non-threatening question, but one that invites the prospect to share his or her thoughts.
2. Emphasize the positives. Along the same lines, don’t fall into the trap of projecting negativity. Mumbling, looking discouraged, and staring at your feet all tell prospects the same thing: that they would be better off taking their business elsewhere. Most buyers come to trade shows in a good mood; they want to see other smiling faces, so give them one.
3. Be entertaining. There’s a good chance your visitor will ask about your products or solutions. Don’t launch into a full demonstration, but try to give them a sense of what you’re offering with a little bit of humor and showmanship. Using the right tone of voice and body language doesn’t just draw prospects into what you’re saying – it also helps keep you in the right frame of mind.
4. Start a conversation. Instead of talking about the weather, or last night’s game, see if you can engage the prospect in a discussion about his or her product needs. You don’t have to turn the interaction into a formal selling situation, but you should do what you can to keep things on-topic. Ask open-ended questions and then see if the answers open any doors.
5. Qualify, qualify, qualify. Since your time at a trade show is limited – and because there will likely be hundreds of potential buyers around – finding the real prospects, the ones with buying intentions and authority, is the name of the game. And make no mistake; they’re going to be at the trade show. Exhibit Surveys, Inc. did a survey that found that 84% of the men and women circulating around a trade show floor have at least some influence on the buying process, and an average of 53% of those were looking to make a major purchase in the coming calendar year.
Of course, you don’t want to read too much into a simple greeting; some men and women are going to be at the trade show simply to see what’s new, or walking around without any buying intentions. But if you are going to make an impact, much less generate a year’s worth of sales in a few days, you’re going to have to become a master at opening the door, so practice your boothsmanship until it feels natural. It’s a harder skill than you would think, but it can make you a lot of money.
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