Trade Show Emporium

 Trade Show duty is 24/7, or at least it feels that way to your feet. Vendors presenting at a trade show can build a career or simply fill time depending on how they manage trade show leads generated by manning a trade show booth.

Scanning is a learned skill and it can short-cut the qualification cycle in leads obtained at any trade show. Visual signals are telling. The guy hugging his cell phone while cruising down the aisles isn’t focused on buying any solution offered. The woman with the bag full of literature and swag is collecting, not making decisions. The pack of coworkers traveling together at the stem of the day is more interested in post-show cocktails than in doing trade show due diligence.

Vet serious prospects from the weak with direct questions.

Initiate the conversation with a prospective client by asking directly what solution they are seeking. If the prospective client can’t state what it is that would help him/her do business better, then you and your product can’t deliver results. The would-be client walking the aisles of a trade show knows what the weak points in their delivery and systems are if they’re serious about improving their game.

Know your own price points and be willing to share them with prospective clients from the top of the conversation. If your product or service starts at $50K and the prospective candidate knows that his/her budget is limited to $5K, your conversion rate will be reduced convincing them of wisdom in buying your product or service compared to time spent with a candidate who has a given budget nearer your price point. Remember catch and release.

Ask the prospective customer point blank if they are the decision-maker when it comes to purchasing your type of product or service. If the answer is that another company rep holds the power, you need to get to that source. Ask for that decision maker’s contact info. A serious candidate will want the decision maker to make contact if your product or service can make a difference.

When you’ve landed an invested prospect, establish a specific date for follow-up conversation. Follow up with a same-day email confirming the solution you will deliver and the date of that promised delivery. Don’t wait until you’ve returned home and set the stack of contacts aside on your desk. Immediate responders get results; procrastinators get mileage credit and time away from their cubicle, but rarely close a sale.