Shows and events! Let’s get leads!
Amir Tahric
?????? Sales is my passion. I help you make this passion yours too by creating moments in sales. ? Take care of your sales pipeline because it's your best friend. ?? Success = Marketing & Sales & bioLogic?
Shows and events for Salespeople! Let’s get leads!
In the last six days I have started a poll on events and shows. Specifically, the question to salespeople:
How do I generate leads on a show?
How must a Sales Manager be at the booth?
I find that a clear statement and would like to briefly summarize my experience.
An event or a show is a very complex and expensive measure for your company. This has different goals in the strategy. Among other things, however, your company invests a lot of time and money so that you can generate qualitative leads for your success in sales.
But you also must contribute a few important points of your own in order for it to be an overall success.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some tips and tricks before the show, during the show and after the show.
1.??????Pay attention to your appearance before the start of the show!
2.??????Familiarize yourself with the location of your stand!
3.??????Recognize visitor behavior!
4.??????Tell your network you're there!
5.??????Proactively invite your direct contacts personally!
6.??????Study your company's briefing before the event!
7.??????Develop a strategy to add value for visitors at the show!
8.??????Arrange a follow up call as specific as possible!
9.??????Write a report right after the interview!
10.??Structure your follow-up conversations!
1. Pay attention to your appearance before the start of the trade fair!
You are the visible business card for your company at the booth. It is important for you and your company how you are seen.
You must feel comfortable at the booth, so pay attention to the following point.
1. Clothing
You have to feel comfortable in your clothes. This has to sit and fit. If you wear a suit, it should fit the business appropriately: no wedding suit and no cotton suit from the beach. It also has to be your size. Get advice if necessary. Just like shoes, belts or jewelry. Don't wear new shoes that you bought two days before the show because they haven't broken in yet. That could be painful. Consider whether sneakers are the right shoes. A tie is no longer standard or mandatory.
2. Hair
Don't go the hairdresser day before. You can see that and it doesn't look aesthetic. 5-6 days should pass, then it looks natural.
3. Breath
Make sure you have fresh breath and your body odor is a light fragrance (not too much), not body odor after 10 hours of wear. Avoid smelling of alcohol from the previous night.
2. Review the floor plan. Where is your booth in the hall?
3. By answering the questions outlined in point 2, you will gain insight into visitor behavior.
Observe the visitor traffic pattern.
The key objective is to:
Maintaining the visitor's presence at your booth will reduce the likelihood of them seeking out competitors, who are often located in close proximity.
4. Tell your network you're there!
Companies often promote trade shows through various channels.
As a salesperson, it is essential to take initiative and contribute to your success. Your company provides a platform to engage with customers, but it takes effort to ensure that they visit your booth. There is always a risk that customers may choose to visit a competitor's booth instead.
5. Proactively invite your direct contacts personally!
In addition to the strategies outlined in point four, it is strongly recommended that you personally invite key contacts to your booth.
6. Study your company's briefing before the show!
If your company has prepared an event briefing, then you should definitely know about it. If there is no briefing, then speak to your marketing department.
1.??????What is the booth concept?
2.??????What is the message coming from the booth?
3.??????Who is the first contact person at the booth?
4.??????Is there a stand manning plan?
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5.??????When and where do you eat?
(Lunch should not be eaten at the booth!)
6.??????What is the infrastructure and layout of the booth like?
7.??????Where are which samples?
8.??????Is there information in paper form or only in digital form?
9.??????Are there special meeting rooms?
10.??Are there any important current events from the industry or your company?
( Which I need to know?!)
11.??Are there daily briefings at the booth?
12.??How are the contact reports created and collected?
The preparation of the booth personnel before the show is essential for the success of the event. The more intensively the company prepares the briefing, the greater the success during the show. A joint dinner before the show is nice, but not a briefing to present the show concept. This also includes the speech on the morning before the show.
7. Develop a strategy to add value for visitors to the trade fair!
During the show, you're on your own to get your leads and clients. Don't expect your co-workers to pass you the business cards from potential mutual clients.
The stand at the fair is the battlefield for everyone! Everyone fights for themselves, but:
1.??????If a visitor is interested in a product that is not in your portfolio, then look for your colleague who can help him.
Think carefully about where you stand to get potential customers talking:
??????"Can I answer your question?"
?????"I'm sorry, but I can't help."
You use the introductory question (7) when the visitor stands in front of the stand and looks questioningly with his eyes. You stand outside the booth, in the aisle in front of your exhibits. The moment the visitor recognizes that you are part of the stand staff, you are already in conversation.
The visitors who come to your stand with a specific question have already visited the competition. If the project is interesting, find a place to meet and hold it with you while you can. Arrange a specific follow-up meeting after the show!
Treat all visitors with respect!
If you need to read your messages on your mobile phone or have a call: do this outside of the booth. Do not work on your laptop all the time at the booth; no matter what hierarchy level you are on.
The visitor does not differentiate, he only sees: “I am not important and moves on.”
8. Arrange a follow up call as specific as possible!
As many conversations as possible should be held during the fair. Important information should be exchanged at the booth so that a follow-up meeting is prepared. If there is a specific project, the conversation at the show can last longer.
During the show, every conversation is a sales pitch and should have a follow up.
Prepare yourself!
9. Write a report right after the interview!
If your company has prepared a visit log, then use the log and store the logs centrally. This can be a folder or digital. After the fair, these will be evaluated. There will be times when log will not used by Sales Reps.
The importance should be emphasized in the briefing. Your company has an overall responsibility, and you (Sales Rep) are obliged to make your contribution.
You can get a picture of each report with your smartphone. You can use apps to scan business cards.
With the report you can later prepare the follow-up appointment. If there is a CRM, you have the opportunity to work together with your colleagues.
10. Structure your follow-up conversations!
Before the follow-up talks start, your Sales Manager will evaluate the visit reports from the show with you and the team.
A visitor should not be called by two or more salespeople about the same thing. A visitor has often been to several salespeople on different days. It should be clear who will continue to look after this contact after the show and who will call them. If a visitor has clearly indicated that this Sales Rep should call, then that Sales Rep should be the first to call the visitor.
Should further support of the visitor by another Sales Rep be necessary, then a clean handover should take place. If I can't generate any sale from this contact, then I shouldn't waste my time and hand it over.
In the follow-up discussion, the current needs and the attractiveness of the customer and project must(!) be evaluated. The first discussion after the show can be an e-meeting.
If the criteria for the company, the project and the contact are positive. Sales has a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)!
11. Summary
Shows are still a very good place to generate leads.
It is a special event for salespeople and for visitors. To get the best results as a Sales Rep and company, it's a good idea to invest some time in preparation. A briefing should clearly state what the goals of the show are. Accordingly, the Sales Team should also be prepared and trained.
It is not always self-evident that the goals of the company are the same as those of a Sales Rep who has 20 years of experience.
E.g. The sum of all generated leads is also the success of the individual in the follow-up discussions. Here, Marketing and Sales can achieve great things together if a common event strategy is pursued.
The strategy must be in place and supported by everyone.????????