Not all trade show attendees are buyers, and this fellow outlines the problem:
I don’t know how many times I have exhibited at a trade show where my booth has been flooded with attendees who have no interest in purchasing my products or services. These people may stop by trade show displays for a number of reasons not related to the company itself. They could be there to collect giveaways, enter drawings, or simply because they see tons of traffic going to a show booth and want to see what all the fuss is about.
But I disagree with his solutions -
1. Politely end the conversation. Any conversation should be the "approach" in a sales process... your MOQ FOB smokes out real buyers immediately, and if not a buyer, hand them the MOQ FOB and say something to the effect "When this order makes sense for you please do come back." GEt rid of them decidedly.
2. Given the above, you can skip the body language festival.
3. Business cards are given to people with whom you will do business. If they ahve no written an order, no business cards. Therefore, give out as few cards as necessary, no more. Given #1, they have all the contact info they need.
One goes to a trade show to do business. Blow off anyone who is not there for the same reason.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
2 comments:
Hi John,
Don't you mention having customers/buyers lined up before going to the trade show? It's not clear to me then to why do the trade show at all, if one already has buyers.
Yes, don't go to a trade show until you have the customers to meet to warrant the cost. If so, then meeting five customers to talk over in person questions and covering business is far cheaper at a booth over 4 days than visiting each customer at their offices and vastly more productive than by email, skype, etc. Once ensconced in a booth and busy with customers, you are also able to work what serendipitous business comes into the booth. Actually working customers puts you in a winning frame of mind. You are set to approach customers with that "approach" challenge solution result combination that focusses everyone in the sales process. "Dry aged beef inefficiencies" "Turn reefer in to dry age beef locker." " Cut 18% cost in delivered meat." You are in the drivers seat.
I go nuts when I hear people go to trade shows for '"trade leads." Arrrgggghhh...!
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