| People attend industry tradeshows for numerous | | | | force.Here it is! Remember the punch card each |
| reasons. Whether you go and set up as an exhibitor | | | | individual was required to have marked by the |
| or sign up to visit the vendors, everyone has their | | | | participating exhibitors? Well, once they approach |
| own motives for checking out the show. Interestingly | | | | your booth and ask for their card to be punched, |
| enough, some individuals just want to get away from | | | | hand them ANOTHER CARD to be filled in while they |
| the office for a while and make it a "working" | | | | are getting their card marked by you. It's a good idea |
| vacation! This is true for exhibitors as well as buyers, | | | | to have another incentive to benefit the person filling |
| either way it becomes a business write off!!I've | | | | out the additional card. Something small, keep it |
| attended industry shows as a buyer and as an | | | | simple. We used an additional giveaway item of our |
| exhibitor off and on over the last twenty years. In | | | | own. A portable DVD player, at the time was only |
| the beginning most of my focus was towards the | | | | $40 and we shipped it to our winning visitor (or |
| Awards & Engraving arena. Through the years it | | | | handed it to them if they were present). A mini raffle |
| became quite obvious that this was a rather small | | | | of our own!This accomplishes two specific things:1 - |
| industry, as compared to some "sister" type | | | | They are held "captive" in front of you to fill out their |
| industries such as; screen printing, apparel or sign | | | | information, allowing you time to "pitch" your deal to |
| business type shows. A great deal of my time over | | | | them. Other wise, they will simply get their card |
| the last decade has been spent exhibiting in the | | | | punched and move on down the aisle!2 - This "other |
| larger arenas.As an exhibitor, I've had several | | | | card" will now become your personal LEAD CARD to |
| different outcomes in mind while at the show; | | | | return back to the home office. You can ask |
| including building from those experiences once back | | | | pertinent information on this lead card to enable your |
| at the home office. Seems as if I've done it all at one | | | | sales people to target the specific needs of each |
| time or another. Heck, one year I even dressed up | | | | individual.Example:If your item is a software program, |
| as "Logo Man" (a take off of Batman), wore the | | | | you may need to know certain "facts" before |
| cape and the whole nine yards! All this to stir up | | | | pitching your product. Facts such as, what type of |
| interest in our newest software release titled, | | | | computer is used, what version of operating system, |
| LogoBahn. It was the hottest thing around and won | | | | email address, do you have a website, do you use |
| first place that year for best technology | | | | any other type of drawing software, if so what kind, |
| development!Now I'm not suggesting you need to | | | | etc.The options are truly endless and become a |
| dress up in some goofy outfit in order to have a | | | | valuable source of knowledge for your sales team. |
| successful tradeshow but I do encourage you to | | | | Imagine this, now instead of waiting on the |
| think outside the box. One year our company joined | | | | tradeshow organization to send you the show |
| forces with four other well know businesses. We | | | | attendee's list or print out the "standard" name, |
| called ourselves the Texas Connection, appropriately | | | | address, zip, phone, etc information. You now have |
| named due to our companies were all located in the | | | | specific FACT FINDING answers to your need to |
| state of Texas. We placed advertisements in popular | | | | know questions without having to call and ask over |
| industry magazines, informing of our FREE GRAND | | | | the phone. Your sales people are truly armed with |
| PRIZE give away, at the next Las Vegas | | | | solid info that allows the to build rapport with their |
| International Tradeshow. In addition to the space ads, | | | | prospects. Making the "sales call" a much warmer, |
| each company sent out two post card mailings prior | | | | more friendly invitation to your newfound |
| to the show date. We set up a "punch card" to be | | | | friend.Remember, no one likes to be sold but we all |
| handed out to each registered individual as they | | | | like to buy. It's been reported that people prefer to |
| entered the tradeshow exhibit hall.Each of us had a | | | | buy from a friend and NOT a stranger. These types |
| special die punch with different emblems. We utilized | | | | of fact-finding questions create great lead-ins, |
| this punch card to indicate that an individual had | | | | enabling you to get from stranger to friend much |
| physically stopped by our booth. Once a person had | | | | faster. Let's face it, when you call on a prospect and |
| all five company marks punched, they would then | | | | you all ready having working knowledge of who they |
| drop it into a centrally located hopper (raffle bin). On | | | | are, what they are doing and how they may be |
| the last day of the show just before the end of the | | | | doing it ... it simply makes them feel more |
| day, we gathered around to draw out the winning | | | | comfortable. Not your typical sales call!We all know |
| attendee's card. It was a smash hit, a true winner for | | | | most people buy on emotion and later back it up |
| all five of us as exhibiter's in many different ways.Our | | | | with logic. Think about it, what about that last car |
| grand prize that year was a big screen TV costing | | | | you bought? Did you have to have the leather seats |
| around $1500. This was a small price to pay | | | | with the automatic windows and door locks? Not to |
| considering we shared in the purchase of the | | | | mention the DVD player and the navigation system! |
| television set. We were at the forefront of peoples | | | | Okay, Okay ... I realize you're the exception, that's |
| mind long after the show had ended and many asked | | | | why I wrote ... MOST PEOPLE.I trust this article will |
| what we were going to be giving away at the next | | | | benefit those of you who exhibit at tradeshows. The |
| event!Here's the real beauty of the whole deal. As I | | | | above ideas are just a few that we've experienced |
| mentioned earlier there are several different | | | | over the years and found to have successful results. |
| outcomes each exhibitor has while attending an | | | | I titled this article with the word "gimmicks" in it, not |
| industry tradeshow. Too many in fact to cover in this | | | | necessarily implying these are gimmicks but rather |
| one article but I want to share one of the better | | | | "nifty ideas" in order to create a more successful |
| results we experienced as a company. It's so cool | | | | outcome from your next tradeshow.Aubrey |
| and tailor made for anyone in sales to implement this | | | | Richardson is the founder of one of the largest and |
| concept in your business. Whether you are selling a | | | | fastest growing clip art sites online, while leading a |
| product line or a service this gives you a great follow | | | | team of successful business entrepreneurs on the |
| up plan, as well as a great lead in for your sales | | | | net. |