TRADE SHOW SELLING

In the past few years, I have started referring to trade shows as the "black holes" of sales opportunities. And while it might draw some strange looks, I think it is a great way to mentally picture them.

For those of you who are not avid readers of science fiction and nodded off during Astronomy 101, black holes are thought to be extreme compressions of the same material that makes up the billons of stars in our universe. All that material – trillions and trillions of tons of it – creates an “event horizon” that begins to pull back onto itself. Eventually, it creates a gravitational pull that is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.

It is this enormous gravitational pull that makes black holes the subject of so many books, movies, and physics symposiums. What could be more intriguing than a phenomenon that absorbs everything around it? And what does it have to do with trade show selling?

The answer, simply enough, is that black holes and trade shows each create their own momentum. While I have yet to hear of a trade show swallowing a city like Chicago or Las Vegas, they often have the net effect of drawing in all the important members of any given industry – especially the buyers. And, like the astronomical phenomenon, they typically gain strength as they grow; the more people who decide to come, the more others feel like they must attend just to keep up.

It is not neutrons and hydrogen at the center of things, though; it is ideas and money. Trade shows are a chance for companies to show off whatever the latest and greatest thing is. If it is new, you can guarantee it is going to show up on the trade show floor somewhere. Because of that, executives, shareholders, and business owners do not flinch at spending huge amounts of cash to put their shiny new products in the best possible light for all the world to see.

Of course, no one wants to be left out of the party, so other companies decide that they want to get in on the act, too. And so, they spend their own fortunes rolling out new products, opening displays, and otherwise promoting their brands. Soon, professional demo presenters and spokespersons are brought in to add a little extra luster, along with small armies of caterers and entertainers. Buyers begin to recognize that the show represents not only a chance to stay up to speed on industry trends, but also to be dazzled by manufacturers, and so they turn out in bigger numbers, as well.

What does this all amount to? A black hole of sales opportunities – an event that creates its own gravitational pull of excitement, money, and potential. The analogy does not hold up perfectly, though. While an actual black hole swallows mass, a trade show brings together everyone and everything you need to make a year’s worth of sales in a few days … but only for a small window of time. Nearly all your prospects, competitors, and suppliers are going to be together in one place, and most of them are going to be in a buying mood. To take advantage of this opportunity, however, you're going to have to realize that all that excitement and energy can dissipate before you know it, so you must be prepared and move quickly.

These series of blogs are going to help you do exactly that. In these words, you will not just find advice on how to greet people at your booth or what kinds of prospects to look for, but a start-to-finish guide on planning to make big sales, putting your valuable floor space to good use, and even following up with potential clients. In other words, you are going to find everything you need to create an avalanche of orders in just a few days.

It is my hope that you will not only find these tips to be helpful, but that you'll take them to heart. There was a time, not so very long ago, when trade shows were not all that special. Companies would essentially use them as a write-off, sending teams of unmotivated salespeople to wine and dine a handful of clients and otherwise act like they were on spring break. Buyers, on the other hand, usually showed up looking for deep discounts and to "kick the tires" on a handful of new products.

As much fun as all of that was, it did not accomplish a lot. Not surprisingly, in the last couple of decades, as virtually every industry around the globe has gotten to be more competitive, the people in charge have wised up and started demanding to see a healthy return on investment for their trade show expenditures – many of which can run well into seven figures. That might be bad news for lazy salespeople, but for those of us who aspire to make it to the top, it's great progress. That's because more businesses than ever are sending individuals and groups who are ready to buy, and more companies are giving their sales teams the tools they need to close big orders in a hurry.

Make no mistake: Trade shows mean big business, and big opportunities. If you have any doubt, consider that in 2008, Trade Show Week reported that exhibitions were rising, even in the face of a tough economy. Manufacturers who were losing money hand over fist recognized that the best way to make some of it back was by demo-ing their products at trade shows and reeling in the orders. You can easily do the same.

Like all sales endeavors, the most important ingredient is not your booth, your company, or even your products – it is your attitude. Decide right now that you're going to make big money at your company’s next trade show event. It does not matter whether it is six months away, or six days; you're going to show up prepared to get things done. There is no place any more for men and women who simply want to take a field trip on the company's tab. If you are going to get the most out of your time, not to mention your career, you'll have to go into the trade show ready to work.

In the next blog, we are going to look at the trade show mindset, and why it is so important in generating big sales in a short amount of time. So, let us get started...