Trade Show Strategies for When Customers Hunt in Packs
- docalmendarez
- Feb 21
- 5 min read
It is frequently intriguing how changes in the business landscape seem evident in hindsight. While there were once widespread doubts regarding the success of computers, corporations, and even office buildings, we now recognize that each plays a crucial role in enhancing a company's efficiency and profitability, making it hard to imagine operating without them. This sentiment mirrors my perspective on purchasing groups.
Historically, major business purchasing decisions were often subject to the approval of a single key individual. The primary challenge was not in persuading this person, but in identifying and reaching them. Although these challenges remain, they have multiplied several times over. This shift is due to companies of all sizes recognizing an apparent truth: a group of individuals is less likely to overlook critical details or commit significant errors compared to a single individual working alone. Considering the high stakes in today's business environment, involving multiple stakeholders in purchasing decisions is a prudent strategy.
As a result, it is now rare to engage with a single contact at a trade show. Instead, customers typically operate in teams, sending multiple decision-makers to gather information on products and identify the best solutions at competitive prices. To achieve significant sales, it is essential to learn how to recognize and work with each decision-maker, both individually and collectively.
This situation can be a source of frustration for many sales professionals. They understand that their time to sell from their booth is limited, and spending valuable hours trying to locate the final member of a buying team to deliver a compelling presentation can seem like an unnecessary hassle. However, consider it from a different perspective. Although dealing with multiple decision-makers can be challenging, you likely would have needed to engage them regardless. At least at a trade show, they are likely on site and available for a live demonstration, rather than being hundreds or thousands of miles away.
Another advantage is leveraging basic psychology to your benefit. Enthusiasm, like most emotions, is highly infectious. If you can excite one of your prospects about your products, they can often pass that excitement to others in their group. Typically, if you convince two or three people, it becomes much easier to sway the rest to your perspective. Thus, selling to groups can be somewhat easier than selling to an individual—particularly if that single decision-maker felt uneasy about making a significant decision and spending a substantial amount of the company’s money on their own.
There is a significant possibility that you could achieve a sale exceeding your initial expectations. The reason for this is that trade shows are not solely attended by mid-level managers and standard decision-makers; they also attract owners and C-level executives who often explore the exhibits. If your presentation is persuasive, it could immediately engage their interest. More frequently, the enthusiasm you inspire in your contacts may captivate their superiors, leading them to visit or approve a more substantial purchase.
In a typical sales environment, making a significant impression requires not only identifying and persuading your prospect but also enduring the delay as they seek funding or approval from higher authorities to finalize the purchase. At a trade show, however, these challenges are eliminated, providing a valuable opportunity to operate vertically and sell at a much higher level. Instead of aiming for progress within a single department or facility, you have the potential to secure a contract for the entire company. With top decision-makers visiting your booth and receiving feedback from their staff about your presentation, such outcomes are attainable.
Naturally, circumstances may also develop unfavorably. Negative sentiments can proliferate, and not all decision-makers may be persuaded by the solutions you propose. They may have an existing relationship with another vendor or consider that an alternative purchase aligns more closely with their needs or departmental objectives. For various reasons, a decision-maker might be steering the group in a different direction.
How should this situation be managed? The optimal strategy is to treat it as any other objection. Identify the root issue (often differing from what is expressed) and emphasize the value you can deliver. Illustrate how your solution can enhance their situation while maintaining the engagement of the entire group. By highlighting the most compelling aspects of your presentation, you can frequently engage other members of the purchasing team to conclude the sale. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge the objection, comprehend it, and concentrate on the advantages you offer. In trade show selling, these steps remain the same but are executed more swiftly.
To attain significant sales, whether at a trade show or elsewhere, mastering the art of selling to groups is crucial. This often involves understanding that members of the group may have different interests and priorities; what benefits one person might not matter to another. Nonetheless, by following fundamental selling principles, interacting with several decision-makers becomes easier. Convincing one or two people can create a "domino effect," simplifying the process of gaining agreement from the rest of the group quickly.
Pullout: Personality Styles in Buying Groups
An essential strategy for accelerating the sales process and improving your closing rate involves recognizing and engaging with various personality types. Understanding what drives your decision-makers and their preferred decision-making methods is a valuable skill, enabling you to customize your presentation to each individual and align with their natural preferences rather than opposing them.
Introducing additional decision-makers complicates matters, yet this diversity is precisely why buying groups are beneficial for clients—more individuals bring a broader range of perspectives. Prospects often originate from various departments, each with unique needs, and they also possess diverse backgrounds and viewpoints regarding their challenges. Some, particularly the assertive executive types, prefer concise information to make swift decisions. Others are more social or analytical, requiring a comprehensive understanding of you and/or your products before committing. Additionally, there is a group that is risk-averse, concerned about making the wrong choice.
Addressing this issue effectively typically requires comprehensive information and insight. Begin by ensuring you have a clear understanding of the various buying styles, their definitions, and how to identify them. If a refresher is necessary, revisit the pertinent chapter in The MODERN Selling System (www.modernsellingthebook.com). Additionally, gaining insight into your own personality style is advisable, as it will equip you to leverage aspects of your selling personality that are beneficial for engaging with specific buyer types, while also being aware of any tendencies that may impede your success.
Initially, approach each decision-maker as an individual sale. Structure your presentations to highlight the major points at the outset, gradually addressing the finer details as you proceed. Alternatively, present the key points early and then engage with different members of the purchasing team individually. This strategy offers two significant advantages: Firstly, it allows you to influence decision-makers early without overwhelming them with details, thereby maintaining their interest. Secondly, by engaging them first, you generate enthusiasm that they can convey to their colleagues. Having one or two advocates within the team can drive the decision-making process more effectively than you could alone, especially since action-oriented professionals often hold leadership roles.
Collaborating with buying groups involves navigating various personality styles. Rather than becoming frustrated with this reality, it is beneficial to embrace it and allow each decision-maker to progress at their own pace. While this may initially appear to be an additional step, it is likely to expedite the sales process by ensuring that each individual is comfortable and that presentations are tailored to their specific understanding.
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