Selling at a Trade Show, Convention & More - Sell More

Trade shows offer businesses growth and visibility opportunities, with the challenge being the selection of the most aligned events. It’s not just about immediate sales, but also about building lasting relationships.

Key Takeaways:

Efficient time management, a compelling sales pitch tailored to the audience, and maintaining genuine interactions are vital. Success hinges on choosing relevant events, engaging attendees effectively, and evolving strategies based on feedback. Beyond sales, trade shows facilitate networking, branding, and potential industry collaborations.

Mart Šetinc

Exhibition and events professional with global experience. Mart has managed events for various international key decision makers worldwide.

martsetincexperium
October 30, 2023

What is trade show selling?

Trade show selling refers to the process of promoting and selling products or services at exhibitions, conventions, or events where businesses showcase their offerings. It’s a unique form of sales that combines face-to-face interaction with live product demonstrations.

How can I improve my sales performance at trade shows?

Maximize trade show sales by researching your audience, refining your sales pitch, engaging visitors genuinely, designing an attractive booth, and using effective call-to-actions to drive tangible actions from attendees.

Why is selling at trade shows effective?

Trade shows gather a concentrated audience already interested in specific industries. This provides businesses with direct access to potential customers, allowing for immediate feedback, networking, and the ability to handle objections in real-time, making conversions more feasible.

Choose the Right Events

Trade shows have burgeoned into a cornerstone of contemporary business strategies. Every year, companies earmark significant budgets to attend these events, hoping to unlock more opportunities for growth and visibility. While the allure of attending every trade show that pops up is tempting, the efficacy lies in choosing the right ones.

Most companies face this dilemma: With so many trade shows out there, which ones align best with our brand and objectives? It’s essential to meticulously research each event’s target audience and the type of companies and attendees it attracts. Remember, the goal isn’t always about direct sales; for some industries, the longer sales cycle necessitates cultivating relationships and introducing a new product launch.

By determining what kind of trade show cater to your ideal prospects and customers, you ensure a higher return on both time and money invested. Additionally, being selective about the events you attend can bolster your brand’s perception and ensure you’re targeting your desired audience effectively.

Make the Best Use of Your Time

Time at most trade shows, is an invaluable currency. Just like in the office, there’s a flurry of activities to manage, from potential customer meetings to competitor analysis. Every second counts, and every interaction could be a new business lead. So, how do most companies optimize their time?

By planning. Dedicate the mid-morning hours, usually when attendees are most active, for crucial sales pitches. Establish eye contact with trade show attendees passing by and engage genuine buyers. Then, spend time networking with other vendors during lulls. Your next trade show success hinges on how efficiently you utilize every moment at the current one.

Efficiently planning your time not only maximizes your sales opportunities but also enhances the overall experience for your team and customers.

Master Your Sales Pitch for Potential Customers

The hustle and bustle of trade shows demand a pitch that’s concise yet compelling. Visitors of the trade show often have multiple booths to visit, so your pitch should grab their attention immediately. To do this, understand the needs of the trade show attendees. Incorporate a common goal or pain point and articulate how your product or service offers the ideal solution. Remember, it’s not just about selling a product but establishing a genuine connection with potential customers, ensuring they recall your brand amidst the sea of competitors. A sales pitch isn’t just about the initial interaction; it’s about building a story that potential customers can resonate with, giving them more reasons to invest in what you’re offering.

Know Your Audience: Research Your Trade Show Attendees

Knowledge is power, especially at a trade show. Knowing your audience isn’t about guesswork; it requires diligent research. Understand the demographics of trade show attendees. Are they decision-makers or influencers? Are they existing customers or fresh leads?

By tailoring your approach, whether it’s deepening existing relationships or cultivating new ones, you elevate your chances of success. Many companies invest in pre-show research, ensuring they’re equipped with relevant details to impress and engage.

In-depth audience analysis can also guide your exhibit designs, promotional materials, and the nature of interactions to better align with attendee expectations.

Remain Calm (and Human!) At Your Trade Show Booth

Amid the whirlwind of activities, maintaining composure at your trade show booth is paramount. A trade show booth, bustling with activity, can sometimes evoke stress.

But here’s a tip: Always remain calm. Establish eye contact, smile, and engage visitors in genuine conversations rather than just pushing for a sale. Most trade show attendees appreciate a human touch. They’re more inclined to spend time at your booth if they sense genuine interest rather than a hurried sales pitch.

Beyond selling, it’s about building lasting connections and memorable interactions. After all, people buy from people they trust and feel comfortable with.

Find the Right Event

The emphasis on finding the right trade show can’t be reiterated enough. With myriad events each year, your company needs to prioritize. Consider factors like attendance figures, the industries represented, and past success stories. Determine which ones offer more opportunities for your business goals, be it sales, networking, or brand exposure.

Sometimes, attending fewer but more relevant trade shows can yield better results than spreading oneself thin. By aligning your company’s objectives with the events’ offerings, you not only bolster your chances for success but also ensure meaningful and profitable engagements.

Make Sure Your Attendees Take Action

Drawing visitors to your trade show booth is one achievement; ensuring they take actionable steps is another. Visitors to your trade show booth are potential goldmines. But how do you ensure they don’t just walk away and forget about your brand?

By ensuring they take actionable steps. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, scheduling a follow-up meeting, or making a purchase, every interaction should lead to a tangible outcome. Many companies employ engaging techniques, offering exclusive deals or sneak peeks to attendees who commit to some form of action. These actions then serve as a foundation for future interactions, nurturing these leads down the sales funnel.

Refine Your Engagement Techniques

Learning and adapting are intrinsic to trade show success. Trade shows are not just about the present; they offer insights for future strategies. Post-event, gather your team and assess what worked and what didn’t. Engagement techniques that resonated with the audience at one trade show might need tweaking for the next. Regular refinement, based on feedback and observations, ensures that your team is always equipped with the best methods to captivate and convert. This cyclical process of learning and improving underpins the long-term success of your trade show endeavors.

Trade Booth Call-To-Action Examples

“Secure your spot for our exclusive webinar!”
“Enjoy a 20% discount on your first purchase with us!”
“Join our loyalty program and unlock exclusive benefits!”
“Book a one-on-one product demonstration now!”
“Share your email and receive our latest industry report!”

Nonselling Objectives

Understanding that trade shows serve diverse objectives is key to maximizing their potential. A common misconception is that trade shows are solely about sales. In reality, they serve multiple purposes. From fostering relationships, boosting team morale, and gaining insights into competitors, trade shows offer a comprehensive platform for businesses. It’s about networking, gaining feedback, and even understanding industry trends.

Often, the relationships nurtured at a trade show outlive the immediate sales, paving the way for future collaborations and partnerships. By diversifying your trade show objectives, you position your business for multifaceted success.

Selling Variables

Trade shows are dynamic, and numerous factors influence your sales outcomes. Factors like the clarity of your sales pitch, the functionality of product demos, and the design and location of your booth play pivotal roles in determining your sales success. Moreover, the ability of your team to gauge the interest and needs of the visitor can dramatically impact conversions.

Effective selling often hinges on harmonizing these variables to resonate with the potential customer. Aligning all these variables effectively can spell the difference between an average trade show performance and a standout one.

Nonselling Variables

Beyond the immediacy of sales, trade shows are rich avenues for various business goals. Apart from direct sales, trade shows offer brands the platform to project their ethos, gather invaluable competitor insights, and even gain feedback for product or service enhancements.

The quality of interactions, the brand imagery projected, and the nature of engagements contribute significantly to the overall trade show experience for attendees. Recognizing and capitalizing on these nonselling variables already at the next trade show can set the stage for more of the broader, long-term business connections.

Why is Selling at a Trade Show Good?

Trade shows are a unique confluence of various business opportunities. Selling in such a way offers a unique blend of benefits. With a concentrated audience already interested in your industry, it becomes easier to engage and convert. Furthermore, the immediacy of feedback allows for on-the-spot objections handling, making it a learning experience for brands. The confluence of networking, sales, and branding opportunities make trade shows an indispensable tool for business growth. Furthermore, it’s about being in the right place at the right time, surrounded by industry peers, decision-makers, and enthusiastic attendees, which often leads to spontaneous collaborations, partnerships, and business deals.