You’ve set up your display, put out your product offerings, and all the hard work is over, right? Not quite. While sometimes your goals might simply be brand awareness or introducing a new product, for many trade show attendees, the end goal of all your hard work is to make sales, either at the show itself or from connections your team makes on the show floor.
So you might ask, “How do I convert all these show attendees to customers?” We’re going to give you 4 tips to help convert prospects into purchasers.
- Qualify attendees who pass through your booth. If an attendee has stacks of material from every booth or is just browsing everyone’s snack selections, they are probably not a serious prospect. Don’t let attendees just browse through your offerings. Instead, engage and interact with prospects who come into your space. Ask questions about their business needs and concerns, establishing who they are and where they are located.
- Don’t dump information or literature on prospects. Trade show attendees are going to hear sales pitches all day, so don’t try to overload and overwhelm them. This will cause them to tune out your pitch. Instead, as you qualify them, keep asking questions and listening. Asking open-ended questions is the key to discussions of how you can help them solve their pain points and improve their services. Make sure your booth staff keeps the 80/20 rule in mind: listen 80% of the time and talk for 20%.
- Choose your booth staff carefully. Choose your best sales team, not just anyone. Make sure your staff knows what’s expected of them, such as qualifying prospects, mastering details, and following up with prospects promptly. Staff should be professional, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about your products and any offerings from competitors. Don’t forget that while your exhibit, giveaways, and activities might draw attendees, your staff is the key to making sales on the show floor.
- Engage your best prospects before, during, and after the show. This means doing research beforehand, reaching out on social media, and keeping booth staff engaged on the floor before and during the show. Draw attendees in with a professional, well-lit, clean exhibit space that will make them comfortable committing to you and enhance your company’s professional image. If you have a sales cycle that doesn’t lend itself to quick closes, make sure you include a call to action in your materials and presentations to keep prospects engaged in the sales cycle. If you have a shorter sales cycle, don’t get too pushy. While your sales staff should be eager to close deals, make sure they understand that overly aggressive sales techniques can backfire. Instead, let prospects know you’re available for them once they make a decision.
Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Adler Display brings over 78 years of experience to its clients in need of recognition displays, lobby and corporate interiors, custom exhibits, historical timelines, trade show displays, and signage and graphics. For more information about Adler Display, please visit our website at www.adlerdisplay.com or call us at: 855-552-3537.