Over the years I have resisted these invitations. They require money and
manpower and the return on investment may or may not be there. In these
difficult times vendors are looking at their budgets and struggling with
that decision. Obviously, you can't grow your business unless you are in
front of potential customers in person or online.
This past year I decided to participate in three vendor shows. All were
exercises in salesmanship and people watching. I must confess that I enjoyed
the latter most. I made a number of observations which I promised to share
with you before the holidays. Here is a sampling of what I learned about
trade shows from vendors to attendees.
1. Start off on the right foot by setting up your booth on time. What
kind of impression will you make with the trade show host and the attendees
if you are still putting products and promotions out when the show opens?
2. Avoid eating and drinking in your booth. The message you send when you
are munching on lunch is, "Oops, I don't have time for you now. I'm busy."
3. Stand up during the event no matter how bad your feet hurt and your
back aches. A vendor sitting down appears lazy, disinterested and
unapproachable.
4. Save your idle chatter with your booth mates until after the show. No
one passing by will care enough to interrupt your conversation for a sales
pitch.
5. Be considerate of the other vendors by saving your sound and light
presentation for another occasion. During one trade show, the fellow in the
next booth had so much audio and video going that it felt like half-time at
the Super Bowl.
6. Draw passersby to your booth through your professional appearance and
positive attitude. Wear your most professional attire and greet everyone
with eye contact, a smile and a greeting. "Hi, how are you?" as a greeting
will generate the classic response, "Fine." There goes your prospect. Be
original.
7. Pay attention to your body language and maintain open posture-no
crossed arms. Stand forward in your booth with hands relaxed and at your
sides.
8. Remember the 80/20 rule - listen 80% of the time and talk 20% of the
time. Otherwise, you will never learn what your prospect wants, needs or
thinks.
9. Wear your name tag, the one that everyone can read without having to
squint.
10. Use the name of your prospect in conversation so they know that they
are the focus of your attention.
11. Be consistent. You are your company. If you are selling a clown act,
be funny no matter how grumpy you may feel at the end of the day. If you are
promoting business etiquette, be gracious regardless of other people's
inconsiderate behavior.
12. And finally, stay out of other companies' booths. Wandering into
other people's exhibit area is disruptive and gives them permission to barge
in on you when they get bored.
When the show is over, the dust has settled and the aches and pains are
subsiding, follow up with your prospects so that all that effort is not
wasted. Turn your contacts into clients.
(c) 2009, Lydia Ramsey. All rights reserved. Reprints welcomed so long as
article and by-line are kept intact and all links made live.
Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker,
corporate trainer and author. Learn from Lydia by using her four LIVE
business etiquette broadcasts on DVD or by reading the latest edition of her
widely acclaimed book, "Manners That Sell." Visit
http://www.mannersthatsell.com/tms/index.html to purchase your
copy today.
