TRADE SHOW ARTICLES____>> Back

Trade Show Booth: Daily Meeting
Beginning of the Day
* Announce the mission and goals for the show that were worked out before.
* Hand out a sheet on basic selling hints for the show. Give staff a quiet moment to read it.
* Remind everyone about the essential benefits of the services/products you are offering.
* Explain that the goal is to meet new people as well as see old customers.
* Advise staff of the psychological problems that must be overcome to do well at booth selling:
1. Rejection can feel personal, but it is not.
2. The team will need to create new zones of personal comfort.
3. The audience will have a retail expectation. Use behavior people would expect at a quality retail store. (But don't say, "Can I help you?")

* Take a prequalification minute.
1. Ask staffers what they'd like to know about a prospect before launching into a sales discussion.
2. Ask which of these are the two or three most important. Get agreement.
3. Then ask people to phrase these want-to-knows as open-ended questions and use them as conversation starters.

* Explain the selling dialogue.
1. Explain how to be polite and disengage with those who do not pass muster on the first questions.
2. For those who do seem likely candidates, advise team members to use more of the qualifying questions just worked out in the selling dialogue. Learn more about the prospect while selling. An information exchange is the goal.

* Go over the "closing" sequence.
1. Tell team members that you are not necessarily looking for a signed order, but instead a true indication that the prospect wants to talk more after the show.
2. Ask team members to create right now closed-end questions that can be used. ("Should we be talking about this back in your office?")
3. Tell people to look for this buying interest within five minutes.

* Remind people of the goals announced. Wish everyone luck.

End of the Day
* Make sure that all marketing materials and supplies are put away
* Take inventory of any supplies needed for next day
* Check that there is adequate coverage for the following day
* Check need for additional marketing materials
* Discuss changes in peak traffic times in order to make adjustments for staffing o Discuss visitation to competitive booths
* Collect the competitive information gathered
* Collect leads generated/qualification forms
* Determine any immediate follow-up opportunity
* Send any leads to Vendor Partners as appropriate