Participating in a trade show – such as a community home and garden expo – can be a great opportunity for you to meet prospects face to face as well as network with other contracting service providers. As you make this investment in booth space, exhibit display and promotional costs, make sure you’re equally prepared for the meet and greet.
Pre-show marketing can help generate interest in these visits. At the very least, be sure to post in your social feeds. Or even consider going with a live video on Facebook the day of the event. Tell people where they can find you and give them a reason to stop by your booth. Offer show specials and let customers know they need to come to your booth to get the discount or offer.
Your professional booth design should have good color and strong headline, as well as being open, approachable and staffed with smiling faces. Give visitors different ways to learn about your products, such as flyers, pamphlets or video demos.
It’s a good idea to draw people in with an interactive activity. Perhaps conduct a demonstration or provide a touch screen display that lets them see the features and benefits of smart home technology. Registering for drawings or playing a game are other common techniques.
But remember, passive interactivity is not the same as generating a lead – even if you get an email address in the process. Qualified leads come through engagement with your booth staff.
Once a visitor approaches your booth, be friendly and hospitable but avoid high-pressure selling tactics. Smile and introduce yourself. Instead of a name and job title, however, you can begin your elevator pitch with an invitation to a conversation: “Hi, I’m John Smith, and I have the pleasure of helping homeowners improve the systems that run their home. Have you been considering any changes or improvements?”
The people you choose to staff your booth are the key to your success. So make sure anyone representing your company is trained to engage, sell and give an effective demonstration. They should clearly understand that this is not the time for them to sit around talking shop with each other but to stand and welcome potential guests into your booth and into deeper conversation.
People purchase products and services from residential contractors for their own reasons – to solve their own problems. When they visit your booth, they weren’t drawn there to hear a speech that’s focused on your goal (getting a sale). They’ve got their own mission in mind.
So if they’re giving you the opportunity to engage in a discussion, take that opportunity to listen to them. Ask questions that help them narrow down their goals instead of showing off your expertise. Define their problem or help them do that for themselves. Then discuss how your solutions can address this problem.
Remember, the best way to get their interest is to show your interest in them. If you push hard for a yes, you’ll most likely get a no as they leave your space for good. It’s far better to get a maybe or “not right now.”
Also, while you’re at the trade show, this is a good time to learn from others. Pay attention to other exhibitor experiences. When you get a break, walk around and see how other booths are set up. Watch how they draw in visitors. Take note of those who are getting a lot of traffic and engagement – and remember any lessons you can apply next time.
And one final but very important point. The trade show doesn’t end when the booths are taken down and the displays are removed. Follow up with prospects soon after the show – reaching out within a day or two. The longer you wait, the more likely they’ll have lost interest or forgotten which contractor you were. Don’t waste the lead you earned.