How to Sell Your Business at a Tradeshow from the BBB

At our BBB March Business Card and Knowledge Exchange, we were fortunate to have Matt Stephens, an associate at Gerry Weinberg & Associates, speak about how to get the most of your investment at a tradeshow.  His talk was very relevant to the packed room of business owners and marketing professionals who often exhibit at tradeshows. At the beginning, Matt promised at least one piece of advice that would be immediately actionable, but as the feedback surveys showed, attendees got much more than that.

For those who didn’t get a chance to attend or for those who did and would like a recap, below are some of the top items we found most helpful from Matt’s talk.

Prepare for the show 

• Know why you are there and what you want to get out of the show. Is it hot leads, email addresses for your mailing list, branding, etc?
• Get the attendee list ahead of time and prepare your staff for the types and number of people attending the event.
• Get the list of exhibitors. Know which competitors will be there and what businesses that might be complementary to yours will be there.
• Consider paying extra for premium booth space – closer to the door or bar might be a higher traffic position

At the Show

• Dress professionally, but adapt to the crowd. You are the first impression of your company. A good rule of thumb is to dress a little more professionally than your competitors, but not overly so for the crowd. Consider having all of your sales persons dress uniformly.
• You have 3 – 5 seconds to make an impression – make sure your booth clearly conveys what you do and how you’re different
• Do not have all of your literature out for everyone to take. Have it in the back and give to more qualified leads
• Have some special give aways for any current or past customers that come to your booth - something different that others aren’t getting

Collecting contact information and follow up

• Trade show is not a place to make sales – it’s to make connections
• Create a code to be used as a reminder who is a serious lead, or a casual lead and who should be added to the mailing list. Using simple codes such as the letters “A, B, or C” written quickly on the back of the card.
• Have questions to ask booth participants & know the questions that are typically asked of you. Questions like, “What brings you to the show” help gauge their interest level
• Ensure your sales people have their calendars with them at the show and encourage them to make appointments
• Practice active listening. Good listeners make good salespeople. Great listeners make great salespeople.

The next BBB business card and knowledge exchange will be:

April 24: In-Person Seminar—Protect Your Identity, Your Cash & Your Future

• Three dynamic speakers offer financial advice at the BBB Business Card & Knowledge Exchange
• Time: 8:00 am—10:00 am
• Challenging Errors in Your Credit Report: Lisa Ross, Michigan Office of Financial & Insurance Regulation
• Tips on Avoiding Investment Scams: Danae Hanes,  Better Business Bureau
• Financial Aid Myths, Mistakes, & Opportunities: Jeff Taylor, College Funding Resources, LLC         

If you are interested, please register here.                        

Hope to see you there!