Trade Show Skills Clinic

How to Get Better Results

from Trade Shows

Mary Ellen Sokalski, MAS© Copyright 2018

WH

Y A

M I

HER

E?- 35 yearstrade show experience

- Best in show

- Grew companies 500%

What I’ve learned from the best & worst

5 Second Rule

3 Second Rule

It’s called a SHOW for a reason

It’s called a SHOW for a reason

What are some rules of the stage?

Tips are results of trade show industry experts

Digital Marketing Conference

% of digital marketing experts who believe trade shows are still important today?

Digital Marketing Conference

% of digital marketing experts who believe trade shows are still important today?

90%

“Trade shows are ESSENTIAL.”

People buy from people they know and like.

Why are you there?

Get to the next step in the

transaction

What are you really selling?

What are you really selling?

TRUST.

Remember this…

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

Why do people pass by a booth?

Trade Show Best Practices

Top

Do’s and Don’ts

SMILE

Good Eye Contact

Be Present. In the Moment.

Shake hands. But don’t go crazy.

Face your watch against your wrist.

Pay attention to body language

ENGAGE!

DIS

ENG

AG

E

The fine art of Escape

Introduce yourself to other exhibitors

Have goals before you go

PREPARE!

Promote yourself!

Know your Competitors

Signals to be RESCUED

Scope the show floor before opening

Sales Manager ExtraordinaireCathy Miller says…

“You’ve got to SHOW UP

to GO UP.”

BEST PRACTICES

Do NOT sit next to someone you know.

No cell phones. PERIOD.

No sitting unless with a customer.

No eating in the

booth.

No chatting with other staffers, exhibitors.

No hiding or barriers

No giveaways unless qualified

QUID PRO QUO

Don’t expect without offering something

yourself.

95% of literature never makes it home.

Great Opening Lines

Now LISTEN. Really LISTEN.

Capture as much data as you can

• Take copious notes of what they tell you

• Also write what you notice about them

• Be sure to get the names of others if not main contact

How do you manage your leads?

-Ranking prospects

-Contact management system

-Follow-up plan

-What works for you?

Who’s worth your time?

13 types of trade show attendees

The Definites

Current Customers

Demonstration Junkies

Curiosity Cats

Paper Lovers

EYEB

ALL

ERS

Jeopardy Gigolos

Keepsakers

The Uninterested

Hawks

Job Seekers

Nonentities

Snoops

Which questions can weed them out?

Escape!

How do you get away

from a situation?

Disengage

2 T

YP

ES O

F D

ISEN

GA

GEM

ENT

1. We agree

2. Let me help you

(The assisted segue)

Introduce them to someone ELSE!

Develop the habit of introducing people.

FOLLOW-UP:Do what you say you will!

Under promise

and over-deliver!

Follow-up Tips

• Do exactly as you promised, WHEN you promised.

• Fail? Follow-up another way • (Millennials like texting rather than emails. Baby

boomers like phone calls & emails. Gen X’ers usually prefer emails.)

• Email is easy to send and ignore

• Be organized with your leads. Enter them in your CRM system with all you remember.

Use LinkedIn nightly

FOLLOW UP. Creatively!

Be memorable!

Uh-oh! Don’t Panic!

The Woodcutters Story

THE

WO

OD

CU

TTER

STO

RY

Thanks for sharpening your skills with me!

MA

RY

ELL

EN S

OK

ALS

KI,

MA

S

Thanks for sharing your ideas with me!

©Copyright 2018

These materials are copyright protected and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of The Scarlet Marketeer.

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