Expos and Trade Shows are a way to increase your direct sales business if you are a serious business builder. When I moved to three different cities and didn’t know many people, I did many expos, trade shows and fairs to generate new customers and new circles of business. Many of them were smaller venues, like fairs, farmers markets, lifestyle and fitness expos. I also hooked into many local business conferences and corporate vendor events. I found it one of the most effective ways to grow my business. However, they are a very big “time” investment, so you must understand the value of how these venues increase your direct sales business.
Some Trade shows are expensive so be prepared for this and look at it as investing in YOU and your business. You may want to share the expenses with team members. As I grew my team, I included new consultants and it was a great learning experience on how to connect and talk about their business.
Here are my best FIVE tips to increase your business at trade shows
Set a goal
What do you want from the event? In my first few expos, my goal was to get new customers. My focus was to introduce my product and share how it would help them feel and change their life. I invited them to a special “product showcase” the very next week. Of course, I was looking for bookings and new recruits, but first people had to get to know me and my product. As I grew my client base, my next goals were getting bookings and finding new recruits. However, every trade show is always about increasing your business with new clients.
Let your booth reflect your goal
Make your booth INVITING AND EXCITING!! If you want sales, display product they can buy instantly. If you want bookings, have your calendar with OPEN dates and a ton of hostess packets. If you want recruits, have signage, your kit display and application forms ready. Set up your booth related to your goal. Remember to “keep it simple.” Use your product to make it visually appealing. If using signs, make them simple big words. Words attract people so they will ask for more information. You want your booth to look “inviting” enough that people will want to step in to find out more information and feel comfortable talking to you.
Qualifying your leads
“What brought you to the show today?”
“I’m looking for ideas in working with my crafts.”
“Oh, what kind of crafts do you do?”
“I love to work with paper and create artistic impressions.”
“It sounds like you’re a very creative person. Do you live close by?”
“Thank you. Yes, I live about 30 minutes away at ___ suburb.”
“That’s a beautiful place to live. I have done some of my best shows in that area?”
“What kind of shows?”
This is the REAL reason you do a trade show – to get to know people and qualify them to become customers, hostesses and recruit leads. Notice my conversation above when greeting a show guest, I asked questions about her for the first few minutes without saying a word about my business. I found a way to draw the conversation to my business when I asked her where she lived. To qualify your leads, you must be interested in THEM. If you begin spewing too much information about you and your product you will find people don’t want to spend much time at your booth. If you build the conversation and ask questions first, people will respond and become very, very interested in you and your product.
When I first started doing trade shows, I studied how others greeted people at their booths. I studied why some booths had a ton of people and others “sat” waiting. The #1 rule is to walk toward people to greet them with a big smile on your face and get to know them, and then offer your services and offer your drawing information which should always be on a small clipboard. Rule #2 is to write something on her draw slip that you remember about her for follow-up. e.g. for the person above, I would have written “a creative person who works with paper in creating artistic impressions.”
Working the Expo trade floor
I found one of the worst offenders in being pushy about their business were other vendors who came by your booth and shoved a flyer in your face to come to their booth. Connecting with other vendors can be extremely valuable, but again, build the friendship. Get to know them by asking questions. Be genuine, be authentic and this will attract them to come by your booth to see your wonderful products and gather information.
Follow the fortune in follow up
The best way to build the fortune in your follow-up is to invite everyone to a next event like a “product showcase” or an “opportunity meeting” or simply a get-together for coffee. Remember, these “hot” leads get cold very fast. The longer you take to follow-up, the colder they become. Be organized when making your calls. Prepare a script if necessary. Refer to what boxes were checked on her drawing form and the notes you wrote about her when you connected. Have an invitation ready when making the call. Most of the people I followed up with were invited to my “product showcase” event which I held every week. If they couldn’t attend, I asked if they’d like to get together for a “private appointment.” The key to the follow-up fortune is finding a way to connect with them again. Most people think they have to get a sale, or book them as a hostess. These are strangers who must get to know you, like you and trust you FIRST. When this happens, business will happen and you will see the results of your efforts.
Review your goal after every show and recognize areas you would do differently next time. I found that the most successful trade shows were the ones where I grew new customers and followed up to keep the connection going. If you have persistence and commitment, trade shows and expos are one of the best ways to increase your business.
I have a very informative handout called “How to get the most out of Trade Shows & Expos” if you leave a comment below and send me an email to galebates@mymentorbiz.com, I’ll send you a FREE copy.
Love that you are so willing to give.
Hi Gale,
I can’t wait to use some of these tips next month at my first trade show.
Nicole
Gale! Great article! You are so good at what you do. Iiss your beautiful smile! Susan
Thanks Susan, miss you too!
Hi Gale,
I will be doing my first trade show and I am excited and also a little nervous. Reading your script above has really give me the knowegle to talk to people when they vist my booth
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Thanks Gale – this was perfect information, just when I needed it. I have a trade show coming up next week and will definitely put your advice into action!
Thank you for the simple tips and reminders. Sometimes we make the event more complicated than it needs to be.
Thank you Gale, your articles are extremely helpful!
Hi Gale,
I’d love to see the handout “How to get the most out of Trade Shows & Expos” you have! You have some very good tips, that I can’t wait to try.
Thank you for the information! I didn’t like doing vendor events…but I have had some new information coming to me and I think I have had a change of attitude! Thank you!
Thanks Gayle! Some great ideas that I can’t wait to use
Your website is the most informative I have found on the subject. As a new person in the direct sales world, this was so helpful. Thank you for your willingness to help others.
Looking forward to receiving your free offer. I have my first XMas Trade Show – 95 vendors – tomorrow, and another on December 9th. It’ll be interesting to see the difference AFTER reading your material.
Looking forward to receiving your free offer. I Trade Show – in a couple of days – and It’ll be interesting to see the difference AFTER reading your material
Michele, if you want the material, please email me at galebates@mymentorbiz.com. Thanks, gale
Look forward to your handout. Any tips on getting info on trade show locations?
Carol, Google trade shows and expos in your area. Look for women’s shows, health fairs, Chamber of Commerce Expos, Home & Garden shows, Wedding events, Girls night out events. All in your area and where you live. Ask others for referrals of groups. Hope this helps 🙂
This is great information for newbies!
I’m curious as how a niche non-profit would get the most out of trade shows and expos. I’m just learning how to market and it’s tough! Any tips for this new kid would be appreciated!
Thanks Gale – I’ve done a few shows with no results – I will apply your techniques at my next one!pp
Indeed your article is very nice. It is very informative.
Can you mail me your handout “How to get the most out of Trade Shows & Expos” . Would like to gain more insights by reading it.
I am doing my first expo next Saturday so this information is very timely. I will get to start off on the right foot and start a positive habit.
Hi Gale, My 1st trade show is in February. Thank you for your helpful tips, cant wait to put them to action.
Really looking forward to hearing about your tips. Until a friend messaged me today, I had no idea trade shows existed! Thank you.
Thank you for all the tips! This will be very helpful for my first event next month!
You’re welcome. I hope you had a fantastic event, Sumer.
Hi Gale, are you still offering your free report? Would love to have one! I’ll follow up with a private email. Thanks for this generous and informative article. You rock!
Hello Dana, Yes, click the tab at the top of the website. Or message me at mymentorbiz@gmail.com
Great information here!! Thank you!
Thank You Lori, so glad you liked it. You’ll learn more about this on my you tube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/MyMentorBiz