Portables, bannerstands, fabric backdrops, booth-in-a-box, inflatables, spiderwebs, tabletops, table throws.
OK, where is this going?
Well, those are all either types of or names for small exhibits. You know, the things your sales people either borrow or rent from you, the exhibit manager, or come up with themselves so they can go to the local chapter meeting of their professional organization or their customer’s user event or other conference or meeting. The events that mean a lot to the field sales guy (or his customer) but don’t seem to get on the radar of either the home office marketing or sales director. Or you.
You need to change that.
Seriously, with the cost of trade shows going up and the paradigm not shifting anytime soon, you really need to make friends with the field sales guys and understand how you can help them reach their customer. In a real, meaningful, direct, face-to-face way. Seriously.
There are data out there from CEIR or some other reputable marketing research organization that supports face-to-face marketing. But we, as exhibit professionals, need to embrace all levels of exhibitry. Cost is such an issue and engaging customers ever so more important that it has ever been, that we need to rethink our strategies. It’s not about a booth and size does matter–small and targeted is better.
So, look at your portables. Pull them out of the closet or dust them off at the exhibit house’s warehouse and really look at them. Try following this short plan to get things rolling again:
- Poll your top 10 sales people. What shows are they going to? Do their customers have user group meetings? Do the reps go to local chapter meetings? Are they really getting all of the leads out in the field that they can?
- Make a list from these conversations. Map them out on the calendar.
- Make up a budget and figure out how much it is costing the company (either out of a central budget or the rep’s local budget) to go to these events.
- Review your current graphics and small displays and see if they are in a condition to be used. Fix them or replace them (define a budget for that, too).
- Review your management process. How much is the in and out? Who is paying for freight? Is the system accessible to users or are you handling all of the details? (this is part of a whole ‘nother post–look for that later)
Put this all together in a plan (budget, approach, schedule) and go for it. You can measure ROI with a whole new set of contacts, fill up the company funnel with new prospects and watch the business grow. It will breathe new life into your company and the exhibit company and contacts and strengthen (or build) your relationship with your field sales people–the people who actually touch the customer.
Remember, gnats and other small insects have been known to wreak havoc on things much larger than themselves. It’s time to take control of your company’s gnats.
TTSG
