Ready to Sell: Tips for Your Next Event

As independent retailers, we are always ready to present our product to anyone who shows interest in buying, marketing or distributing it. Whether we are at a conference, have a booth at a trade show, or hosting our own event, we are always in the “on” position.

Preparedness makes this easier. To get the most out of an event, make sure your product stands out.

Ready To Dazzle

If you have put out money for a booth at a trade show, conference, or mart then you need it to stand out. According to American Express writer Carla Turchetti, do not let your people get lost in a dark booth; your space needs to draw attention. Use props to evoke curiosity. There was a time when retailers would use “booth babes” to draw a crowd. At this year’s North American International Auto Show, Volkswagen replaced its scantily clad women with an iPad-powered android. The crowd loved it and it didn’t overshadow the product. For your booth, think outside the box and remember there needs to be a point when your product takes center stage.

Ready To Talk

Now that you have prospective customers and distributors in front of you, it is time to talk. According to Forbes online magazine, you and your staff need to be standing and ready to talk. Article author Ken Krogue recommends moving the tables to the back of the booth so you are standing and ready. Face-to-face is one of the most aggressive media. In this case, the word aggressive has a positive meaning. Humans are social creatures so actual conversation is the best way to work out marketing relationships and positive interactions. The customer will more likely remember you and your product in a favorable light if you shared a genuine conversation.

Ready To Sell

Having a genuine conversation means you are honest with your intentions. At a trade show or at an open air market, you are there to sell your product. Make sure you have the mobile infrastructure to sell your product at the event or to direct customers to an e-commerce website. Make certain that you are able to take any appropriate currency, including credit cards, electronic checks and PayPal transfers. You also want to be able to collect marketing data and drive your customers to your online store. Solid Wi-Fi, a new smartphone and a good POS app will do this for you.

Ready To Close

Networking is vital to being able to close your deal. Most trade shows publish a list of attendees in advance. Use this list to plan how you will target your prospects. Before the event, send an email introducing yourself and product. Keep it casual and friendly. If a prospective customer replies, create an invitation to meet and talk. When you are face-to-face, ask for referrals to increase the size of your network. This also works for individual sales. Use the transaction time to ask for referrals. You may want to offer incentives for each person added to your network.

Photo Credit: Provided by Social Monsters with permission to use.