Exhibitions are a waste of money!
And they’re expensive and time consuming! So how can you make sure you maximize your return on this significant investment?
In recent years, trade shows have moved from being grand markets, where orders are placed, to showcases for products that visitors may express an interest in but will go away to have a think about if they really want to buy. The buying process is longer and more protracted. Frustrating isn’t it, but a way of life it seems in this age.
The result is that we all have to work much harder to ensure conversion of those leads into sales. This makes post exhibition follow ups even more important than the exhibition itself, if real orders are to materialise.
So, what can we do to maximize conversion rates?
Here are a few tips:
- Ensure quality data capture at the show. A good CRM system is essential for ensuring customers are contacted appropriately after the show. It allows for valuation of your pipeline, analysis of conversion rates per sales representative, and a structured follow up process is followed.
- Qualify your prospects, are they really potential customers? For example, do they have the budget/finance to buy your product or service? Is the size of their organization suitable? Are they the decision makers? Do they buy already from your competition or are they totally new to the product offering?
- Identify possible objections to making a purchase so you can follow up with pertinent messages that address specifically those issues.
- Make contact within 48 hours of returning from the show – show your prospects you really are interested in doing business with them.
- Make use of quality personal communication, that is pertinent to each individual, not a blanket email saying ‘pleased to meet you’.
- Give your prospects a reason to buy soon – this can be in the form of a ‘special show offer’ or an impending change in pricing, or expressing the advantage gained over the competition by making the purchase.
- Take away any perceived risk to the purchase by offering personal guarantees that you will see through their order, or offer a free trial sample. Trust is all important.
- Make it easy for them to place an order – include a link to an order form, add a direct sales hotline number.
- Emphasise your unique selling proposition and how it will benefit your prospect and your prospect’s customers. How does it compare with your competitors?
- Above all, ensure you maintain the contact. Remember, your prospects may not yet be ready to buy, but when they are you need to be at the top of their list. Practice consistent follow-up contact with relevant content that moves your relationship on from salesperson:customer to business ‘friend’.
Dekken can help with this process by implementing an ongoing customer relationship campaign that keeps you in front of your prospects and customers, telling them things that they are pleased to hear. It’s a tried and tested method that works and would work for your company too.
For more information, call Nick Sladek on 0117 947 6099.