Getting Out Of The Shop:
Tradeshow exhibiting can prove rewarding
by Nancy Beaudette and Noella Cotnam
Signs of the Times, March 1994
A question we get asked on a regular basis is: "How do you get such neat jobs?" The
answer is simple: we sell neat work. Very seldom will a customer come to our
shop looking for a carved redwood sign with sculpted pictorial and gilded accents.
They come in looking for a sign, and most often have no idea what they want.
It's our job to give the client options.
When we started our business, we had a vision of the type of work we wanted
to do and whom we wanted to do it for. Over the years, we've discovered that
sitting around wishing won't bring the vision any closer. Getting those neat
jobs has a lot to do with getting the right exposure. Prospective clients need
to have access to us, which means getting out of the shop, meeting new people
and making new contact. Tradeshow and consumer shows became that avenue for
us.
DEFINE YOUR OBJECTIVES
If you think a tradeshow will be in your future, there are a few questions
you should address first: Are you looking for immediate sales, or are you intending
to introduce a new product or technique to your area? Do you want to target
a specific market, or to be compared to the competition? Is educating the public
a priority, or is it demonstrating your skills? Perhaps you want to network
with other business people.
The objectives may vary from show to show depending
on the "big picture" you
have for your business. If you want to sell a specific product, then look for
a show that will compliment your work. For example, we sell creative wood signs.
We live and work in a city of about 50,000 people, which is surrounded by a
large rural / agricultural area. The market for our signs varies from commercial
business and private homes to rural farms.
Our local "home consumer show" provides excellent access to other businesses
and to the residential market. We also exhibit and promote our farm signs each
year at the country fair which - with the many visitors who attend - helps
broaden our "out-of-town" market. Trade and supplier shows, geared toward contractors,
offer a great way to increase vehicle lettering and site sign sales. In addition,
farm supply and machinery shows are excellent for selling specialty farm signs.
STAY FOCUSED
Success from tradeshow exhibiting may or may not be immediate. Attending the
same show on a regular basis, however, has proven beneficial. Success will
also depend on your ability to stay focused. It's best to pick one or two objectives
and stick to them. Most shows last form 2-4 days, and it will be easier to
accomplish two things rather that ten.
For the past couple of years, our focus has been educating the public and
demonstrating our skills. Our booth consists of a mini-showroom and signshop
complete with samples, paint on the shelves, easels, work tables and real works
in progress. People will stop and watch us paint or stripe for extended periods
of time, which in turn gives us an opportunity to describe the many stages
involved in producing a sign. This kind of education attaches additional value
to you work and creates an interesting exhibit for prospective clients. Demonstrations
are the number on thing people remember long after a show is over.
CONTACT
A big part of promoting your services is talking with prospective clients.
Breaking the ice, however, can be a nerve-racking experience. Practice is the
best way to overcome shyness, and talking about signs should come easy. You
can approach people and try to lure them into you booth, but we've had more
success using the 'stand-back' method.
This allows interested people to come forward into your space, rather than
you intruding on theirs. When someone expresses an interest in buying a sign,
be sure to ask the right questions for future contact. If time permits, make
an appointment right away and take advantag4 of a customer's impulse to buy.
Proper follow-up will generate the sales you need to make that show a success.
Be sure to survey your customers throughout the year and keep a record of sales
directly related to tradeshows. Many onlookers will have no immediate need
for a sign, however, they may be interested in alternate sign uses, like Christmas
gifts, for example. Just from some simple comments mad a shows, our sales of
residential Christmas signs doubled from last year.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Here's a list of general observations we've made over the years that have
helped our shows be successful.
1. Never just stand around in your booth. People are more apt to stop and
see your wares if you're doing something
2. Make your booth inviting by having a display that complements your product
3. Give people a reason to stop and look. This can be achieved by creating
unique visuals, promotional give-aways or demonstrations.
4. Dress in an appropriate manner
5. Never eat, drink or smoke in your booth
6. Have someone relieve you at regular intervals. Shows can be exhausting!
7. Follow up with those contacts you've made. Don't lose the valuable leads
you've developed.
When we look back over the 12 years we've been in business and the shows we've
exhibited in, there's an unmistakable reality: some of biggest clients - and
many of our long-term client relationships - came directly through tradeshows.
If you're looking for a new way to market your wares, tradeshows provide an
excellent forum for exposure.
