When I provide on-site sales and marketing support to my clients, I show up each event day in my branded/coordinating attire ready to efficiently qualify leads, effectively introduce my client’s offerings, and fully enable their regular staff to maximize their time in the convention city. To accomplish this, typically I ask and answer questions, I make introductions, and I help our visitors obtain the information they need to make buying decisions (while ensuring my client has the complete contact information of each guest to follow up after the event).
From an outside perspective, it appears that I make a perfectly seamless transition into each client’s company for the duration of their event(s) – very rarely do the attendees (or even other exhibitors) suspect that I am not one of my client’s regular company representatives.
How do I make this happen? I know what attendees will ask (from my experience in this industry) and I prepare accordingly. I ask my new clients to provide specific information about their company, offerings, industry, and target audience by way of a “New Client Event Preparations Information Request” PDF (the information they provide here supplements the research I do on my own and any additional training sessions we schedule).
There are three questions, however, which are so important that I ask them twice (once through the PDF and again in person before the first event day)… Unfortunately, the answers my new clients provide are usually wrong.
I am telling you this because, even when they aren’t in the booth with me, my clients are still contributing to their exhibiting success. You see, I do my best work when I have access to the resources necessary to properly prepare myself. The same is true for your internal team (they do their best work when they are properly prepared; it is up to you to provide the necessary training information).
These are the three important questions:
- Who are your biggest competitors?
- Who are you MOST interested in talking to?
- Who are you LEAST interested in talking to?
You may be wondering, “if I’m using this specific information to learn about my clients, how do I know it’s incorrect?” Good question – we will cover each question and its answers (both right and wrong) over the next few weeks. Stay tuned!
PS. Want to see the rest of the information I request from my new clients?
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