Hearthlist Digest #290 - Tuesday, April 27, 1999 FW: Phoenix Trade Show by "Tim Nissen" <[email protected]> VC etc., etc. by "tony" <[email protected]>
(back) Subject: FW: Phoenix Trade Show From: Tim Nissen <[email protected]> Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 22:33:30 -0400 Subject: Phoenix Trade Show Just a few quick comments: I thought it was a great show, overall. Between two days of education, three days of meetings, trade show and more education, I returned to work needing a vacation, but with twenty really important things on my to-do list. Kudos to HPA for their considerable efforts and the results they achieved. However, a little constructive criticism for the exhibitors: About twelve years ago WEI-West hired Alan Zell, who had grown up in his family's very successful jewelry business, to talk about effective displays and selling at a trade show. Here is what I remember and our rules for trade show displays: 1. No tables or chairs in the booth. The sales reps sit on them and, believe it or not, fewer people will come and talk to you if you are sitting than if you are standing. They feel like they are making you stand up. 2. Wear your name tag on the right side, not the left. That way when you shake hands your name is visible. On the left, it's not. 3. Smile. I passed booth after booth with pissed off looking people sitting down wondering why no one was stopping to talk to them. Stand up, smile, and make chatter: "Great show, do you sell venting?" "Nice day, have you seen our new grills?" "That's quite a stack of literature, can I give you a bag?" "Isn't this a great show, can I have just a minute of your time." (keep it to two minutes and make it worth my while) 4. Forbid your sales reps from talking to one another in your booth. Worst offenders: Security and Duravent (I sell both lines, own 2,000 share in Simpson). Six reps lying about their golf games, sex lives, or similar, with customers wandering through the booth. Reps talking in the booth is as bad as sitting down. Sitting down, talking and not smiling pretty much ensures absolutely no conservation with customers. 5. Make your booth easy to walk into. I've never been in the Austroflam booth because it's fortified and I don't feel welcome (maybe I'm not). Travis was a gated community this year, and all of the displays faced in, making the whole thing a bit claustrophobic (I sell all three lines and love these guys). 6. Make a good positive impression even if the prospective customer is just walking by. Heat N Glo's booth is a great example. They rent 1,000 square feet or so, but they use the aisles very effectively. They are show offs with their fishtanks and beautiful complete displays, but that's the point isn't it? 7. Work the whole show. Hey, I was busy with other things many hours on both Friday and Saturday. Sunday was an important day for me. (I even skipped the limo ride and Lennox' brunch because it took up too much time). Travis and Heat N Glo and Heatilator rolled out the red carpet. I went back to the Cascade Grill booth and found it closed up with all of the grills shoved together and chained up (maybe they thought I was going to steal them). No one was at the VC/Majestic booth. Simpson was down to three reps, but they were still deep in conversation sitting around the table. O.K. enough for now. Let's bring Alan Zell back and help manufacturers improve their return on trade show investment. Tim Nissen Home Fire Stove Salem, Oregon [email protected]
(back) Subject: VC etc., etc. From: [email protected] (tony) Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 13:11:30 -0400 Thanks for your responses and emails! I appreciate the input. One of my problrms, however, is that in my area, the alternate brands you have suggested are already "locked up" by oher dealers, so as far as I know, Jotul, Dovre, Hearthstone, Whitfield are all unavailable to me. If it weren't for new open distribution, VC would be unavailable to me also. So my choice is narrowed down to Heatech and/or Vermont Castings. Exclusive territory is great for those who have it, but not so great if you're on the other side! Tony Palmer