Two Sides Of A Trade Show - The Buyer And The Seller
by Alan J. Zell

Trade shows are exhilarating . . . and they are difficult . . . and they are hard work for both the buyers and the sellers. Although buyers who like trade shows like them to be exhilarating they know trade shows will be hard work. They would like them to be less difficult to work. That may be "the impossible dream." Trade shows are hard work for buyers because they require lots of walking, information gathering and, yes, sometimes even decision-making.

Trade shows are exhilarating for buyers for several reasons. First, they are a change of scenery from their daily routine. Secondly, they will be seeing new products, services and ideas that will stimulate their thinking and planning processes. Thirdly, they will be seeing and talking to people they do not get to see very often, suppliers, people in the same business, and yes, even competitors. They can all laugh, cry, brag, and commiserate together. They can exchange ideas and solutions to common problems. And lastly, they may buy some product or service that will help their firm or their firm's customer be better at what they are doing.

For those who exhibit at a show, I am not saying that it is not hard or difficult work. It is! It is hard work! Anything worth doing demands hard work. It is difficult because most of the people who staff a trade show exhibit are either outside salespeople, telephone salespeople, management (who are told that they should "press the flesh") or, often, not even salespeople. And, to make matters worse, they are being asked to work in a temporary and unfamiliar work environment.

Trade shows, no matter where one is in the distribution system, are a form of retailing -- the customer enters the seller's territory. Just as it is difficult for a "retail type" to be asked to knock on doors, it is difficult for someone who has not been trained in a retail selling situation to do a good job. People who are uncomfortable working at a trade show cannot do a good job!

It is for these reasons that trade shows are more difficult for buyers than they should be. They are having to shop in stores where the sales help does not really want to be there. This leads to inattentive salespeople or unattended booths. Another reason is that most trade show exhibit spaces are not arranged and/or signed to make it easy for first-time customers/buyers to know the nuances of what is being exhibited.

Not all buyers have the same abilities or experience. Some are professional buyers in their field. Anyone who exhibits, wishes there were more. Most buyers are not. Between 40% and 60% of the people attending a show have never been to a show, or that particular show, before. Most exhibitors do not realize this!

To uninitiated buyers, a trade show is a "cacophony of vision." There are 500 different musical groups who are all playing simultaneously. Some are orchestras, some are trios, some are soloists. Some are playing classical music, some are playing last year's tunes. To the uninitiated, they are all playing hard rock. Musicians (exhibitors) hears only their own music (merchandise or service). Buyers would like them to play one at a time. And it is not just the uninitiated who feel this way.

Professional (experienced in their field) buyers will tell you the same thing. What separates them from the uninitiated is that they do not stop to listen to music they are familiar with unless they hear it played differently. Professional buyers never visit the merchandise or service they already are buying or have other than to see what is new or to discuss problems that cannot be discussed or solved at some other time. Professional buyers go to a trade show to learn as much about what they do not buy as what they do buy.

In many cases, especially where there are booths rather than permanent showrooms, exhibitors leave their booth unattended or with someone who is unfamiliar with the idiosyncrasies of the business, its products and services. In the latter case, at least the attendant can get the information needed for a follow-up. An unattended booth is seen as "off-limits" to those walking the aisles.

Exhibitors, both those making the decisions about the booth, display, and staffing, and those who are staffing the booth should take the buyer's problems into consideration. Trade shows are one of the best ways to teach potential new customers about the organization's ideas, attitudes, policies, services and ideas.

Every exhibitor has an abundance of good information to tell, and therein lies another problem. The exhibitor has only one thing (usually made up of many different things) to sell. Buyers are bombarded with an overload of information usually presented verbally. Buyers have only so much "open-to-remember." They will remember only that information they think they will need to know. Unfortunately for both exhibitors and buyers, they will most likely disregard or forget what they will need to know. For every new bit of information that buyers are asked to remember they have to get rid of an equal amount of information they took in previously. This information-in-pushing-other-information-out process continues long after the buyer has left the show.

What will make a show easier for buyers to buy and exhibitors to sell? It is making sure that the exhibitor's information is in easy-to-remember formats

* Booth layout that is logical, to the unitiated buyer's point of view, with-like-things-with like-things by usage, color, size, prince, etc. Signing with, whenever possible, visible prices/price ranges.

* Technical information, brochures, price lists, etc., should be easily accessible and not in some box under a table or display.

* Well trained staff who can answer questions without having to fumble, twitch, go find someone else for help.

What can buyers do to make the show more effective for themselves and the exhibitors?

Buyers need to come well oApp.PrepareNumd, to have done their research and come with an open mind to learn and take back ideas, information, products, services that they can use in when they return from the show.

These factors should enable exhibitors to turn prospective customers into existing customers.

Trade shows do not have to be difficult for either exhibitors or buyers. Trade shows should be hard work and exhilarating for both.

Alan J. Zell, Ambassador Of Selling, offers consulting (on site and on-line), seminars and workshops on all aspects of business that affect sales. You are invited to learn more about his programs and services and read other articles on his web site – www.sellingselling.com. He can be reached at azell@aol.com