Tradeshows Unplugged: Elevate Your Business through Face-to-Face Marketing
While for some time now, people have been saying that tradeshows are dying and poorly attended. I'm still a believer in in-person tradeshows. They are still viable, practical marketing opportunities — if you prepare, plan, and work hard before, during, and after.
Trade shows are a great way to meet face-to-face with potential customers. They are still one of the only places where potential customers can get together in one place and see your products, talk to you and your team about the services you offer, and leave with a new vendor.
I've been to many tradeshows over the years and seen the good, bad, and empty. I've attended trade shows where you could throw a beach ball down the aisles and not hit any attendees at all. For me, that only signifies the importance of making quality connections that do come. The problem is that some people just don't know how to market their products or services and prepare effectively for tradeshows.
The key to realizing this opportunity is to prepare for it in advance. If you are serious about generating leads and making quality connections at tradeshows, here are some tips:
Set Goals - This conversation usually revolves around "get new customers" and it shouldn't simply stop there. Make sure there are goals that are specific, tangible, and measurable. A few examples of this are: Gain market share in the landscape contractor market. Research competition and address their customer's pain points. Sign up 20 new customers for our routine email list.
Find The Value - Remember that value is often an investment and not always monetary. Gaining new customers and taking orders is great and an easy value to see with the naked eye, yet quickly taken away when those results aren't repeated. Education sessions can have great ROI if sought after and applied with proper direction.
Address The Pain Points - Every customer both current and potential has multiple issues with the products or services they currently use. Your job is to find those pain points, press on them until that customer is hurting, then be the solution they have always needed. For existing customers, this may even point the finger back at you, and you have to be prepared to answer them with how you are improving to make sure that pain doesn't take them to the competition.
Prepare Your Talking Points - From the moment an attendee walks up to your booth you should be on a mission to pull as much information as possible while saying the least. You should have your questions prepared with the anticipation of getting a specific answer relating to your goals.
Implement Systems - This is where the real grind pays off in the long run. Systems that can put you in front of your potential customers will undoubtedly propel your business forward. In today's fast-paced and competitive market, relying solely on traditional methods may no longer suffice. It's crucial to adopt efficient and automated systems that streamline your customer acquisition and retention. While it may require dedication and effort to set up these systems initially, the rewards they offer make it a worthwhile investment.
In conclusion, it's important not to be discouraged by those who claim tradeshows are on the decline. Instead, seize the opportunity to engage in face-to-face interactions, display your products, and foster valuable connections. By setting specific goals, understanding the broader value of tradeshows, addressing customer pain points, and refining your communication strategy, you can unlock the full potential of tradeshows of the nursery and landscape industry. So, prepare yourself, present your best self, and harness the significant impact of personal interactions to elevate your business.
