Exhibitingin economically turbulent times is problematic. Yet the challenge may not lieexactly where you think it does. It's not the falling Dow Jones that's theproblem. It's not the S&P, nor the price of oil. It's not even the constantreiteration that we're headed into the Great Depression II.
No.The problem instead lies in the resultant consumer confidence crisis. People-bothon an organizational and individual level- are afraid to buy. The constant badnews has created a perfect storm of economic turmoil, leaving people frozen inplace, uncertain what to do.
Howdo we, as exhibitors, address that fear?
Thefirst thing to do is to assess and understand what the changing marketplace actually means to your industry. Not all sectors are hit equally by an economicdownturn, and it is never safe to assume that what is happening to yourorganization is representative of what is happening in the market as a whole.
Beforedetermining an exhibiting strategy, it is a wise step to take an objective lookat your industry, as well as the markets for organizations that purchase yourproducts and services. A consumer confidence crisis means one thing in the highend apparel market, for example, that it may not mean in a health care orfinancial services market.
Throughoutthis assessment, consider the following:
Whatare the biggest challenges and concerns my target market is facing?
Whatare the biggest challenges and concerns the customers of my target market face?
Ifyou want to be an effective exhibitor, one route to success is to articulateyour understanding of both sets of challenges and present concrete examples ofhow your products and services can help attendees address them.
Thereis a time for soft, suggestive selling: that time is NOT in the middle of aconsumer confidence crisis. This is instead the point where savvy exhibitorsadopt a leadership role, positioning themselves as the expert within a marketplace, the go-to resource who can provide more than product: you're offering guidance,stability, and the assurance that the tough times will pass and that they canbe survived, by smart, strategic decision making.
Obviously,every company will approach this challenge differently. Variations will dependon industry, sector, and your previous marketing messages: it is very difficultto suddenly shift gears and radically alter your marketing message. However,the companies that survive and thrive in tough times are the companies thatadapt quickly and nimbly to changing circumstances.
Withthat in mind, there are three universal concepts that should prove useful toevery exhibitor:
Highlightthe Benefits
Makeit very clear how the attendee will benefit from doing business with you:increased sales, greater efficiency, enhanced productivity. Make the value youoffer a key part of your marketing message.
Whenyour booth staffers engage with an attendee, they need to be activelylistening. This enables them to both better understand the attendee's situationand needs, but also to identify key points where your organizations' productsand services are likely to be of value.
Demonstrate Commitment
Uncertain economic times create anxiety in buyers. They hesitate to commit to any organization, particularly newer ones, because they do not know that a month, six months, a year from now, that company will be there. This is a particularly pressing concern when issues of technical support, upkeep, maintenance and installations are involved. Most companies don't want to buy a two million dollar machine only to discover that when it breaks, there's no one available to fix it!
Let buyers know you're in it for the long haul- that they can count on you to be there after the show. If your company has been around for a while, let attendees know that. Sometimes the idea of a company with a long history is seen as boring-but in uncertain times, that stability is appealing.
Use your marketing message to reinforce the concept that you're going to be there for the duration. Focus on the ongoing relationship aspect. Articulate how you keep in touch with your customers, the mechanics of providing support, and what kind of working arrangements you develop with your clientele.
Guarantee, guarantee, guarantee
Buyers are insecure. Make them feel better by promising to stand behind your products and services- and fix it when there's a problem! This is a simple and often overlooked aspect of marketing: the way your company performs when everything doesn't go exactly as planned is often far more important than how it does when everything's great.
Mention your guarantees and organizational promise in your sales materials, on signage, and especially when appropriate during conversations with your prospects. Your clients want to know that you're going to take care of them.
About the Author
Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, internationally recognized expert working with companies to increase their profitability at tradeshows. Author: "Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market" and "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies."
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