| Exhibiting in economically turbulent times
is problematic. Yet the challenge may not lie exactly where you think it does.
It's not the falling Dow Jones that's the problem. It's not
the S&P, nor the price of oil. It's not even the constant reiteration that we're
headed into the Great Depression II.
No. The problem instead lies in the resultant consumer
confidence crisis. People -- both on an organizational and individual level -- are afraid
to buy. The constant bad news has created a perfect storm of economic turmoil, leaving
people frozen in place, uncertain what to do.
How do we, as exhibitors, address that fear?
The first 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 economic downturn, and it is never safe to assume that what is happening to your
organization is representative of what is happening in the market as a whole.
Before determining an exhibiting strategy, it is a wise
step to take an objective look at your industry, as well as the markets for organizations
that purchase your products and services. A consumer confidence crisis means one thing in
the high end apparel market, for example, that it may not mean in a health care or
financial services market.
Throughout this assessment, consider the following:
What are the biggest challenges and concerns my target
market is facing?
What are the biggest challenges and concerns the customers
of my target market face?
If you want to be an effective exhibitor, one route to
success is to articulate your understanding of both sets of challenges and present
concrete examples of how your products and services can help attendees address them.
There is a time for soft, suggestive selling: that time is
NOT in the middle of a consumer confidence crisis. This is instead the point where savvy
exhibitors adopt 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 can be
survived, by smart, strategic decision making.
Obviously, every company will approach this challenge
differently. Variations will depend on industry, sector, and your previous marketing
messages: it is very difficult to suddenly shift gears and radically alter your marketing
message. However, the companies that survive and thrive in tough times are the companies
that adapt quickly and nimbly to changing circumstances.
With that in mind, there are three universal concepts that
should prove useful to every exhibitor:
1. Highlight the Benefits
Make it very clear how the attendee will benefit from doing
business with you: increased sales, greater efficiency, enhanced productivity. Make the
value you offer a key part of your marketing message.
When your booth staffers engage with an attendee, they need
to be actively listening. This enables them to both better understand the attendee's
situation and needs, but also to identify key points where your organizations' products
and services are likely to be of value.
2. 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.
3. 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 would be clients want to know that you're going to take care of them.
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