Show Pro Final Checklist
Final preparations are in full swing and The Meetings Show 2023 is now just days away! So, we’ve rounded up all the best nuggets of advice from industry experts who have contributed to our Show Pro features into one final checklist.
Here’s everything you need to know to get the best out of this year’s show…
Let people know you are there
As the buzz continues to build, make sure you are shouting about your presence, especially on social media, as this can all help to remind potential buyers you will be there and drive more visitors to your stand. “The more time you put in preparing and promoting your presence, the more you will get out of the show,” says Lindsey Thorpe, Marketing Promotions Manager at Malta Tourism Authority.
She advocates a multi-channel approach and uses emails, newsletters, and LinkedIn to get the message out there. Don’t forget to post on social media while you are at the show too, just to remind people you are exhibiting, as it could help create new connections and encourage more visitors to come and see you.
Create a good first impression
You only get one chance to make a good first impression. It might sound obvious, but eye contact and a warm smile can make a huge difference and encourage people to come and talk to you, especially first-time visitors to the show, who might be feeling a bit overwhelmed.
“We always say to our stand partners, don’t sit with your head in your laptop as you will potentially miss making new connections. You are there for a purpose, so be present and be switched on, otherwise you are in danger of giving out the wrong impression,” says The Delegate Wranglers’ Diane Thompson.
It’s also important that the first impression you give is on brand with your messaging. “The impression we want to give of Liverpool is that we are a friendly and welcoming city, and we all work together as one big team, so our stand is designed to demonstrate that,” says Marketing Liverpool’s head of business tourism Jennifer Jenson. She also organises a meeting for stand partners, to cover all the basics for anyone who may not have exhibited at The Meetings Show before and enable them to get to know each other’s products so they can make introductions and cross-sell.
Make the most of your appointments
Once appointment diaries are full, putting in the time to do some pre-show prep and find out more about who you are meeting will pay off and make appointments more productive. Understanding what and how the buyer buys, rather than focusing on what you are selling is the key to a good appointment according to Gill Moulden, MD at Moulden Marketing, a representation and marketing consultancy working with CVBs, DMCs and venues.
“Before you launch into what you are selling, you must first ask what the buyer buys, and then adjust your delivery according to the buyer’s needs. Even if you have worked with a particular client on multiple projects, what they are working on now might be different to what they were buying last year.”
From a buyer perspective, Sarah Threlfall, MD at Brightspace Event says: “I love connecting with people on a personal level – those are the appointments I tend to remember more. I don’t just want the standard presentation – if you are a venue, give me a flavour of your property and what it’s good for, and spend the rest of the time building a relationship with me,” she adds.
Tailor your sales approach
Selling at an exhibition is completely different to other sales channels and you need to approach it differently. “It’s all about qualifying quickly and having the right questions in your back pocket so that don’t sound like you are interviewing people but that will give you well-rounded answers. Once you have qualified that someone is a buyer and prospective client, it’s about having the ability to adapt your pitch or conversations to be consultative,” advises Kate Plowright, founder and MD at Selling Savvy. “Focus on creating memorable conversations and try and find some common ground, whether that’s kids or dogs or holidays, and build on that so you connect with them on a personal level.”
She adds that it’s important to document all those conversations during the show, so you can follow up with everyone afterwards. “We use voice notes when we are at exhibitions as we find it a quick and easy way to note who you have spoken to and what you talked about, as you don’t have to type up notes after each meeting, which can mean you are preoccupied and missing new selling opportunities.”
Don’t forget to follow up!
Paul Martins, new business development manager at Make Venues (Broadway House & Engineers’ House), estimates that only 10% or less of business is secured during the show, which is why follow ups are so important. “Scan the greatest volume of buyers you can at the show to give yourself the largest pool possible to then follow up with, which in turn gives you the best chance of returns,” he says.
Timing and personalisation are key when it comes to following up. “Don’t leave it too late to when buyers have forgotten about the exhibition as it makes you look like your meeting didn’t matter and gives the impression you might be the same with proposals for enquiries. For hot leads, propose follow-up meetings and solutions soonest, ideally at the venue first-hand, so buyers can feel the kind of experience their delegates would have. And make sure every follow up is personalised for maximum engagement – a generic email without any personalisation at all is more likely to be ignored as it will seem as if the sender doesn’t care about that contact specifically.”
