F2F exhibit sales

F2f exhibit sales. How much of this is still done in today's environment? I don't know I'm sure it varies from group to group and how much focus they put on the importance of the f2f.

Is it less expensive to email our customers or send them a direct mail piece or just have everyone go to our website and choose the space, pay for it and never have any communication with your sales staff? Sure but how effective is it in the long-term to not have any face time with your customer base unless you count seeing them at another show when they would rather be selling their products than listening to your pitch. Yes you need to be at the show that they exhibit in that are not your's don't get me wrong but how many people will say this is the only time you get f2f with your exhibitor customer execept at your event.

Now let's be honest, an email is quicker than a phone call. You can still hold out hope that the answer is yes and less painful than a sales call where the answer could be no. Or you need to work to close the exhibitor who all of the sudden has become reluctant of your products.

The fact is we think we cannot get f2f with every customer in a show cycle. The fact is you should have enough staff to make sure you at a min. talk to every exhibitor at your show and also at any events you attend where they are. Even if its' a quick handshake and hello you need to do.

Next the phone call needs to happen. If you want to understand their business and how your business model fits in with their marketing plan you need to communicate with your exhibitor customer. You need to do this not only to go for the sale, but also to provide customer service, and gather marketing intelligence on how you can best serve their needs and other customers that are similar. Also making this contact via phone or in person will aid you as they provide you with information that could possibly make your event stronger not only for them in particular but overall as well.

Do not ignore the gathering intelligence factor it's huge to serving your exhibitor base and your attendee base. They are out in the field working the industry they have information that is esssential to your event. Now they need to practice the f2f as well or at least the phone call the email program will not deliver all of your results even if it comes from them.

Now people sometimes forget the basic mechanics of the sales are still in place. Always be closing if your not they are. Probe, Probe, rebut and keep moving the rebuttal probe pendulum in your favor . Now what has changes we all have alot more information and data the question is who has more data and who will win the data, metrics, value proposition, ROI, ROO battle.
Well the answer will come in who has the most to gain and the most pain if they lose out on the opportunity.
Remember the word I will continue to use in my blogs, facilitate in this case the proposition.

Also keep in mind we are not selling a table, a chair, a computer, a suitcase, we are conducting a intangible sales proposition. Now believe it or not, not everyone can sell a computer and alot of people cannot present a intangible sales proposition.
Why do you say? Well you need to mix ideas, vision, fact and fiction and combine that into the perfect ambience of buzz and sales reality potential. You cannot close anything for anyone you can only put them in position like a coach. Be here and work on the fundmentals to make the play.

Now there are a series of steps in the sale process and I will think of the best way to try to do a blog on the rebuttal, probe, close and extension.

We all have an approach but my guess is everyone's team could use some reinforcement training. You know what it's hard out there but pitch the possibility and you are heading in the correct direction.
Now also please understand not everyone is made out for sales and some can be trained and others it may never work. However they need to find the game that works for them.

Also look at your sales team and ask how is their knowledge of the numbers. Now I don't just mean the reading the exhibitor manual how about the marketing data and stats, how is there rap for that? I bet not as good as you like, also I bet they don't come back and ask for more data if they don't have it.

Also this is for another day as well, but depending on your size of staff consider this. Give all of your staff enough information and real-time action to play in multiple fields within your organization. You may find your soon to best salesperson is not even in sales and your best sales person may become your best ops person.

Good luck and always remember someone is closing everyday.