Making Home Shows Pay Off

Don't spend money to go to a home show unless you learn the difference between just being at a home show and home show success. Learn the various techniques that will produce leads and sales. Some people exhibit at home shows to do business and others go to get a feel on how business is. There is a system and technique on how to exhibit and work home shows.

Proper Marketing and Planning

Each year, millions of consumers around the country attend home shows. Home shows are an excellent way to get exposure, recognition and to generate leads. No matter how many people attend these shows, sales success will only happen if you do proper planning. Proper planning will ensure that you get the most for your money and time.

Pre-planning

Just because a home show is being conducted in your market area and your competition will be there, that doesn't mean it's the right thing for your business. Before planning and scheduling a home show, ask yourself a few questions such as: What are your goals and objectives for the show? Who is your target market? Is it right or wrong for you? Why are you planning on exhibiting at the show?

If you say, “we are always there, and our competition is there,” those are the wrong reasons. If you can't come up with better reasons, reconsider. There are many other ways for you to spend money to attract leads for your business. On the other hand, if you say you're planning to go to the show to meet qualified customers, to make sales, to build company image, to create leads and/or to promote new products, then these are some of the right reasons for exhibiting. Due to the large investment of time and money, you need to have clear objectives and goals.

Manpower

If you made it this far, that’s great, but you still have some more questions to answer before you decide if this is right for you. Who will work the booth? Is adequate staffing available? What are the show hours? What kind of training do individuals have who will be working the show? How qualified are they? Are they outgoing and personable?

General manpower requirements for home shows are two people for every 80 square feet. The reason why the staffing requirement is so critical is based on consumer behavior at shows. Studies have shown that of all the people who might stop and talk with you at your booth, 20 percent of the people will not wait to talk to a company representative if they are busy, 15 percent will only wait 30 seconds, 40 percent will wait 1 minute and 25 percent will wait 3 minutes.

What's the consumer's reasoning behind this? The consumer who might have an interest in your product may think a couple of things. First, they will come back around and talk when you're not busy, which might not happen. Second, there might be some similar products in the other aisles. Third, they want to do a quick walk through and then they will come back. In many cases, by the time they did their first walk through and talked to a couple of exhibitors, they are too tired and go home. Fourth, they will come back tomorrow.

Work Schedules

The ideal schedule should be in 4- to 6-hour shifts. These requirements are based on having adequate staffing, and allow for personnel to be rested, alert and in top selling form. It makes no sense to invest the money and time in participating in a show if you are not going to get the absolute best performance and results. If you're not going to do it right, don't do it at all. Your money and time can be spent in a lot of different ways. Working a home show is long, tiring, hard work. Be careful not to get burned out or to come across negative and tired. Having extra personnel is key so you can take regular breaks. Try and look enthusiastic and upbeat. Enthusiasm is catchy and does sell.

What will be their first impression?

Your display booth is the first thing potential customers will see. You have less than 4-6 seconds to make a good first impression. Three items you need to get across are: Who are you? What do you do? and What are your key benefits? It may be your one and only opportunity to get their attention. Remember, on the show floor, you are equal to your competition. Booth design is key! What you show and tell makes a difference.

Six Key Elements of a Display Booth

Graphics. What is the condition of the photos and signage? Are they up to date? Does your booth attract attention? Are the photos impressive and do they sell the sizzle? Is signage readable from a distance? Do you have too much copy? Larger photos on your display are better than a group of small ones. Small photos should be in a presentation book. Due to overhead lighting in most trade show buildings, avoid high-gloss photos. Make sure when you place photos on your display booth that the photos are looking into the center of the booth. This helps maintain eye flow. When planning copy layout make sure that it will be able to be viewed from 10-15 feet. And here are some other items to keep in mind when laying out copy:

Make sure that the copy is brief.

Use bullets whenever possible.

Keep the type size to no more than two font styles.

Use upper and lower case type (do not use all upper case and avoid reverse type).

Use no more than six words per line.

Use testimonials if possible.

Use key words such as “new,” “introducing” and “special.”

Colors. Spend time evaluating the color of your display booth. Create a look of comfort and relaxation. Yellow, blue and red are more likely to draw attention than muted colors. Pastel colors such as blue and green create a comfortable and calm feeling.

Lighting. Is your display highlighted? Do you have adequate lighting? Does the
lighting focus on key photos and displays? Note: Lighting can make a drastic difference on the overall appearance of your display.

Literature. What kind of literature and handouts will be available at the show? Do not give out expensive literature to everyone who walks past your booth. Many show attendees collect piles of literature and never look at it. Seventy percent of literature never makes it home or is never read. In most cases a simple one-page flyer is sufficient. If you do give out expensive literature, make sure you get their name, address and phone number. Guest registration cards are appropriate to use. Make cards easy to fill out and simple. Don't make the card too intimidating. Key qualifying information should be asked one on one.

Booth Layout: On a 10 x 10 booth, you only have 4 to 6 seconds to make a good first impression. Always use carpeting in your booth. It has been proven that consumers are more apt to walk into a booth with carpeting, than one that does not. Never put a table across the front of your booth and sit behind it. This creates a barrier, between you and the customer. Place your display table off to the side, or use a smaller, taller table up front. Keep your booth open and inviting.

Location: The selection of your booth location is critical. Every exhibitor has a different theory. Some like to be up front and near the entrance, to catch people as they come in. Everyone has a favorite spot. If you’re getting results and making sales, stick to what you’re doing. If you are not sold on any specific location, try the center isles. Most show surveys show that people spend more time in the center isles of the show.

Rules & Guidelines

Prior to the show, establish some specific guidelines for those individuals who will be working the booth.
Sitting area. Chairs should not be allowed unless your booth has a specific area to sit with the customers. If this is not the case, use stools instead of chairs. The stools will put you up higher and at the customers level. Your prospective customers will also feel more comfortable and at ease, in talking with you.
Dress code. What is the proper dress you will accept at the show? Dress for the occasion. Don’t over dress, yet on the other hand, dress professionally. Jeans and T-shirts should not be allowed.
Eating and drinking in display area. It is not recommended that you allow drinking or eating in the booth. It is not very professional.
Booth appearance and cleanliness. Make sure your booth in neat and clean at all times. The appearance of your booth, is a reflection on your company

Presentation Tips – Do’s & Don’t

Do’s

Watch for body language signals. Be attentive to what prospective customers are really saying, by watching their actions.
Use open-ended questions, to get a customer involved. Create an atmosphere to get the consumer talking. The more you get them to open up, the easier it will be for them to tell you their needs and wants.
Use professional name badges. Make it easy for consumers to remember your name.
Sales Tip: wear your name tag on the right side, instead of your left. When you greet a customer or shake hands with them, it will be easier for them to see your badge.

Don’t

Start a conversation by saying May I help you? If, you start off with that kind of a question, the consumer is only going to say, Oh, were just looking. Then what will you say?
Knock the competition. All this does is to create mistrust with your customers. Knocking the competition actually backfires, and hurts you more than it does the competition.

Block display booth with tables. When you do this, you create a barrier between you and your customer.
Stand in the middle of the display booth. It prevents customers from walking in to look at your product displays, literature and photos.
Use company and industry jargon and acronyms. These terms may be very common to people within the business, but are totally foreign to consumers. By using industry jargon you actually frighten the customer, by making them feel inadequate.

Supplies - Home Show Supply Checklist

Be prepared. Develop your own supply checklist to prepare the items you will need prior to going to the show.

Display Table - Consider height of table. Keep in mind, your potential customers are standing. The ideal table height is 42. This is an ideal viewing height. If you use a pop up display that comes in carrying cases, keep in mind that most display companies make a custom surround, that utilizes your carrying case as an information table. The heights of these cases are just the right height.

Display Table Curtain - Be sure you have a professional looking curtain around the table and the curtains reach the floor. If your table is visible on all sides, be sure your table curtain completely surrounds the table. The best place to store your supplies is under the table, providing it is not visible to consumers.

Carpeting - Carpeting is a must in a display booth. If your booth space is not carpeted and the aisles are, it has been proven that some consumers will not step off the aisle into your booth. In a case where the aisle is not carpeted and your booth has carpeting, the opposite will occur, consumers will feel more comfortable coming into your booth. Note this does not apply to outside displays and fairs.

Carpet padding - Whenever possible always use a thick carpet pad under the carpeting (the thicker the better). This will make it easier for the booth staff, and, the consumers who walk into your booth will associate the extra padding to quality.

Plants - Use colorful plants at the base of the booth. They will give it life and a professional image.

Additional checklist items:

Lead cards business cards stationary, note paper, envelopes, stapler, clips, pens, pencils, markers tape rubber bands, scissors, duct tape, wire ,nails miscellaneous tools, trash bags, wastebaskets, bulbs, tools, calculator, post it notes, dust buster, clip board, order forms, appointment book, cleaning supplies, and most important, money and change.

Jerry Rouleau is the owner of J. Rouleau & Associates, a marketing, training and public relations firm specializing in the housing industry. In the past eight years, Jerry has created over $26 million in free publicity. His special projects have been featured on the Today Show, People Magazine, USA Today and in hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV programs. He is the author of a book titled, The Complete Guide to Selling New Homes for Million-Dollar Producers, and a video training program by the same name. Copyright JRA 2004. Article Printed with the permission of the author and NAHB

For more information about this item, please contact Carmel Nayman at 800-368-5242 x8410 or via e-mail at cnayman@nahb.com.