Here is the fourth and final part of ‘Roy’s rules’ – Professional Security Magazine MD Roy Cooper’s advice about how to exhibit successfully at the Security TWENTY series of shows around the British Isles – advice that indeed can apply to any other exhibition.
Sales people may treat a day at a show as a day off, but they should speak to as many people as possible. Yes, any event may get time-wasters; move them on, but politely, having sifted them out. Once you have talked to people, keep a note of the ‘lead’, and what it’s about. That may be the visitor’s business card. Or take a snapshot with your phone of the business card, or the visitor’s badge (with their permission). At that point, you should have made sure that you have enough give-aways, whether knick-knacks or product literature; you would be surprised how many people on stands run out, whether because they have left some in the car and could not be bothered to bring them in, or they didn’t carry enough in the car in the first place.
After the show, follow up those leads. That might sound the most obvious thing to do of all, but, ST organisers know that far from all exhibitors do so. A follow-up can be as simple as sending an email thanking them for their interest at the show.
Roy wound up his hour’s talk with a few quick dos and don’ts.
Do: be smart, happy, welcoming. So know your product, do talk to people and do follow up.
Don’t be late, grumpy, distracted, or scruffy. Don’t leave your stand unmanned. Don’t be rude, and no bull.
Whether you follow ‘Roy’s rules’ can explain that difference between a stand that has many visitors and visitor leads at the end of the day, and a neighbour that has few. You can never be sure, because no two shows are alike, in terms of make-up of exhibitors or visitors. Yet surely the point is that you do what you can to make your day as successful as possible. After all, that’s what most visitors want to do.
Pictured; a monitor as part of the exhibition stand of distributor DVS at ST20 Birmingham at the Hilton Metropole at the NEC, last month. The next ST show is ST20 Glasgow, on Wednesday, April 22 at Hilton Hotel, William Street, in downtown Glasgow. Entry is free as a visitor; organisers ask that you register beforehand, to help gauge numbers for catering. Visit https://professionalsecurity.co.uk/security-events-and-conferences/security-twenty-home/.
