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How to Capitalize Time and Effort at Construction Shows
An excellent way to generate leads, construction shows and events—if executed properly—present an opportunity to maximize marketing costs while adding future customers to your database.
3 Min Read
Informa Markets
Take a walk through any construction industry show or event and pay attention to how companies present products and interact with prospects.
Many representatives sit behind their table at the edge of the booth waiting for something to happen. Some attempt to interact with prospects with generic questions such as, “Are you enjoying the show?” or “How are you today?” This is often accompanied by a generic flyer (check the trash cans you walk by to see the effectiveness of this strategy). You’re also likely to see representatives, dressed in shorts or jeans with t-shirts, eating lunch or staring at their mobile devices. None of this exudes an air of professionalism.
However, you should also be able to spot well-trained companies. They often use two or three employees in their booths and come with strategies to actively engage people walking the show floor. Their company reps are dressed cleanly—either wearing company-branded or business-casual attire—and their booth is well lit and contains dynamic elements to attract prospects.
To hone your company’s best practices as we dive into show season, here are our dos and don’ts:
Do:
Win the battle of the first impression.
Make sure that nothing in your booth looks weathered or worn.
Have the right tools on hand:
A laptop, iPad or similar device to display products and capture customer information.
Dynamic before-and-after pictures.
Upgraded product samples.
Lead cards and appointment reminders.
Use promoters instead of sales personnel.
Salespeople will often focus too hard on selling the prospect when the goal is simply to set an appointment.
Create scripted language for booth personnel, avoiding generic questions such as:
“How are you doing?” or “Are you enjoying the show?” Make the questions specific to your product or service to help pique their interest.
Teach your promoters to deliver effective openers and prospect responses. Some examples include:
"How long have you been unhappy with...or had a problem with...?
"If you could change one thing about your deck (or other speciality at your company), what would it be?"
"What has kept you from making this improvement to your home in the past?"
"We can have a trained advisor ready to take a look at what you want to have done to best fit your needs."
"We are currently scheduling appointments for (your first opening date). Which date and time would work best to determine how we can best meet your needs?"
Implement sensible shifts of 4-6 hours (maximum) with at least two breaks per person.
Don’t overexert your event personnel.
Don’t:
Allow chairs, bar stools, food or drinks in the booth.
Unless a team member requires these for medical purposes, it is best to consume food and drink and sit down during breaks in designated food court areas at the show.
Bring books, magazines, personal phone calls, texting, social media or web browsing into the booth.
Allow team members to dress in unkempt clothing, which can include jeans, shorts or t-shirts.
However, consider your company's style. If jeans and a company-branded shirt are normal for your salespeople, you can consider continuing this on the show floor.
Hold personal conversations with other vendors while in your booth.
Allow promoters to work alone.
Always have a minimum of two people in your booth. However, don’t overfill your booth or table either. You want to maintain an open and uncluttered look, which takes a fine balance.
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