SALES & MARKETING

Use the Show as a Launch
Save the new product launch for your next big conference and unveil your product on-site. Send out teaser promotions leading up to the event. Live stream the launch and save the video for future promotions.

Include Product Training and a Demo Lab
Use this opportunity to have one of your reps constantly doing a live demo of your product at the booth. They can show how the product is worn, adjusted, how to talk to patients about the features and benefits, how the product can be combined with other products… the list goes on. If you have some sort of imaging or casting product, invite attendees to sit down and let you scan their feet.

Create an Opening Line
Craft, practice and perfect an opening greeting for attendees. Use something other than, “Have you heard of our product/service?”. Try having a few compliments read to go: “I love your shoes” or “I love your earrings”. This works best for female booth reps as they offer compliments a bit more freely. Comment on the conference as a whole: “How is the conference going so far? What has been your favorite lecture?”. Or, “did you see that juggler in the exhibit hall this morning?”. Once you have their attention in a no-sales-pressure way, move on to something related to your company’s offerings. Test out different opening lines and see what works best for you. Once you have something you are comfortable with, you will no longer stumble on your words when you are saying hello to an attendee. 

Create Obligation
Schedule appointments with prospective customers to stop by at a specific time and be sure to send reminders.

Gifts for Good Customers
Invite your current customers to stop by so you can say hi in person and give them a thank you gift for their support.

Determine Who’s on First
Each day, designate a rep or two to be the point person for that day or to split the day. That means that when an attendee approaches the booth, you won’t have to look at the other rep and wonder who will start the conversation. This also lets the other rep take a little break because being “on” all the time is exhausting. The other reps in the booth are on back-up and are responsible for keeping the display neat, refilling promotional giveaways, and running for food or drinks when needed.

Heads Up, Seven Up
Absolutely no sitting and looking down at your phone during a break when there are attendees roaming the hall. If you need to take care of something, step away or behind the backdrop so it’s not noticeable. A prospective customer is not going to approach you if you seem unavailable or uninterested. I have dozens of photos of reps sitting down with their head down; not surprisingly, these are always the reps that complain about booth traffic.

What Have You Done for Me Lately?
We are always brainstorming with our exhibitor family about new ideas for “show specials.” It’s a staple in the tradeshow game, but it seems to have lost its luster. Show specials have become so expected that physicians often think they can likely extend the savings into the next several weeks to months and it will be honored. Click here to read more. 

Alternatives for “Show Specials”
Does everyone keep asking for a “show special” and your company doesn’t offer one because of compliance or another reason?
If you can’t offer a show special, here are a few ideas you can offer to DPMs at the show. Click here to read our ideas.

Milk Your Meetings
If you have downtown during a meeting… guess what, no more! From now on when you are not busy selling and schmoozing, you are going to utilize the time to showcase your products in a way that you can’t when you’re at home! Click here to read about maximizing your down time.

Always Say “Yes” to a Special Event
I am definitely a believer in “different strokes for different folks,” however there is a single truth that we must all accept as podiatric vendors… WE ARE IN SALES!

You probably already knew that, right? Then, I will be honest when I say I cannot accept it if you go to your hotel room right after a long day in the exhibit hall and stay there. Sorry to be harsh, but you’re wasting some of the most valuable sales time that you’re going to receive at any meeting. Click here to find out why.

Exhibitor Etiquette: Don’t “Doc Block” and More Unspoken Rules of the Exhibit Hall Floor
Recently, while Sarah and I were at a conference, we were chatting with a fellow exhibitor. As we were talking, an attendee started to walk in the direction of the booth.

As exhibitors, we are always conscious of what is going on around us. We never want a personal – or even business – conversation to get in the way of a potential customer approaching your booth. We refer to this as “doc-blocking.”

In addition to doc-blocking, there are a few other exhibitor etiquette unspoken rules we want to share. Click here for the rest of the rules of exhibitor etiquette.

How Not to Waste Money on Sponsored Sessions
Have you paid way too much money to sponsor a speaker at a conference or virtually? If so, you know the challenges you face to put “butts in seats” or get attendees to actually show up live online.

Sarah and I host sponsored webinar sessions almost every week through our Practice Partner Academy. These are always non-CECH. I was afraid that our audience would begin to lose interest because we offer sessions so often and because they are sponsored webinars that are at risk of being too commercial. However, with our marketing strategy and coaching sessions with our presenters, it seems we’re well on our way to figuring out the perfect recipe. Click here to get the secret sauce.

How Can I Increase Event Conversions Faster?
We all know how tough it is to make a sale on an exhibit hall floor… but remember that sales aren’t the only stat that counts when it comes to conversions. A conversion could be something as simple as “closing” on acquiring an email address.

Ultimately, though, we want that sale to hit the revenue report, right?

Another thing we all know is how difficult it is to close a sale AFTER show. Once DPMs get back to their offices and the day-to-day sets in, the harder it is to get them to pay attention to a post-show email/offer… and getting past Suzie-Gatekeeper at the front desk is harder than getting into the Oval Office. Click here for our tips on how to close the sale before the buzz of the conference has worn off.

It Takes Two to Make a Thing Go Right… It Takes Two to Make it Out of Sight.
You may not be in control of who you get to go to meetings with if you are not the owner of your company or you are not the director of your sales and/or marketing team. If you’re not in complete control of that, take this article and see if you can make some recommendations to the decision-maker. If you are in control, hopefully this article will help you break out of you comfort zone when it comes to who you decide to share your continental breakfast with.

If you didn’t already know Ann and I are each other’s “Ride or Die” – but don’t put that much pressure on yourselves. We don’t expect everyone to be able to be as adorable as us. Click here to find out the perfect rep combos.

Start with Your Goal
Before deciding on conference sponsorships or add-on opportunities, you must determine your goal for the meeting. Is it booth traffic, scientific podium time, brand visibility, generating a buzz? Click here for our ideas on various goals determined by your company’s history and focus.

Engage Without Being a Sleazy Salesman
It’s time to dust off your sales and people skills. You are about to be back in a trade show booth, attempting to engage passers-by to tell them about what you have to offer. Being a good booth rep is a delicate balance of being friendly and unintimidating while also enticing visitors to step into your booth for a chat. We are all familiar with the kiosks in the mall that are giving away samples of a miracle lotion or a hair straightener. We know we don’t want to be that type of person. We have to keep in mind the trade show etiquette rules and refrain from pulling people away from other booths or peddling brochures in the middle of the aisle. That’s not good for anyone. So, how do you get someone to chat with you when there are over 90 other booths? Click here to find out.

Build Excitement Even When You Feel You Have Nothing New to Offer
You can’t always be creating brand new products and services… in fact, you are probably going to be just as (or more) successful if you “stay in your lane” and continue to provide the top products or services that your company is known for.

But still – every company fights this battle at some time or another. How do you actively create excitement for your product or service when you have nothing new to offer?

Click here for a few ways you can refresh your offerings.

You Can’t Reach Your Exhibiting Goals if You Don’t Establish What They Are
At the end of each year, we tend to reflect back on the work we’ve completed throughout the last 12 months and determine whether or not that work is deemed successful. While it can be easy to give a general statement of whether or not you feel you’ve performed at a high level over the year, it is not uncommon to realize that we let our goals go by the wayside and started acting without a plan based on our goals – especially when it comes to tradeshow performance. Click here to read more.

Pre-At-Post-Show Communication Strategy
Communication strategy is a LOT to digest… so we’re trying to deliver this to you in a way that is easier to swallow. Click here to read about pre, at, and post-show marketing.

Feedback from Young Physicians
One of the most common threads in our conversations with both exhibitors and meeting planners is that they don’t know how to reach young physicians. So, we sent out a survey to all physicians who have been practicing for 10 years or less.

It’s not anything revolutionary but we found out that young physicians find cash and gift cards the most valuable when it comes to floor/door prizes. So find a creative way to incorporate your brand into this type of giveaway. 

Make Your Program Ads More Effective
At all the conferences I’ve attended, I’ve made a point to take a good look at the program provided to attendees. One of the things I’ve been paying attention to is the ads companies place. We know these ads are not free, and in fact, many cost a pretty penny. Why then am I seeing a generic flyer used as an ad, or even worse – the same ad at multiple conferences? Too often, the design of these ads is put off until the last minute, resulting in something thrown together or reused from a previous ad opportunity. Click here to find out how we can do better.

Wondering what information to share during your pre-conference campaign? Here’s an idea.
Do you have a physician expert or key opinion leader working with your company? Will they be attending a conference with you?

Be sure to let attendees know they can chat with a colleague and get answers to their questions at your booth. Tell them who will be there, why they should make a point to stop by and talk to your guest, and what day and time they will be available. Send this information out via email and make sure your reps are mentioning it on their pre-show calls.

Hosting a Conference “Add-On” Event
You have likely seen add-on events offered at conferences. Usually they are 30-minute sessions held inside the exhibit hall throughout the day during exhibit hall hours. Most were even scheduled during lectures. Ultimately, the time allowed a specialized product demo in a designated area in the exhibit hall. Exhibitors could register for up to two 30-minute sessions in either of two Theater locations.

If you’re anything like me, you love a roadmap with specific ideas and action items. That’s what this article is, and it’s a long one. Click here to read all about how to make your event successful.

Show Specials Are Out
Show specials no longer drive traffic to booths – attendees expect them – so what can you try to get attention?
It’s true. Attendees know most companies will be offering some type of sale or promotion at conferences. What now? Click here for some ideas.

MINDSET AND MOTIVATION

Avoiding the Gripe Sessions
Pardon us while we get a bit touchy-feely for a moment… but mindset is everything!

We have been on the tradeshow floor at podiatry meetings for over 10 years. Between the both of us, we’ve attended almost every conference available, many multiple times.

What we’re saying is… we get it. We know exactly what it’s like between breaks when the exhibit hall is so quiet you can hear a pin drop and you’re counting down the next two hours until the break. Then, sometimes the break doesn’t deliver quite the swarm of docs throwing their money at you like you imaged they would – bummer. What now? Click here to find out.

BOOTH DESIGN AND OTHER FUN STUFF

Games at Your Booth

Raffle
Even if the conference isn’t hosted a big raffle, you can still have one at your booth! Simply promote the prizes you are offering, come up with a plan to gather leads (QR code linking to an online form is our favorite), then pick your winners. Our favorite strategy is to have plenty of small-to-midsize prizes plus one or two big ticket items. PRO TIP: the prizes should NOT be your company’s product or service. Keep it fun.

Selfie Time
Create a contest where attendees stop by your booth and take a selfie with you, then post it to social media with a specific hashtag you have created. Make sure the prize is something that the younger physicians will appreciate because they are the ones most likely to participate in this time of game.

Mini-Golf
Attendees can’t help themselves from attempting a hole-in-one when they walk by and see a mini putt-putt game at your booth.

Plinko
Attendees can’t pass up a plinko game! It’s everyone’s favorite.

Social Media Follower Boost
Leverage social media platforms to create pre-event buzz. Use event hashtags, share behind-the-scenes content, and encourage attendees to follow and engage with your company online. Create a call-to-action at your booth by having QR code signs linking to your most active social media profiles. Tell attendees each new follower or new share will be entered to win a prize.

Entertainment at your booth

Balloon hat maker, fortune teller, magician, caricature artists…
Your booth will be the talk of the exhibit hall as attendees tell their colleagues about the their experience at your booth.

Swag (aka Giveaways)

Themed
Mickey Mouse or Disney pez dispensers
Mardi Gras beads, masks, and feather boas.

Think outside the box
Pens are great but what else is out there? Attendees love t-shirts and fun socks. They love high quality cups and mugs. A $5 gift card to the hotel’s coffee shop is a crowd-pleaser.

Special Guests

Cardboard cutouts
If you know us, you know we love a good cardboard cutout. We even had some made of ourselves – people love them! They grab attention and act as an icebreaker because passers-by almost always start laughing and say, “I thought that was you and almost said hi!” At a conference in Nashville we brought a lifesize cutout of Dolly Parton and it was a serious crowd pleaser. Be creative and have fun with it!

Brand Ambassadors
Ask your favorite customers to come hang out at your booth, or participate in a learning lab you are hosting, or ask them to be on a panel to speak about your products or services and the impact they have had on their practice and patient care. Use your customers as social proof and introduce them to new prospects that stop by. Quietly step away to allow the conversation to flow without feeling the pressure of a salesperson.

Leverage Influencer Partnerships
Collaborate with industry influencers or key opinion leaders to promote your booth. Their endorsement can significantly increase your visibility and credibility.

Happy Hour
Host in-booth networking events such as happy hours or meet-and-greets. This provides a relaxed environment for relationship-building.

Booth Design – Keep it Simple
When an attendee walks by your booth, they should know right away what the company name is. Don’t confuse them by having too many words or logos everywhere.

Interactive Elements
Consider a visual note taking display at your next workshop. Try a mosaic wall that attendees build on-site. 

Participate in the Theme
If the trade show has its own theme, make sure you participate by adding some of that theme’s flair to your booth display. If the conference is in a city that is known for something specific, such as “Country Music and Cowboy Boots” in Nashville, add little touches to your booth and encourage your reps to dress accordingly.

Don’t Forget Lighting
Be sure your booth has adequate lighting. You never know how dark it might be in the exhibit hall. Be careful though – I remember a show where one booth had blue LED lights along the edge of their booth backdrop and everyone commented on how it reminded them of a bug light and attendees began to avoid that entire area. Consider lighting that offers the ability to change the colors and the brightness.

Recharge
Include a comfy chair or two with plenty of device chargers nearby and encourage attendees to come take a breather, charge their phone, catch up with the office, and give their feet a rest.

 

A word about booth display design

Sarah and I have spoken with many companies recently who are redesigning their exhibit hall display. This is a great way to shake things up and test new concepts. Plus – a new setup and graphics will grab the attention of attendees in the exhibit hall. Click here for our quick tips.

Try Adding in Some Fun!
Sarah and I speak with many different types of podiatric exhibitors to discuss ideas on how meeting organizers can enhance the exhibitor experience.

I always love hosting idea-sharing sessions like these because inevitably other solutions come to mind not necessarily related to the official purpose of the call. In this case, we touched on a few ways exhibitors can improve interactions at their own booths. Click here for our ideas.

Fun idea for you!
Check out this cool thing I found – use it at your booth during your next show and be the highlight of the event! Host a “Challenge Bar” trivia game through SocialPoint.io. Learn more by clicking here.

ARTICLE BY:
Ann Dosen and Sarah Breymeier
PodiatryMeetings.com

For nearly 60 years the Midwest Podiatry Conference has strived to promote the art and science of podiatric medicine.  We provide DPMs, Assistants, Practice Managers and other health professionals a one-stop shop for all of their podiatric needs.  The Midwest Podiatry Conference represents a broad spectrum of podiatric professionals who specialize in surgery, sports medicine, diabetics, geriatrics, arthritis, orthopedics, pediatrics, biomechanics, wound care and, of course, general podiatric care.

Whether your goal is to build a new client base or nurture existing relationships, the Midwest Podiatry Conference is THE premier conference to exhibit at!