It’s Show Time

The financial technology show is upon us again so in this issue I thought I would discuss the use of trade shows as a marketing tool.

For those displaying their services and products at a trade show, sometimes the most valuable contacts are made between other exhibitors rather than from those attending the show.

There’s often a bit of downtime when exhibitors can wander around the show and look at other vendors and make useful contacts.

You’d be surprised at how many useful and interesting products and services you can discover simply by wandering around the hall.

I know form my own experience that some exhibitors would be great clients for me when I was in public accounting and I had no shame in walking into the display areas of likely clients and introducing myself.

After all, what’s the worst that can happen? You meet someone who is perfectly happy with their existing supplier… for now!

Making new contacts and keeping in touch with them – for example getting their permission to be added to your mailing (or emailing) list for your firm newsletter is a great way to automate a keep in touch (KIT) program.

But when you have made a contact be sure to do more than that. Look for ways to show your desire for their business. Maybe you can clip certain news items and mail them to them with a personal note.

Maybe you can invite them to a seminar or two in the coming year, or even to a social gathering if you feel it appropriate.

Trade shows can be a super way of expanding your network. It depends on why you are there, of course, as some companies, such as software vendors, will be displaying the latest version of their software, and looking for new customers or to make contact and keep in touch with existing clients.

On the other hand, you might just come across some visitors to your booth who are genuinely interested in your services and may well go on to become clients.

If you are going to mix and mingle, both with other exhibitors and visitors, then your cell phone will come in very handy.

After each meeting, slip away and call your office number to leave yourself a voicemail.

Dictate some notes about each contact immediately after you have met with them so that the details of your conversation, and what you have agreed to do as a next step are captured.

Leave a reference number (start and 1 and move on a number each time) and write that number on the back of that person’s business card so that you can match the name to the notes a day or two after the event and follow up with whatever it was that you promised to do.

Always have plenty of business cards with you, and brochures for the more serious prospects, so that you never find yourself in the awkward position of having had a great conversation with someone who could well develop into a client, but you’ve run out of business cards.

That just gives the impression that you’re not well organized and they will assume that your practice is not that well organized either.

The financial technology show is not the only place to go.

The Home Show is an ideal (and very large) venue if you serve the construction and home improvement industry. Just think of all of the ‘Window’, ‘Deck’ and other companies exhibiting there.

That presents a lot of opportunities to widen your network in a closely defined market.

And what if a client is exhibiting at a show? Why not go along?

Your client will be highly impressed that you took the time and made the effort to visit with them and your relationship with them will be further cemented. Of course, while you are there, it’s a great opportunity to visit similar businesses and say something like “we already work with a number of companies in your industry, indeed, some of our clients are exhibiting here today” when talking about your experience working with similar clients, should the situation be right to do so.

And if you have a good relationship with your client who is exhibiting there, they might be happy to field inquiries from other exhibitors as to how they get along with you and if they would recommend your firm as their next accounting firm.

Yes, trade shows present many different opportunities from both the exhibitors and attendees perspective.

If you’re going to the Financial Technology show this year, have a great time and try to make some new contacts.

See you there!