the September 2008 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive

Instant Replay
Economy in Retreat Means It’s Time for
Sales Staffs to Charge Full Speed Ahead
By Hil Anderson, senior editor
Long Beach, CA – The downshifting of
the U.S. economy means trade show
organizers could see their sales force in
danger of becoming bogged down in the
same malaise that will be gripping their
exhibitors and key attendees.
And according to Helen Berman, a
longtime consultant and coach for sales
professionals, that means managers will
have their hands full
ensuring that sales
staff have everything
they need to keep
their customers – and
themselves – from
falling into a funk as
marketing budgets
tighten.
“A lot of us are
scared and a lot of us
Helen Berman
are in denial,” Berman told the Southwest
Chapter of the International Association of
Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) July 22.
“The next thing you have to do is to face
reality and also get to the point where
your colleagues do as well.”
Reality will be different from show to
show depending on what industry they
serve, although higher costs for travel
and stingier marketing budgets will likely
have organizers across the board digging
in for a rough ride. “How are you going
to ride this rollercoaster by minimizing
anything negative and at the same time
taking advantage of anything new?,”
Berman asked the crowd of nearly 70
IAEE members – many themselves in
sales – who attended her presentation at
the Long Beach Convention Center.
Berman’s advice boiled down to the
fact that just a few years ago, exhibitors
may have signed up after a few phone
calls. Now, they may have to be coaxed,
cajoled and otherwise reeled in like a
marlin on the run. Therefore, it is up to
sales staffs to keep the clients engaged
and lines of communication open over
the long haul so that exhibitors don’t
make the potentially disastrous mistake of
deciding that a trade show won’t offer an
adequate ROI next time around.
Personal Playbook for Tough Times
• Commit yourself to giving 100% to
your job. Don’t let the idea that the
economy is slow become an excuse
for slowing down. “There is no magic
bullet,” Berman said. “A lot of it is
getting back to basics.” Make sure
your sales staff maintains a consistent
pace of phone calls to prospects. Have
them keep a log of how many calls
were made and how many times they
got through to the decision maker.
• Keep the lines of communication
open. Berman suggested that
sales people take on the role of
“compassionate cheerleader” –
someone who allows clients to cry on
their shoulder while encouraging them
to stay in the game and not become
so discouraged they do something
rash such as skip a trade show. “Don’t
let your clients use a recession as an
excuse to fail,” she said.
• Don’t take rejection personally.
Sales people are often their own breed
of cat, psychologically. Those who
revel in the euphoria of closing a big
deal can tumble into despair when
they hit a cold streak and their meeting
quotas appear even more daunting.
“Train them to stay on task, stay in the
game, and don’t let your clients bench
themselves,” said Berman.
• Look to the future. Sometimes, you
have to accept it when an exhibitor
downsizes. “At least they are still on
board and recognize that your show is
a positive investment,” she said. When
the economy improves, these clients
may increase their spending. “It’s not
an ‘all-or-nothing’ game,” Berman said.
Buying Decisions
Continue in
Economic Downturn
Sales consultant and coach
Helen Berman advised attendees
at the IAEE Southwest Chapter
meeting on July 22 to be mindful
that in a recession, key buyers will
still make buying decisions despite
the slow economy and tighter
budgets. Berman sourced findings
from independent surveys by BtoB
magazine and Yankelovich/Harris
to illustrate her point that sales
dollars are potentially still available,
even if not plentiful:
• BtoB found 70% of marketers
indicate they will either hold or
increase their marketing budgets
during 2008 despite concerns
about a recession.
• As of February, 58.3% still had
not revised their budgets; 12.3%
revised up; and only 29.4%
revised down.
• The Yankelovich/Harris survey
stated that even in a down
economy:
- 97% of executives agree
with the statement that it is
“important to continue to
invest to remain competitive in
the future.”
- Over 85% believe advertising
(marketing) during that time is
crucial.
- 99% agree on the importance
of keeping abreast of new
products and services.
- 95% maintain a high interest in
investing in and learning those
new products.
Continued on page 18
16 September 2008 Trade Show Executive www.TradeShowExecutive.com