It doesn’t take long to get burnt out and discouraged from going to trade shows. After a few long days of meaningless mingling in over-crowded convention halls, it can be hard to find to motivation to go to them. But that’s because you’re going about them all wrong. Luckily, sales executive and educator Jeff Hoffman has some pointers on what to do to ensure you get the most out of the investment and come back to your boss with real results.

In this episode of Strictly Sales with Jeff Hoffman, Jeff reveals his secrets on how to effectively work a trade show. Listen in below.

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Key Takeaways

“When I started in sales, in enterprise sales, I hated trade shows. Hated them. It doesn’t take long to get really dejected from attending, and it took me a while to figure out how to work them effectively. Be creative and have fun with it and chalk it up as paying your dues as a sales rep, which you’ve got to do.”

— Jeff Hoffman, M. J. Hoffman and Associates

* Recognize the shelf life of a trade show lead. This typically expires once the show is over.

* Wear comfortable shoes. You’re going to be on your feet all day, so make sure you’re as comfortable as possible.

* Switch up the venue when you’re talking to a lead. Someone is more likely to remember you if you talk to them in a place where they haven’t talked to everyone else, so walk with them to a hallway or somewhere more quiet.

* Put your booth right near the exit of the largest keynotes. This area gets the most foot traffic.

* Be creative, have fun with it.

Transcript

 

Announcer: This is strictly sales with Jeff Hoffman and CeCe Bazar. For more information go to OpenView Labs or MJHoffman.com.

CeCe: Hi everyone, and thanks so much for tuning in again to Strictly Sales with Jeff Hoffman. Jeff, welcome back.

Jeff: Yeah, thanks. Thanks, CeCe.

CeCe: We have heard from some people, and one of the questions we’re getting a lot is it’s coming up on trade show season and people in sales are starting to think, okay trade shows happening, let’s end marketing. It’s a waste of my time. My feet are tired. I feel like I have nothing to say.

Jeff, let’s talk trade shows for sales. What are your thoughts?

Jeff: Yeah. Boy, when I started in sales, in enterprise sales, I hated trade shows, hated them. You know, it’s two or three days in a windowless basement of the Javits Center or the Moscone Center or wherever you are or whatever city you’re in, and you’re scanning people’s badges all day to get your requisite lead queue up. You’re having the same kind of mindless conversation time and time again. You’re probably positioned within earshot of a competitor or two. You’re just kind of having that kind of same smile, and the worst bit is 95% of the people who attend a trade show are probably not your buyers. Probably a third of them are just there looking for jobs and are walking around with their CV or their LinkedIn profile. Then you’ve got another group that’s really just people on break from their trade show responsibilities.

CeCe: Totally.

Jeff: And then, of course, you’ve got the people that maybe are in your named accounts, but my goodness they’re so down in the org chart that they have Wednesday free at 2 o’clock to walk around a tradeshow and get free Frisbees and coolies. Probably not your main lead. It doesn’t take long to get really dejected from attending, and it took me a while to figure out how to work them effectively.

CeCe: So what’s the secret?

Jeff: Well, there’s a but.