Back when I was part owner of a retail bicycle and ski shop, one of the most interesting times of the year was when we got to go to the annual trade show. A trade show is an exhibition where companies showcase their latest products. As a retail seller, you have the opportunity to peruse all the new merchandise, and then chose the items that you think will be of greatest interest to your local customers. The trade show also offers you the opportunity to hear the new sales pitches for the upcoming season, and its interesting how good you get at predicting which products will be successful based on nothing other than the strength of their accompanying sales pitch.
Most of us are not consciously aware at how frequently we are bombarded with sales pitches. You are subjected to advertisements on the radio, in the paper, on billboards, and even in the basic speech patterns of your friends and family. The last one is the most interesting because it represents how the salesmanship culture has infiltrated our very manner of speech and thought. In fact, it’s so ubiquitous, that most of us have developed a means for tuning out by default anything that sounds like a sales pitch. The result is that, when a stranger knocks on the door, people are prone to say, “Are you selling something? If you are, I don’t want any.” Which eliminates the potential for a business transaction before the pitch even takes place.
But goods have to be sold, and so, on a daily basis, entrepreneurs come up with newer and better forms of breaking through that innate sales pitch resistance. When I attended trade shows in Lima, Peru, the vendors tended to have models out in font of their booths wearing skin suits featuring their name and logo. Sexuality remains one of the most frequently used tactics for selling anything, as can be seen in the majority of television and print commercials, but is it the most effective means to engage with customers?
We live in an era where objectification is rightfully becoming more and more discouraged. As a result, companies have to consider whether featuring a traditional style advertisement might draw negative unwanted attention to their brand or product. This is not as much the case in Peru, where the #metoo movement hasn’t had such a great effect. But in the United States, it’s conceivable to think that sexuality based marketing might soon be a thing of the past.
Figuring out ways to break through the instant reluctance of potential customers in order to engage with them is key for any kind of salesmanship. I’ve found that when I’m running a booth at a trade show, I tend to simply engage in regular conversation with people as they pass by, and wait for them to inquire with me about the product I’m selling. As a seller, it’s important to concentrate on making a connection, even if that means coming to the conclusion that your product might not be right for them. In a trade show situation where you are likely to see the same buyers or vendors from year to year, it’s important to consider long term sales potential based on the development of personal relationships and a reputation for honesty.
However, once you’ve broken the ice, it’s critical to have acquired the services of trade show decorators to make sure your presentation is cutting edge and professional. Whether you’re selling lemonade, books, or retail products, it’s important to consider the mechanisms of basic salesmanship to help you successfully engage with potential clients. For more ideas for how to get your trade show booth to stand out from the crowd, click here.
