What Do All Of These Numbers Mean?
By Joyce McKee | July 22, 2008
Next week Michael Hart, Editor in Chief of Tradeshow Week will be interviewing me at TS2. The topic will be “There’s Lots of Talk - But are There Any True Results from Web 2.0?” During the course of our conversation I want to share recent numbers noted around the Internet World regarding Web 2.0, then show what these numbers can mean to any company.
For the past week or so I have been collecting as much verifiable information as I can as back-up for this presentation. While doing so, the social media tool “Twitter” keeps coming up. It is a social networking and micro blogging service utilizing instant messaging, SMS or a web interface.
To Twitter or Not?
Presently I am not an active Twitter participant, but there are 1.2 million users and it is growing. As with any new technology tool, I need to ask myself how important is this new trend? There are webinars on the topic of Twitter which I am attending to gain first hand knowledge on this topic. Then I am getting some recent information of the impact this can have on conferences and other events. All of this will go into my assessment of “To Twitter Or Not To Twitter.”
One essential question I want to ask myself is - are my customers and prospects using it?
If they are then I better get on board and learn the ropes of how to Twitter and Tweet. If not, I may be able to put the decision off for a while
Now this is a question which should be paramount to all Web 2.0 discussions. If your customers and prospects are using a particular web service then why shouldn’t you be as well?
If you are there what does your presence say about your company and service, what does your presence look like, feel like, tell newcomers about you?
Web 2.0 is all about conversation, not only starting conversation but staying with the flow of it over time. It seems to me that there are presently as many abandoned as active blogs (a statistic I don’t currently have but I’m working on it.) So if you embark along this path make sure you will follow through and deliver the promise you are making to keep the conversation updated and flowing.
If you have a Web 2.0 success story I would love to hear about it!! Let me define what I mean by success story - how someone found your company, established a dialogue that them turned them into a customer.
For those of you who would like to receive my TS 2 secondary research preparation document - check back on July 29th and I will share where you can download it.
Until later…
Topics: Trade Show Talk | No Comments »
Should We Exhibit?
By Joyce McKee | July 17, 2008
This is an age old question. And depending on what is happening in your company and its marketing department, there could be several answers to this question.
Being at a trade show could be a vital boost for your sales process - if you are prepared to take advantage of this marketing opportunity. But if you are not totally prepared, I would say to reconsider the potential drain of time, money and resources.
Last month the Center for Exhibition Industry Rresearch released some new information. The following is from their press release:
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announces the release of seven of its most popular research reports now available with all-new data on exhibition industry attendee quality and characteristics. Based on 2007 survey response data compiled by Exhibit Surveys, Inc., these reports individually and collectively highlight that exhibitions deliver highly-qualified prospects with buying influence to exhibitors. According to the research conducted, an overwhelming 77 percent of all qualified attendees at exhibitions represent a new potential customer for exhibiting companies, 82 percent of whom have purchasing influence.
If you are considering exhibiting, these numbers are impressive. Wouldn’t you like to be in a place where the aisles are full of potential customers?
My advice is to prepare your company thoroughly for this exhibiting experience which means doing ALL the necessary homework for success. There are too many companies who just “show up” for the trade show - unprepared.
Now for a blatant pitch for my new Membership site - I have created a paid site that provides the necessary tools to accomplish the task of creating the best show ever. Just click on the video on the right to get a flavor of this offering.
Answers for the corresponding question - did we do any good? Check out the Exhibit Surveys ROI Tool Kit at: http://roitoolkit.exhibitsurveys.net/Home/Welcome.aspx
Until later…
Topics: Trade Show Tips | No Comments »
The Manners of Business Conversation
By Joyce McKee | July 11, 2008
It all starts with a conversation.
Every budding friendship includes conversation as an important contributor toward its success. That holds true for business relationships as well. In today’s world the “form” of the conversation can take on many aspects - a direct mail piece, an internet query, a networking opportunity and of course attending a trade show.
The Road to Becoming a Customer
The road from starting a conversation to securing a solid customer involves many, many steps. Potential business-to-customer relationships can be lost due to the lack of structured discourse leading to mutually beneficial relations. Think of it as a social round robin of duties to perform.
Since this blog concerns trade shows, I want to focus attention on conversations that are initiated on the trade show floor, at the opening reception, or over a banquet meal. How prepared are you for the numerous conversations required to “cinch” the deal? It’s a matter of social and business necessity to be acquainted with the multi-faceted tiers of conversation required to secure the client.
Chief among your duties toward that end is follow-up. In your various conversations, expectations have been set by you to the potential customer, and some form or other of follow up is implied - in fact required. It is a business courtesy. Yet it is follow up (or rather the lack of it) that is the one and very significant action that always falls through the cracks. Nothing says more about your business savvy and consideration than your ability to meet your obligations toward the budding business relationship.
You have had a great conversation and implied that you would send a brochure, a white paper, a note, give a call, or get in touch via an email or even a text message. But it too often never happens. And how does that make the potential customer feel? Most likely their opinion of you has dwindled markedly. More than likely you will not be able to recover their good graces based on that early disappointment.
I have heard many times that customers who have been promised some sort of communication and did not receive it feel - “if they treat me this way now, how will I be treated if I become a customer?” It’s called “being let down.” Nobody likes it in a relative or friend, and nobody likes it from a potential service or product provider. They don’t want to be your client.
Keeping the Conversations Alive
It takes personal responsibility to ensure the words and commitments you make are actually fulfilled. So here is the catch-phrase: MEET YOUR OBLIGATIONS. It’s tantamount to writing a thank-you note to a host, and just plain good business manners. By meeting this obligation you earn the privilege of pursuing the contact toward becoming a valued customer or advocate for you and your product or service.
So be aware of good business manners. They will pay off in gold.
PS Check out the video on the right to understand my next Big Idea!
Until later…
Topics: Trade Show Talk | 3 Comments »
Let’s Talk Trade Shows - It’s What I Do Best!!
By Joyce McKee | July 3, 2008
All the elements have been coming together quietly. Months of preparation and gathering relevant information has taken place. The Member’s site has been viewed and reviewed by many folks. Initial members are on board now.
Click on the picture of me - over on the right side bar for an introduction by me to the Member’s site.
In the pre-launch phase, I had the priviledge of talking with Chris Jagers from Slideroom. www.slideroom.com He was getting ready for his second trade show and a friend referred him to me, knowing what I was creating with Let’s Talk Trade Shows. We had a 20 minute conversation and I led him to one of the webinars created for the paid site.
He was going to be at a show with a 10 x 10 booth. Not really knowing the ropes of what to do he listened and learned. The results were fabulous. He changed his ideas of how to collect leads based on the webinar. He told me me would be happy with 30 or 40 hot leads, but came away with 100 hot leads. Obviously, we were both very pleased.
The paid Member’s site is for the thousands of companies like Slideroom. Those new to the world of trade shows are my target market.
One of my passions is putting the right people together. I consider myself to be a master networker. When I introduce foks, I stand back and watch the “magic” happen. Well, with this site I am doing it in a slightly different form. I am bringing knowledge and people together - so they can create the best show ever for their company. Nothing could please me more than to watch the dynamic shifts and changes take place.
Those of us who have been in the trade show world KNOW that an educated exhibitor can produce results for their firm and are most likely to return to the show based on those results.
It is my mission to help Member’s get results!
Please check out this offering and let me know what you think about it. Now click on the picture of me - on the side bar.
Until later…
Topics: Trade Show Talk | No Comments »
The Invisible Exhibitor – a Fascinating New White Paper
By Joyce McKee | June 26, 2008
Last week my friends at The Expo Group unveiled 2 White Papers that could have a profound impact on the world of trade shows. The White Papers are:
- The Invisible Exhibitor - What Your Exhibitors Aren’t Telling You (and Why That Matters for the Future of Your Show)
- The Invisible Attendee - What Your Attendees Are Thinking (and Why You Should Care)
This research was conducted by MAYA. Here a bit of background of what they did and then I will make my comments.
“MAYA spoke with more than 100 exhibitors in completely blind interviews, partly by phone and partly on-site at trade shows, over a six-month period. Although our research was co-funded by The Expo Group, we did not mention this to exhibitors. Any time we asked about an exhibitor’s experience with show contractors, we did so without mentioning the specific company names,
or we mentioned the names of multiple contracting companies that exhibitors typically encounter.”
I have been a proponent of listening to the voice of the customer and I applaud the Expo Group for funding this important research effort.
In my opinion here is one of the most important “take away” from this research – exhibitors are confused.
A quote from the White Paper’s Conclusion
“Not all exhibitors were upset, but most of them were confused about something.”
For all those involved with shows – how can you eliminate exhibitor’s confusion? What processes or remedies can be put in place to aid this person?
Then to the other side of this coin – it is paramount that the exhibiting company to use the tools that are given them, so they can have a good show experience. Far too many rush into a show experience and then look to blame other entities, the show, the general contractor, etc, for their own lack of foresight.
So it is a dance and each partner must be well trained so they can bring out the best in each other.
I am sure that I will share more of my thoughts from these documents with you at a later time.
To get the White Papers, go to www.theexpogroup.com
Until later…
Topics: Trade Show Resources | 1 Comment »
Planning = Success
By Joyce McKee | June 19, 2008
Following up on leads captured at a trade show seems to be such a monumental task for many companies. When I see the statistic from CEIR that 80% of trade show leads are never followed up, I just shake my head in disbelief. Why? Why? Why?
Recently I was having a conversation with an acquaintance, Sherrie St.Cyr. We met each other at the Women’s Leadership Exchange meeting in Dallas. We were having breakfast and getting to know those folks around us. Sherrie’s company is Million Dollar Follow Up! That name sums up what she does - helping clients with the follow up process, including trade shows.
Last week we had a conversation that I want to share with you. So please listen to the audio below.
One of her main points in the conversation, follow up does not happen because it is NOT PLANNED!!! So each company must have a Plan for this activity or it does not get done.
I would love to hear from you about the plans you have and how successful you have been in this critical component of trade shows.
Topics: Podcasts, Trade Show Tips | 1 Comment »
Your Five Step Formula For Trade Show Success…
By Joyce McKee | June 11, 2008
All too often the correct information to solve a problem is not readily available.
If there is expertise in-house, you can walk down the hall and talk with someone on “how to “solve the issue.
But what happens if there is no one in-house who can answer your questions?
If you are well connected with business associates, you can call on them.
Then if they do not have the information – where do you go?
Google?
Magazines?
Associations?
In the background, I am hearing the Ghostbusters theme song – who do you call?
Exhibitors of all sizes have questions –
- Should we exhibit?
- How can I show a return on the trade show?
- What do I do with all these leads?
And the questions can go on and on.
So if they do not have the expertise – where do they go?
Let’s Talk Trade Shows has a solution for this – on demand information to help exhibitors have the best show ever!
This new resource provides critical education on the 5 step formula for trade show success.
Rather than running around town or on the internet, all the necessary information has been collected and organized by me. Each week I will be adding more information, statistics, case studies, etc. that can be put into action by you.
This resource can save you countless hours of time.
You can concentrate on getting the job done rather than hunting for the correct solution.
With the launch of this paid member site, we have a sweet deal for you - so check it out my clicking on the red book image over on the right.
The eBook, The Secret to Achieving Brilliant Returns at Your Next Event: a Guide for Maximizing Your ROI and ROO is the gateway to the 5 step formula for success.
Check it out and then let me know what you think!
Until next time,
Joyce McKee
Topics: Trade Show Tips | No Comments »