IN THE TRENCHES: Trade shows are more than just a free T-shirt
IN THE TRENCHES: Trade shows are more than just a free T-shirt
Wow, where did the year go?
Once again, it's time for another Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit. This is the biggest and best produce industry event of its kind anywhere in the world.
There are more than 780 exhibitors covering over 600,000 square feet of space at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Business trade shows and conventions will continue to be important in the future, especially the PMA event, which plays a vital role in produce. A huge number of people connected with the food industry attend this function that offers great opportunities for networking, to see new products and to learn about the latest trends.
Giant expositions are also an exciting and colorful part of these big events. There are numerous exhibit booths with companies all vying for a share of business. Each vendor has its own particular way of promoting a company product or service.
At one particular food industry trade show, a supermarket retailer was walking by a produce booth when he spotted a T-shirt on the booth table. He casually approached the booth and asked two associates about their product. After a short sales pitch, the retailer helped himself to a business card and brochure, picked up the T-shirt, thanked them and moved along.
Just then, another trade show attendee visiting the adjacent booth angrily shouted out, "Hey, who took my T- shirt I placed down over here?"
The two associates at the produce booth just looked at each other puzzled. After all, the T-shirt, which appeared as though it was part of the exhibit, didn't even belong to them. The real reason the retailer was attracted to their booth was to get a free gift.
Sometimes gimmicks are used to attract people to a trade show booth. There are the usual golf putting, basketball tossing, dart throwing or wheel spinning methods that seem to draw crowds. There are also celebrities, prize drawings or free product samples that get the attention of visitors. Personally, I think these added attractions are fun. It's all part of the color and excitement of a trade show as long as the booth reps don't forget about talking up their company product.
Just remember, when convention doors open, it should be more than breakfast, lunch, dinner, a free T-shirt, and fun and games. It should be a working event that will give each company a return on its investment. In other words, it should include some serious selling and buying business.
More that 40 percent of trade show visitors spend approximately eight hours at a convention. Tight time schedules are usually the reasons. There are people to see, products to view, meetings to attend and deals to negotiate all in a small amount of time.
Walking the exposition floor takes up most of that valuable time.
Nobody has the patience to watch 20-minute video presentations, be shown dizzying charts and graphs, or hear the history of the company vintage tractor, nor do they want to listen to a babbling representative tell dull jokes.
Exhibitors only have about 10 seconds to attract visitors to their booth. Once lured there, they must be quick and precise with their sales pitch. I find that most vendors do a good job of this and do it very professionally.
Many booths are jam-packed with people, while others are deserted. The aggressive vendors greet people in the aisles and lead them to their booths. Others tend to just stand and wait for people to approach them.
Vendors should avoid missing the boat at trade shows in generating visitor interest. It's unfortunate that a few are sometimes seen standing on the sidelines with their arms folded, hands in their pockets, sitting in a chair hiding behind a booth poster or rolling their eyes and yawning. This isn't selling; rather it's giving an impression of boredom. It's as though there was an imaginary neon sign above the booth flashing, "Don't stop here!"
It's very expensive these days for a sales rep to travel and visit potential prospects. Likewise, it is costly for executives and buyers to take time out of their busy schedules to see vendors. Times have changed. Company consolidations created a faster-paced business world.
The PMA Fresh Summit and other trade shows offer all participants a great opportunity to discuss product programs and negotiate deals. This is the time to focus on buying and selling rather than just friendly conversations. That's why I call this a working event.
Fresh Summit paves the way for us to meet industry people, build relationships, see new products and obtain valuable knowledge. It allows everyone to expand new sales leads among retailers, growers, shippers, distributors, wholesalers, importers and exporters all under one roof.
This year's workshop lineup is tremendous. I'm especially impressed with sessions such as Produce Managers Speak Out, Challenges of Trucking, The Role of the Wholesaler and Hiring Tomorrow's Top Performers. There is a wealth of information at every workshop.
Thanks to everyone at the PMA for all their fine work and effort in bringing us another outstanding Fresh Summit. By the way, if you're a visitor, jot down how many times a vendor wanted to "sell" you something. If you're an exhibitor, jot down how many times a visitor wanted to "buy" something from you. You'll be amazed.
Once again, it's time for another Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit. This is the biggest and best produce industry event of its kind anywhere in the world.
There are more than 780 exhibitors covering over 600,000 square feet of space at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Business trade shows and conventions will continue to be important in the future, especially the PMA event, which plays a vital role in produce. A huge number of people connected with the food industry attend this function that offers great opportunities for networking, to see new products and to learn about the latest trends.
Giant expositions are also an exciting and colorful part of these big events. There are numerous exhibit booths with companies all vying for a share of business. Each vendor has its own particular way of promoting a company product or service.
At one particular food industry trade show, a supermarket retailer was walking by a produce booth when he spotted a T-shirt on the booth table. He casually approached the booth and asked two associates about their product. After a short sales pitch, the retailer helped himself to a business card and brochure, picked up the T-shirt, thanked them and moved along.
Just then, another trade show attendee visiting the adjacent booth angrily shouted out, "Hey, who took my T- shirt I placed down over here?"
The two associates at the produce booth just looked at each other puzzled. After all, the T-shirt, which appeared as though it was part of the exhibit, didn't even belong to them. The real reason the retailer was attracted to their booth was to get a free gift.
Sometimes gimmicks are used to attract people to a trade show booth. There are the usual golf putting, basketball tossing, dart throwing or wheel spinning methods that seem to draw crowds. There are also celebrities, prize drawings or free product samples that get the attention of visitors. Personally, I think these added attractions are fun. It's all part of the color and excitement of a trade show as long as the booth reps don't forget about talking up their company product.
Just remember, when convention doors open, it should be more than breakfast, lunch, dinner, a free T-shirt, and fun and games. It should be a working event that will give each company a return on its investment. In other words, it should include some serious selling and buying business.
More that 40 percent of trade show visitors spend approximately eight hours at a convention. Tight time schedules are usually the reasons. There are people to see, products to view, meetings to attend and deals to negotiate all in a small amount of time.
Walking the exposition floor takes up most of that valuable time.
Nobody has the patience to watch 20-minute video presentations, be shown dizzying charts and graphs, or hear the history of the company vintage tractor, nor do they want to listen to a babbling representative tell dull jokes.
Exhibitors only have about 10 seconds to attract visitors to their booth. Once lured there, they must be quick and precise with their sales pitch. I find that most vendors do a good job of this and do it very professionally.
Many booths are jam-packed with people, while others are deserted. The aggressive vendors greet people in the aisles and lead them to their booths. Others tend to just stand and wait for people to approach them.
Vendors should avoid missing the boat at trade shows in generating visitor interest. It's unfortunate that a few are sometimes seen standing on the sidelines with their arms folded, hands in their pockets, sitting in a chair hiding behind a booth poster or rolling their eyes and yawning. This isn't selling; rather it's giving an impression of boredom. It's as though there was an imaginary neon sign above the booth flashing, "Don't stop here!"
It's very expensive these days for a sales rep to travel and visit potential prospects. Likewise, it is costly for executives and buyers to take time out of their busy schedules to see vendors. Times have changed. Company consolidations created a faster-paced business world.
The PMA Fresh Summit and other trade shows offer all participants a great opportunity to discuss product programs and negotiate deals. This is the time to focus on buying and selling rather than just friendly conversations. That's why I call this a working event.
Fresh Summit paves the way for us to meet industry people, build relationships, see new products and obtain valuable knowledge. It allows everyone to expand new sales leads among retailers, growers, shippers, distributors, wholesalers, importers and exporters all under one roof.
This year's workshop lineup is tremendous. I'm especially impressed with sessions such as Produce Managers Speak Out, Challenges of Trucking, The Role of the Wholesaler and Hiring Tomorrow's Top Performers. There is a wealth of information at every workshop.
Thanks to everyone at the PMA for all their fine work and effort in bringing us another outstanding Fresh Summit. By the way, if you're a visitor, jot down how many times a vendor wanted to "sell" you something. If you're an exhibitor, jot down how many times a visitor wanted to "buy" something from you. You'll be amazed.
