Love them or hate them, show special discounts are an established part of the tradeshow culture. Buyers come to the show expecting to save money, sometimes lots of money, by placing large orders at this time. This is a good thing, right?
Not necessarily! Remember that attendees are smart people. They know that you’ll be offering good deals at this time so they:
- hold off buying from you before the show
- buy large quantities at discounted prices during the show
- hold off buying after the show until the newly acquired stock is depleted
While this may make for great show numbers, it isn’t necessarily great for your company. An artificial order spike is not nearly as valuable to you as steadily increasing sales numbers. How can you use show special discounts to help both even out and grow your overall sales numbers?
Consider the following:
- Offer pre-order options to your best customers, allowing them to purchase new merchandise before the show
- Offer tiered discounts: one level of savings for orders placed at the show, another for orders paid for at the show.
- Enroll customers in a buyer’s club or other program, offering discounts on subsequent purchases, made within a time frame
One innovative manufacturer even offered a calendar of savings, spelling out to attendees how much they could save on their purchases, depending on when they made them. This proved to be a valuable planning tool, allowing customers of every size to coordinate their purchases at times that offered maximum savings with times that their cash flow allowed.
What can you do to get the most return on your show specials? Remember, sometimes giving a little can get you a lot!
Comments