“I refuse,” the young woman was saying to someone on her cell phone as she walked through the airport, “to do business with anyone when I know more about their company than they do! Haven’t these people ever heard of Google?”
That’s a fantastic question, and one that we, as exhibitors, need to know the answer to. Attendees are getting younger -- and as the new generation of buyers enters the marketplace, they come equipped with a whole new set of expectations.
Attendees expect to be able to visit your company on the web before they attend the show. Increasingly savvy researchers know how to gather a great deal of information in a minimal amount of time. They expect your booth staffers to know what they know -- and more!
Don’t disappoint them. Before you hit the show floor, schedule some time and run an internet search on your company. Ask yourself the following:
- What information might I, as a customer, want to know that’s not included on our website?
- What are our customers and competitors saying about us online? What questions might that lead attendees to ask? What will our response be?
- What has the media coverage of our company been?
- How has our company been covered on the industry and financial web sites? Does this provide us with selling points to capitalize on?
Use the answers to these and other questions to help prepare a list of talking points for your staffers. This will help them be prepared for any question and ensure a consistent delivery of your marketing message.
You never want to appear to know less about your company than your customer does. Preparation is a crucial key to your success!