One of the hardest parts about being at a trade show is stopping show attendees and striking up a conversation. Yet, this is the most important thing you do at a show; your ROI is directly impacted by the number of people that stop and have a conversation with your team.
NOTE: This is one reason why magic presentations are powerful. They stop people in front of your booth, the crowd learns about your company, and your team members can easily start a conversation about the magic and transition to talking about your products.
So, what type of conversation starters will get you more leads?
The first think to keep in mind when you start a conversation is that you want the attendee to talk as much as possible. To achieve this, ask them about themselves. A recent study found that when we stop talking and let people share a story about their lives, they will have more positive memories of your interaction. These stories that your potential client shares will also help you determine if a person is a good fit for your products. A few first-contact phrases that make people talk about themselves are:
- What are you looking for today at the show?
- Have you found any good giveaways?
- Where are you from?
- What company are you with?
- What kind of research/work do you do?
- How do you currently use our product?
- How long have you been using our products?
- Which one of our products would you like to learn more about?
Notice that these questions do not allow a Yes or No answer. Again, the longer it takes to answer the question, the better.
Another thing that I’ve found effective in starting a meaningful conversation is to start out with sharing emotions. (This is where my magic presentations come in handy!) People form a positive impression when they learn that you are feeling the same way they feel. The stronger the valance the emotions contain, the better. It doesn’t even matter if it’s a positive or negative emotion (in fact, sharing negative emotions, like gossip, forms a strong bond), just make sure it’s a strong emotion that both of you are experiencing. For example, right after my presentations, you can use first-contact phrases like:
- Wasn’t that rope trick so cool?!
- Have you seen anything like that?!
- I LOOOOOOOOVE magic!
If I’m not around, you can use phrases like:
- This convention has been really awesome! Has it been for you too?
- Can you believe that it’s already the last day of the show?
As you say these phrases, make sure to smile and mirror one thing that the attendee is doing. For example, scratch your head if the attendee scratches his/her head (mirror neurons).
After you start the conversation, you can slowly transition to talking about your company and your products. Honestly, most people at shows want to talk with team members at various companies. They just need an excuse to do so. Be interested in the people around you and they will be interested in you.
Takeaway
Attendees are often looking for opportunities to talk with companies about their products as they walk the trade show floor. Arm yourself with a few of the phrases I shared above and come up with a few yourself! Again, ask attendees questions about themselves and then transition into how your product can solve their problems. Have fun out there, you never know who you might meet.
If you want help drawing crowds to your booth and informing people about your products. Click the link below to get in touch.
This post originally appeared on GatherCrowds.com which is dedicated to my trade show performances.
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