November/December 2006
Editor's Column: Know your customer’s customer

Stephen Pia, Founder and Media Sales Trainer/Coach at COACH MEdia, strikes a chord with me when he says “be true to your No. 1 customer, your audience.” He recommends pretending that your top attendee is sitting with you at every sales call — and you are his voice.

Think about it. Exhibitor prospects want to hear what your attendees have to say, not you. How much better would a sales presentation go if you focused on your audience (which your prospect needs) instead of focusing on selling space or sponsorships (which is your goal)? It’s a completely different mindset. Of course, you still have to close the sale. And not every exhibitor is going to take the time to listen. But you could start with your top five or 10 prospects.

Providing exhibitors with market knowledge about their customers is also one of the best ways I can think of to build relationships with marketing executives and position yourself as the go-to source for industry information. For example, who are the most powerful and influential buyers/attendees in your industry, and more importantly, will they be at your show? What are their buying habits for the coming year? How do they make their buying decisions? Do you or your sales reps know the answers to these questions?

How can you gain this knowledge? Read industry trade publications. Attend educational sessions at your show and your competitors’ shows. What’s the buzz during and after the session? Pay attention to the questions attendees are asking. Call eight to 10 attendees after the show. Give reps a survey or list of questions to discuss with attendees. One show organizer has the program manager organize a conference call with attendees, and the sales reps simply listen in and take notes on things like why they came to last year’s event and what they find most valuable about the show. Some show organizers, like Diversified Business Communications and Gartner, are taking the idea a step further by dedicating departments to handle attendee acquisition and work closely with the sales team.

Not every organization has the resources to do this. And I know, we’re talking about more time in an already hectic schedule. But there’s real value here. You’ll know the industry trends. You can share real anecdotes with exhibitors. You can name drop about your conversations with their top customers. And last but not least, you’ll believe more in your product and its value in your industry. In many cases, attendees will tell you how much they love your event. Start with one attendee a month if you have to, and get to know your customer’s customer.

Danica Tormohlen, Editor
dtormohlen@ascendmedia.com

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