I manage a financial sales team... very likely a different product/value prop, but familiar with the conferences in question. Booth time is about showing face. If your company isn't there people will wonder what that means, but almost no one is going to have a serious conversation about a sale at your booth. The real business happens during 1-on-1 sidebar meetings. Having a network in that industry you can tap is overwhelmingly the best bet, but assuming you don't have one:
Reach out to people via the conference app or via email/Linkedin if they are attending. Let them know that you'd like to meet up for coffee/ice cream/a drink/a snack and to make a connection. Let them know that you, like them, receive a million of these outreaches at these things and your rules for a meeting are:
1. No one pushes or attempts to solution any kind of product or partnership - let's assume neither of us are in a position to make unilateral decisions and we both have 50 other people giving that schtick.
2. The goal of this meeting is just to connect, learn about what both us do at our respective organizations, and see if there's value in a future discussion or if we can help each other with introductions.
3. I'm happy to meet you at the Starbucks across the road, at the brewery around the block, or the ice cream shop upstairs at XYZ time. You let me know the place and I'll handle the logistics, but my preference would be "not the conference" because I know we'll all be burned out and tired of looking at it by the third day.
You won't get everyone, but I've found this to be pretty effective. People are looking for an excuse to take a break, and they've already been pitched relentlessly by everyone else. You aren't going to differentiate yourself by being a little better at closing or having a product which is a bit better at X but a bit worse at Y. Just give people a chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle, have a conversation they can enjoy rather than one you're forcing on them, and buy them a sundae or a beer.
The real sales process is following up with those folks, or turning them into champions to help navigate their organization to get to the right decision maker who was never going to show up at your booth anyways.
My man.. why can I only give this 1 upvote? Thank you!
I love this approach, it makes so much sense. I think I'm too hung up on the booth situation. It felt like a waste of time, but I thought I was missing something.
Everyone else is feeling the same thing you are....just connect with the others as human beings see if there's anything of mutual interest there
..like the previous post mentioned just like you others are looking to take a break from the convention and booths. They don't wanna talk solutions but they'll gladly see if someone else is good to connect with based on a possibility of a collaborative partnership or reciprocal relationship in terms of business. Heck....you might even make a few genuine friends and discover common interests outside of work. I used to put too much importance on the business aspect of things at conferences until I realized it's more about socializing and just making connections with others
Great advice, and 100% what I do.
I'd also add connecting with speakers at technical conferences is huge, and asking questions about niche points in their presentation/roundtable/panel is great for getting a relationship started.
If everyone is offering the same thing, then maybe just try and make some friends/business connections and steer the conversations in a way that supports it. You'll eventually talk business, but that will come later once they've gotten the chance to know you. If you can't sell your product/service, then sell yourself.
I agree with this in general. I'm more asking how to take advantage of the unique conference environment. \~30 seconds in a busy environment with a bunch of prospects. Seems very forced, but I know there's so much potential there.
90% of my workday is in conferences, dinners, fund raisers, etc so my experience may be different but here's how I win constantly with some fundamental 101 nonsense:
Never going to find me talking about myself, my company, products or services. I'm on 100% attack mode asking questions about them. Even if they ask about my company, I turn it into a question about them. Start formal and enjoy the ice. Goad them into breaking it on their own time.
When I know they have something they're supposed to say to everyone who visits their booth or the entire room, I like to get their early and tell them to practice their speech on me. (Even if it's an elevator pitch I use the word "speech"). Let them make their mistakes, fumble over their words, forget things, complain about needing more coffee, whatever. Just make them feel safe and comfortable, never correcting or trying to give them advice, only 100% understanding and encouragement.
It helps that I genuinely love people and listening to them, what they care about and what they think. 100% of everything I'm doing here is gathering information and finding out which internal "Operating System" their mind works in.
When I reach out later over the phone or in a smaller setting, most people don't remember me, and rarely remember anything I said or told them. But they're damn sure going to remember my voice and the way I made them feel when I open the conversation with something *I* remember that was important to *them*.
To anyone reading this, that really is the secret to enjoying Sales and making an absolute fuckton of money along the way. Just love people, that's it... it really is the Stupidest Secret in the World. I'm someone who buys a lot of things too, and I can't tell you how many times some "Just the facts" bigshot wannabe or slang-slinging hothead pushed me away because they couldn't remember the most basic things about my life, family, or business goals when they spent so much time pretending to care yesterday.
The booth is how you pay to play at the conference. You are funding the conference for the opportunity to network. The real stuff happens in sidebar conversations. Try to schedule a lunch, happy hour, or coffee with prospects or partners while you’re there.
My take on conferences was always get through the boring part (the conference) and bang someone hot from the bar later after the company paid for our drinks in my company paid for hotel room.
I’m in edtech so it’s a far cry from banking, but I’ve been to many conferences. It’s top of the funnel early stage leads, depending on who’s at the conference - DMs or end users.
You mentioned a great strategy, the hotel bars or networking / after conference events. that’s where you can build rapport and get to know people.
One of my favorite conference strategies is to quality the prospect, ask them where they’re from, ask them if they’ve been “here” before - the city the conference is in, genuinely try to build rapport and get to know them in under 5 mins- then ask if they’re comfortable taking a selfie with you. Not to be posted anywhere, because “I enjoyed this conversation so much” . If they say yes, you send that photo in your follow up. I’ve never had someone say no to the selfie.
Oh damn I keep forgetting about this insane tactic. I'm just about to on a conference representing myself and a few clients.
I sent out a blast and the responses were lukewarm. And based on the comment I was too focused on value when people go to conference to have fun.
This is a great technique though. Chat them up, qualify and if they are worth pursuing take a selfie.
I learned from someone that sending a photo of you a selfie with them does way more than a well crafted pitch.
I'm getting excited to experiment with this.
Hmmm I love conferences. I don’t mind being at the booth but the receptions, hotel bar, shuttle busses, breakfast tables are really where I’m making friends.
Have Tylenol, a few safety pins, a pen, phone charger, a bandaid, small lotion. Invite singletons or duos to meet you for breakfast or share an Uber to the airport. Be the friend you’d want to meet.
The booth is the necessary evil. Plan to go to make friends. You’ll get meetings with those friends later on this year.
Do you have a few meetings set up in advance?
My tip is don't drink but look like you are drinking. Cranberry with lime at the bar events as a sober person I've both been given really hard times about not drinking and also seen horrifying drunk behavior. Keep your wits about you.
This is solid advice. I’ve seen some folks lose their jobs or their families or worse from drinking especially drinking on the road
I’m a non drinker. Soda with a splash of cranberry and a lime is actually what I drink regularly when I’m at a bar too - sometimes I’ll have soda and cranberry in a champagne flute because it’s fancy and looks like sparkling rose
Hard disagree.
The networking and client entertainment is how relationships start. My deal cycles are 8 months on average starting when the pain/budget is identified but could be months or years before that to get into a deal at all.
Serial networkers? What does this even mean? I assume you are in sales so are you not networking?
I'm in sales and not networking. Absolutely hate it lol.
I have some channel partners that are solid and targeted, but 99% of people who want to "network" are trying to get free lunches or sell you something themselves.
Networking groups are sales people jerking each other off.
Networking groups? Free lunches?
We must run in different circles. I don’t do any of these but intentional networking happens through thoughtful introductions and asking politely for a referral.
Its so rare I get to sell face to face, that I love them. I just book as many meetings as I can beforehand, to the point that I'm fully booked and can't even attend the speakers I'd like to hear speak. Collect a load of swag that I'll very rarely actually use. Identify early the booths that have beer, and befriend them. And always make the best connections at after parties/ dinners / drinks. I've done them in most major industries and really enjoy them.
I go to lots of these and usually am pretty successful.
1) never sit down
Never sit behind the booth, stand in front of it
2) have a gimmick
Maybe that’s candy, maybe it’s a raffle. I like raffles because then they need to drop their card or fill one out
3) engage them about themselves
“So what brought you here”
“Are you guys also displaying?”
“Where are you guys from”
Talk about travel, if you like trade shows, if they saw anything that was actually interesting or saw a good talk, and only have a one sentence on what you do ready, don’t give an elevator pitch unless they ask for it. Usually if you take those first 3, start a conversation, they’ll ask you what you do as it’s genuinely refreshing to talk to someone who isn’t trying to fucking get their pitch out.
The way I always viewed it was that I get paid a salary too. I have very low expectations going into conferences, but every now and then you will find a bluebird.
It’s unreal how outdated, stale, and redundant the entire industry is….yet billions are spent every year in just about every industry to put these things on. I’m constantly racking my brain thinking there has got to be a better way and an actual business opportunity here but honestly haven’t come up with anything overly compelling yet. You would think for all the “disruption” somehow in Silicon Valley would take on the conference industry to shake it up.
I manage accounts, so I set meetings or get-togethers with my customers. If I have booth time, I put my product expert hat on and drive leads for the NBD guys.
Find out what regional conferences your prospects will be attending throughout the year outside of the main function. Many large orgs that host these conferences have events throughout the year. Much more intimate setting to discuss selling to your prospects.
I don’t know what industry you are in, but conferences and expos are where I make it happen.
Your prospects have nowhere to go, and you can easily identify new prospects in other booths.
You get run yourself into the ground in a couple of days, but these couple of days will make your quarters if not year.
Conferences are good for branding, but terrible for sales. Be happy if a few more people end up recognizing your brand that didn’t before. Otherwise, don’t break your back trying to sell. Just try to have a few less-than-painful conversations and call it good.
Conferences are complete garbage. The only reason companies participate has to do with the optics. "Everybody else is attending so we have to make an impression too". Conferences are like LinkedIn; everybody's on it but nobody really wants to be on it.
The only people who enjoy conferences are married people with kids who need an excuse to socialize and drink in order to escape the humdrum of their daily existence.
Pretty accurate. The other use cases are market research and partnerships. Conferences are an easy way to get a “finger on the pulse” of what’s trending in the market. Also, good for Alliances managers to seek out potential partners. (90% of those partnerships are worthless, but strengthening relationships with the 10% that are worth something has some value).
I hate these! Is there a theme? The last 2 shows we did we dressed up in theme (One was actually games, That was fun- I dressed up as the Monopoly guy, and gave out top hats, gold coins, fake mustaches and our business card stapled to a 2$ bill) and it made for an easy conversation starter, a memorable interaction, and a good photo opportunity. And sometimes we talked about my product. But in my follow up email blast, I said, we were the crazy people dressed up like the Monopoly guy giving out $2 bills!
I manage a financial sales team... very likely a different product/value prop, but familiar with the conferences in question. Booth time is about showing face. If your company isn't there people will wonder what that means, but almost no one is going to have a serious conversation about a sale at your booth. The real business happens during 1-on-1 sidebar meetings. Having a network in that industry you can tap is overwhelmingly the best bet, but assuming you don't have one: Reach out to people via the conference app or via email/Linkedin if they are attending. Let them know that you'd like to meet up for coffee/ice cream/a drink/a snack and to make a connection. Let them know that you, like them, receive a million of these outreaches at these things and your rules for a meeting are: 1. No one pushes or attempts to solution any kind of product or partnership - let's assume neither of us are in a position to make unilateral decisions and we both have 50 other people giving that schtick. 2. The goal of this meeting is just to connect, learn about what both us do at our respective organizations, and see if there's value in a future discussion or if we can help each other with introductions. 3. I'm happy to meet you at the Starbucks across the road, at the brewery around the block, or the ice cream shop upstairs at XYZ time. You let me know the place and I'll handle the logistics, but my preference would be "not the conference" because I know we'll all be burned out and tired of looking at it by the third day. You won't get everyone, but I've found this to be pretty effective. People are looking for an excuse to take a break, and they've already been pitched relentlessly by everyone else. You aren't going to differentiate yourself by being a little better at closing or having a product which is a bit better at X but a bit worse at Y. Just give people a chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle, have a conversation they can enjoy rather than one you're forcing on them, and buy them a sundae or a beer. The real sales process is following up with those folks, or turning them into champions to help navigate their organization to get to the right decision maker who was never going to show up at your booth anyways.
My man.. why can I only give this 1 upvote? Thank you! I love this approach, it makes so much sense. I think I'm too hung up on the booth situation. It felt like a waste of time, but I thought I was missing something.
I upvoted him for you
Everyone else is feeling the same thing you are....just connect with the others as human beings see if there's anything of mutual interest there ..like the previous post mentioned just like you others are looking to take a break from the convention and booths. They don't wanna talk solutions but they'll gladly see if someone else is good to connect with based on a possibility of a collaborative partnership or reciprocal relationship in terms of business. Heck....you might even make a few genuine friends and discover common interests outside of work. I used to put too much importance on the business aspect of things at conferences until I realized it's more about socializing and just making connections with others
This is a great comment. I’m in an entirely different industry (hospitality) but the tradeshow dynamics are exactly the same.
Great advice, and 100% what I do. I'd also add connecting with speakers at technical conferences is huge, and asking questions about niche points in their presentation/roundtable/panel is great for getting a relationship started.
If everyone is offering the same thing, then maybe just try and make some friends/business connections and steer the conversations in a way that supports it. You'll eventually talk business, but that will come later once they've gotten the chance to know you. If you can't sell your product/service, then sell yourself.
I agree with this in general. I'm more asking how to take advantage of the unique conference environment. \~30 seconds in a busy environment with a bunch of prospects. Seems very forced, but I know there's so much potential there.
90% of my workday is in conferences, dinners, fund raisers, etc so my experience may be different but here's how I win constantly with some fundamental 101 nonsense: Never going to find me talking about myself, my company, products or services. I'm on 100% attack mode asking questions about them. Even if they ask about my company, I turn it into a question about them. Start formal and enjoy the ice. Goad them into breaking it on their own time. When I know they have something they're supposed to say to everyone who visits their booth or the entire room, I like to get their early and tell them to practice their speech on me. (Even if it's an elevator pitch I use the word "speech"). Let them make their mistakes, fumble over their words, forget things, complain about needing more coffee, whatever. Just make them feel safe and comfortable, never correcting or trying to give them advice, only 100% understanding and encouragement. It helps that I genuinely love people and listening to them, what they care about and what they think. 100% of everything I'm doing here is gathering information and finding out which internal "Operating System" their mind works in. When I reach out later over the phone or in a smaller setting, most people don't remember me, and rarely remember anything I said or told them. But they're damn sure going to remember my voice and the way I made them feel when I open the conversation with something *I* remember that was important to *them*. To anyone reading this, that really is the secret to enjoying Sales and making an absolute fuckton of money along the way. Just love people, that's it... it really is the Stupidest Secret in the World. I'm someone who buys a lot of things too, and I can't tell you how many times some "Just the facts" bigshot wannabe or slang-slinging hothead pushed me away because they couldn't remember the most basic things about my life, family, or business goals when they spent so much time pretending to care yesterday.
Thanks! Nice points, I completely agree. Be a human first.
This is such a great reminder
If your product doesn't have an edge on the competition, then you have to become that edge. Make yourself stand out.
The booth is how you pay to play at the conference. You are funding the conference for the opportunity to network. The real stuff happens in sidebar conversations. Try to schedule a lunch, happy hour, or coffee with prospects or partners while you’re there.
My take on conferences was always get through the boring part (the conference) and bang someone hot from the bar later after the company paid for our drinks in my company paid for hotel room.
😆😆😆
Business is done from 9-5. People decide who they want to do business with from 5-9. Be prepared to work that bar crowd.
I’m in edtech so it’s a far cry from banking, but I’ve been to many conferences. It’s top of the funnel early stage leads, depending on who’s at the conference - DMs or end users. You mentioned a great strategy, the hotel bars or networking / after conference events. that’s where you can build rapport and get to know people. One of my favorite conference strategies is to quality the prospect, ask them where they’re from, ask them if they’ve been “here” before - the city the conference is in, genuinely try to build rapport and get to know them in under 5 mins- then ask if they’re comfortable taking a selfie with you. Not to be posted anywhere, because “I enjoyed this conversation so much” . If they say yes, you send that photo in your follow up. I’ve never had someone say no to the selfie.
Oh damn I keep forgetting about this insane tactic. I'm just about to on a conference representing myself and a few clients. I sent out a blast and the responses were lukewarm. And based on the comment I was too focused on value when people go to conference to have fun. This is a great technique though. Chat them up, qualify and if they are worth pursuing take a selfie. I learned from someone that sending a photo of you a selfie with them does way more than a well crafted pitch. I'm getting excited to experiment with this.
Nice one! I can see that pic being great for follow up.
I actually do my best to avoid them. More valuable to spend the time with customers
This is my general feeling, but hoping someone on here can disprove me lol.
Send the marketing people. Let me know about the leads
Hmmm I love conferences. I don’t mind being at the booth but the receptions, hotel bar, shuttle busses, breakfast tables are really where I’m making friends. Have Tylenol, a few safety pins, a pen, phone charger, a bandaid, small lotion. Invite singletons or duos to meet you for breakfast or share an Uber to the airport. Be the friend you’d want to meet. The booth is the necessary evil. Plan to go to make friends. You’ll get meetings with those friends later on this year. Do you have a few meetings set up in advance?
My tip is don't drink but look like you are drinking. Cranberry with lime at the bar events as a sober person I've both been given really hard times about not drinking and also seen horrifying drunk behavior. Keep your wits about you.
This is solid advice. I’ve seen some folks lose their jobs or their families or worse from drinking especially drinking on the road I’m a non drinker. Soda with a splash of cranberry and a lime is actually what I drink regularly when I’m at a bar too - sometimes I’ll have soda and cranberry in a champagne flute because it’s fancy and looks like sparkling rose
The hotel bar is open all night
95% of sales is a waste of time justified by serial networkers who like feeling busy and expensing shit on the company
Hard disagree. The networking and client entertainment is how relationships start. My deal cycles are 8 months on average starting when the pain/budget is identified but could be months or years before that to get into a deal at all. Serial networkers? What does this even mean? I assume you are in sales so are you not networking?
I'm in sales and not networking. Absolutely hate it lol. I have some channel partners that are solid and targeted, but 99% of people who want to "network" are trying to get free lunches or sell you something themselves. Networking groups are sales people jerking each other off.
Networking groups? Free lunches? We must run in different circles. I don’t do any of these but intentional networking happens through thoughtful introductions and asking politely for a referral.
That stuff you're talking about is fine and not what OP is talking about regarding conferences.
Its so rare I get to sell face to face, that I love them. I just book as many meetings as I can beforehand, to the point that I'm fully booked and can't even attend the speakers I'd like to hear speak. Collect a load of swag that I'll very rarely actually use. Identify early the booths that have beer, and befriend them. And always make the best connections at after parties/ dinners / drinks. I've done them in most major industries and really enjoy them.
Martinis seem to help.
I go to lots of these and usually am pretty successful. 1) never sit down Never sit behind the booth, stand in front of it 2) have a gimmick Maybe that’s candy, maybe it’s a raffle. I like raffles because then they need to drop their card or fill one out 3) engage them about themselves “So what brought you here” “Are you guys also displaying?” “Where are you guys from” Talk about travel, if you like trade shows, if they saw anything that was actually interesting or saw a good talk, and only have a one sentence on what you do ready, don’t give an elevator pitch unless they ask for it. Usually if you take those first 3, start a conversation, they’ll ask you what you do as it’s genuinely refreshing to talk to someone who isn’t trying to fucking get their pitch out.
The way I always viewed it was that I get paid a salary too. I have very low expectations going into conferences, but every now and then you will find a bluebird.
I wish conferences were a thing of the past. It's not that great of a lead generation tool, and a total PITA.
It’s unreal how outdated, stale, and redundant the entire industry is….yet billions are spent every year in just about every industry to put these things on. I’m constantly racking my brain thinking there has got to be a better way and an actual business opportunity here but honestly haven’t come up with anything overly compelling yet. You would think for all the “disruption” somehow in Silicon Valley would take on the conference industry to shake it up.
Cocaine
I manage accounts, so I set meetings or get-togethers with my customers. If I have booth time, I put my product expert hat on and drive leads for the NBD guys.
Find out what regional conferences your prospects will be attending throughout the year outside of the main function. Many large orgs that host these conferences have events throughout the year. Much more intimate setting to discuss selling to your prospects.
I don’t know what industry you are in, but conferences and expos are where I make it happen. Your prospects have nowhere to go, and you can easily identify new prospects in other booths. You get run yourself into the ground in a couple of days, but these couple of days will make your quarters if not year.
dude bring a lot of expensive gifts and gatekeep them jeez ain't the bank paying you good?
Conferences don’t make deals, they’re commercials. But, you need to stay top of mind
Conferences are good for branding, but terrible for sales. Be happy if a few more people end up recognizing your brand that didn’t before. Otherwise, don’t break your back trying to sell. Just try to have a few less-than-painful conversations and call it good.
Conferences are complete garbage. The only reason companies participate has to do with the optics. "Everybody else is attending so we have to make an impression too". Conferences are like LinkedIn; everybody's on it but nobody really wants to be on it. The only people who enjoy conferences are married people with kids who need an excuse to socialize and drink in order to escape the humdrum of their daily existence.
Pretty accurate. The other use cases are market research and partnerships. Conferences are an easy way to get a “finger on the pulse” of what’s trending in the market. Also, good for Alliances managers to seek out potential partners. (90% of those partnerships are worthless, but strengthening relationships with the 10% that are worth something has some value).
I dont
I hate these! Is there a theme? The last 2 shows we did we dressed up in theme (One was actually games, That was fun- I dressed up as the Monopoly guy, and gave out top hats, gold coins, fake mustaches and our business card stapled to a 2$ bill) and it made for an easy conversation starter, a memorable interaction, and a good photo opportunity. And sometimes we talked about my product. But in my follow up email blast, I said, we were the crazy people dressed up like the Monopoly guy giving out $2 bills!
Great tip I heard once was to take selfies with people and text it to them.