Home Show How To

Spring will be upon us shortly and that means home shows for those of us in the construction and home improvement industry. My company participates in at least two shows every year and 2010 will be no difference. I want to share some tips tricks and info that I have picked up the hard way at home shows the past 5 or so years. 

Lets start with the marketing whys of a home show. Why would anyone want to go thought the trouble and heartache of building a booth and giving up their weekend for a show? There are a number of reasons not to do a show, so lets get those out of the way. If your primary customer is not the homeowner, don't bother. Contractors do come to home shows but not in a number that will make it worth the cost. If your a drywaller whose primary customers are builders don't bother. But, if you sell and install a product that has a genuine, perceptible benefit to a homeowner, then a home show is for you. Home shows are great for building your company's brand equity by getting eyeballs on your brand and products. They are also fantastic for lead generation, but they are not closing events. It is very rare that you will actually sell anything at the show. Mostly you will either be getting information for a future closing event, or even more likely be planting the seed of a future sale. I regularly get calls from people who saw us a at a home show months or even years before, and are finally ready to start on whatever project is in front of them. 

These show are opportunities to make a great first impression on many potential prospects in an environment you can plan for. with this in mind, lets figure out how to make that impression. First off, lets think about how we want ourselves and our employees to be perceived. T shirts and jeans are a massive mistake, but I would not dress to flashy for the crowd. If your community is largely blue collar and the attendees will be a t-shirt and jeans crowd, don't wear a suit, You will only look like con man. Try slacks and a polo short, or nice jeans and a collared shirt. Try to dress a little better than your prospects to show professionalism and respect, but don't look like you think your above them. As for a team, if you have a dressier uniform wear them, if not at least go for the same color shirts. A prospect should never wonder who is working the booth. 

When it comes to product selection and layout, think about how a great buffet looks. There are the crab legs, and the prime rib. Attention getter's, that whet the appetite and make people decide to give it a try. These are the "WOW" products that get people in to your booth. Whether this is a product related to a hot new trend, a great special, or simply something so visually appealing it demands a closer look. This could be the actual product, a demo (always a great conversation starter) or an installed sample, it has to look great and be visible. But every buffet also has macaroni salad, and deviled eggs, the old standbys that everyone wants at least a little of. This would be the product with mass appeal that is likely to generate short or long term leads. For us this is often a flooring item, that is a great value, and that has mass appeal. This has to be in the booth to convert the wow to green spendable sales. That said some people will want the wow items, and that is great. Also remember to tailor the wow item to the crowd and the market. Don't show off the next great decking item if none of the houses in your markets have decks. 

Education is another great reason to participate in home shows. If you can host a seminar that will be promoted by the show presenters. Not only will you get an audience, but you will get mentioned in the marketing materials. Don't use this seminar as a big sales pitch, actually add value to the attendees entrance fee. Bring in a local expert on a subject that you might benefit from tangentially, and give people a reason to come by the booth later. 

Home shows a re a great marketing tool for the right business, but are not a minor commitment. Remember that after you start to participate in a regular show, your future absence can and will speak louder than your continued presence. So don't make that decision lightly. Invest in the show like the marketing tool it is, and remember the WOW factor that your booth should have. Being an " And Ran" is worse than staying home. At least at home you can watch the game.