Engaging prospects in a meaningful conversation at events isn’t easy. Staffers who otherwise excel at relationship building in the field find themselves stymied when pressured to open up dialogue with a total stranger on a busy tradeshow floor or at a meeting or conference.
A few simple guidelines can refocus your engagement strategy and yield rewarding results. Try these three easy steps to refresh your engagement skills:
First, Get Real About the Objective
Staffers who expect to close deals on show floors or at events are usually disappointed. If they approach prospects with a massive sales pitch right out of the gate, they’ll come across as clueless or rude and alienate the contact. The primary goal of prospecting for new business at events is simply to have the contact agree to a follow up. That’s it. If the prospect asks “Can you have someone call me later,” that’s the holy grail. Say “great” and count that as a success.
Second, Get Personal
Tired staffers sometimes fall into the trap of treating prospects like so many widgets on an assembly line. They throw out some fast facts & figures and then move on to the next warm body. Failing to make a personal connection is a wasted opportunity. Instead, try treating event prospects the way you would treat your best buddy or a trusted gal-pal. Business people are, after all, still people. Start relating to them as fellow human beings and you’ll start to win new clients.
Third, Establish Rapport by Asking Questions
Most event staffers delude themselves into thinking that their role is to provide information. They waste precious time rambling on about products, services, features and benefits. Great staffers know that their real role is to gather information. These staffers skillfully use questions to determine a prospect’s needs. Then they use the information they’ve gathered to recommend a potential solution. People do business with people who can solve their problems. Establish a relation between their need and your capabilities, and the business will follow.