Trade Show Booth Host
Need to improve the quality of interaction at your trade show booth?
The trade show booth challenge – attract qualified prospects to engage your staff while treating everyone with dignity and respect.
Too often attendees at trade shows feel like they are raw meat being devoured by ravenous sales lions as they stroll past a booth. It’s not much fun for the attendees. And I can’t imagine it being much fun for the sales people? … There has to be a better way.
Good news! … there is! … It’s called Gumption!
Over the years, Steve has worked 100s of trade show booths. Mostly as a sales person during his pre-Gump days. That experience taught him how to talk to people as a fellow human being and NOT as red meat or as only a potential sale.
Here’s the ironic part, when you talk with people on a one-on-one basis, you will find out if they are a potential prospect anyway.
Want to know why? … because they will tell you!
The magic of Gumption works because people are naturally curious. They want to meet Gump. They let their guard down when they meet Gump. And they willingly converse one-on-one with Gump.
Steve – as Forrest – has the ability to engage people, let them talk, and allow them to prequalify themselves. “All I have to do is ask … shut my mouth … and listen.”
If they are a potential prospect, Forrest hands them off to a member of your sales team. He introduces the prospect by name. He thanks the prospect and returns to engaging new show attendees who stroll by.
If they are not a prospect, Forrest thanks them for visiting and sends them on their way … of course, not before offering them a chocolate. The person feels respected and feels better about your company and your brand.
Rinse and repeat … rinse and repeat … rinse and repeat!
Steve mastered the skill of engaging people as they walked by during his 15 years of sitting on the bench for Bubba Gump Shrimp. During that time, he estimates he had more than 1 million interactions.
Gump is truth serum. The Gump character breaks down barriers.
Steve’s goal when working a trade show floor isn’t to sell anything.
His goal is engage people one-on-one. Allow them to pre-qualify themselves. If they are a candidate, Steve will introduce them to a member of your team. If they are not a good candidate, Steve will send them merrily on their way.
It’s just like taking candy from a baby … only more fun! … and no one ends up crying.
So what do you need to do to accommodate Steve – as Forrest – in your trade show booth?
Steve has worked booths that have been themed to take advantage of Gumption … and he has worked booths where clients just plopped him down in the middle of the aisle. Both work.
A bench strategically placed where people passing by can easily spot it – that’s ideal. A crowd will often just naturally attract. People like to have their photo made with Forrest on the bench. Place your brand logo strategically in the background to take advantage of the photo-op.
Steve will often get up off the bench to engage people in the aisle … and then invite them back to the bench for a picture and conversation.
There is no right or wrong way to use Steve and the magic of Gumption.
Let’s schedule a time to talk and figure out what would make sense for you and your situation.
If you are thinking of using a model or character to attract people to your trade show booth?… please ask yourself this first …
Do I want to use a pretty model or a person in character who doesn’t know how to engage people one-one-on, doesn’t understand the pre-qualification process, doesn’t know how to make people feel valued and respected, and will get you a large stack of unqualified leads?
Or would I rather hire someone who gets business, gets prospecting, gets engaging people one-on-one and will generate a small stack of high-quality leads?
Please email steve@speakinggump.com for more information … or,
Schedule a time to speak to Steve directly about a Trade Show event
