One of the unexpected benefits my canvassing coaching clients receive is my training for any type of face to face lead generation through shows, events or retail stores. This month’s article was written while I was in LA with long time private coaching client Dignity Memorial. I had the pleasure of working with Jose, Dignity’s Sales Market Director. We spent the week working with their sales reps (inside & outside) working the LA County Fair generating leads.
You see, face to face marketing is the same no matter where it takes place; door to door canvassing or greeting potential leads at shows, events, even retail stores.
In this month’s article I’m going to break down my 3 step system on how you can get leads at any type of event. The system will quadruple your leads in show and event marketing.
What are the benefits of doing show and events?
• It’s another marketing channel for you
• You can do it all year long and rarely is it weather or daylight dictated
• You can see more people in a day than a crew canvassing a neighborhood
• You’ll get the now, a little bit from now and the down the road business
• Change the attitude about the numbers in the company (proves how numbers are king)
The real money in canvassing, show and event marketing is on the backend, on leads that have been generated and followed up on, if you follow up on them. You have and can control the lead. Leads off face to face marketing are an annuity. From your leads you’re going to profit in 3 ways. You’re going to get the ‘now’ business… prospects who are in the market right now for what you offer. You’ll get the ‘in a little bit from now’ business… which are leads that take a little bit of time to develop and convert and the ‘down the road’ business… those who will buy at some point in the future.
Canvassing and show and event marketing go hand in hand. The strategy and techniques transcend. Canvassing is a big part of lead generation, but in parts of the country canvassers can be inhibited by weather so show and event marketing can extend your canvassing all year long where weather and other conditions won’t affect your ability to get leads. Also it enhances your neighborhood canvassing because your marketing is being replicated by being in the neighborhoods. Prospects see you at the door and community events. This creates repetition in your marketing that builds your brand. I have some clients who participate in over 100 different events a year. Below are just a few examples of some show and events you can set up in.
• Mall kiosks
• Health Fairs
• Auto Shows
• Wine Festivals
• Home Shows
• State and County Fairs
If you’ve not considered shows and events start by looking at those that are in your category and those outside your category. For example, in category for home improvement companies would be Home and Garden Shows. Out of category for them would be mall kiosks, festivals, fairs or health shows.
You want to get in front of as many potential leads as possible. While in LA with Dignity Memorial working the LA County Fair, we have the chance to be in front of as many as 1.5 million people over the course of the fair. This is far more people than we can canvass door to door for. It doesn’t replace door to door canvassing, but adds to it.
The worst number in marketing is 1. You want multiple methods for generating leads. Adding event marketing allows more channels for the canvasser to obtain leads and set appointments.
What shows and events can you be in?
The key is to consider where can you get in front of traffic? The problem for companies doing show and events, they aren’t tracking qualified vs. non qualified leads. They don’t know how to fix problems without tracking. There are distinct nuance differences between door to door canvassing and show and event lead marketing. Those nuances are mostly in the beginning of your presentation.
The first problem is to consider who’s working the events?
Often a company will put their sales people into a show and event because they’re the most skilled and knowledgeable people to ‘sell’ the product or service. There’s an inherent problem putting sales people into this situation. Sales people are trained and focused on selling. Traditional lead canvassing and show and event marketing is about getting leads, not selling a product or service. The last thing a person walking through the LA Country Fair, walking into a Home Depot or a fall apple festival is thinking about is buying your product or service. To go from hi to buy my product is a big bridge to expect cold prospects to cross. In fact, it’s an impossible bridge to think people will cross.
The paradigm shift is in mindset, the shift in knowing why you’re there. You’re there to get leads, not to sell products. Your approach of people is critical on whether they’re going to reject or acknowledge you.
Rejection is the greatest de-motivator for canvassers. If their mindset isn’t right they won’t get past hello. In fact, that’s where to start, with the attempt to connect with the prospect. If you can’t get them to stop and engage them you can’t present to them. The first step is to get the prospect to stop.
There’s a time for lead generation and a time for selling. After the show and event, when you have the lead and didn’t get an appointment, you can always work on converting the lead to an appointment or sale.
My 3-step program for generating leads
If you compare what I’m going to share here against my canvassing system you’ll see my canvassing introduction and the approach at shows and events are similar with a few subtle tweaks to my introduction. Once you have the prospect engaged the lead and transitioning it to an appointment are the same as with my canvassing system.
Here are my 3 steps:
1. Stop and get them engaged within seconds
2. Qualifying question
3. Make your offer
In a future issue I’ll share results from our efforts with Dignity Memorial at the LA Country Fair with the system I taught them and shared with you here.
If you’re not a Silver member or higher and want to receive the script and recorded role playing of show and event marketing go to http://www.canvassking.com/SilverProgram.html and enroll into membership. If you enroll as member before the end of the month I will send you the newsletter with scripts and the CD of live Silver Telecoaching call from September 10, 2014 to hear me role play lead generating at an event. Also on the CD is how to handle prospects that push for figures and quotes at a show or event, as well as Jose’s comments and experience with my system. Go to http://www.canvassking.com/SilverProgram.html