There are some kitchen and bath dealers who can derive an entire
year of business and leads just from one good home show. However,
there are also many kitchen and bath dealers who hate the idea of
spending a lot of money, building displays, bringing in a lot of
product and standing on their feet for long hours with sometimes
negligible results. It’s a matter of perspective. It’s how you view
the home show itself.
Clearly, there are good home shows and bad ones. But, in the
long run, it’s how you work the show that makes all the
difference.
As a consumer, I love home shows, especially during colder
weather months when there isn’t a whole lot else going on. I’ve
never bought a whole lot at home shows, though. The usual routine
is to get a couple of shopping bags, fill them up with about 15
pounds of brochures and literature, add 20 business cards, talk to
anyone who wants to make conversation, and forget about them
entirely after you get home. Makes for a heck of a day.
My neighbor had a beautiful new master bathroom installed last
year after he went to a local home show. When I asked him if he put
the deal together at the show, he made a great point. “No,” he
responded, “but the home show certainly told me who not to deal
with.” He said that he left his name at one display with a salesman
who never got back to him. Another bathroom designer was way too
expensive. And another wouldn’t give him the time of day.
“When you’re really interested, give me a call,” he said.
Likewise, you need to beware of scaring potential clients with
too much aggressiveness. Sometimes a “Sign here or you will never
see this deal again in your lifetime” approach doesn’t work,
either.
Playing the game
A few street-smarts can get
you some great leads that will turn into great sales. Indeed,
creativity and attitude can go a long way to creating business at
home shows.
Think about your displays at home shows and other outside
events. Are you in category A:
“What can we do to talk to a lot of people?” or category B: “How
long before we can get the heck out of here?”
Be honest. Standing on your feet for 12 straight hours can be a
little bit of a strain, particularly if you’re not selling
anything. But, when you’re putting together a lot of sales, getting
appointments with people to meet you at the showroom, accumulating
leads and creating some great visibility in your marketplace, time
can go very quickly.
The key to successful home show selling is attitude. It’s got to
be fun. If you’re bored, it will show. Customers can tell if you
don’t want to be there. However, if you have the right attitude,
the right selling skills and the right display with good price
points, you can do a lot of business.
I remember some very clever displays at the last few home shows
that I attended. One exhibit had all of the salespeople wearing
badges that simply said, “Go ahead, ask me.” The badge didn’t give
the person or company name. It was a neat idea that gave them a
different look and gave the impression that they were easy to talk
to.
Another exhibit featured a group of people who were all dressed
alike who gave out certificates for free lottery tickets just for
stopping by the showroom. The sign “You might win $5,000 in cash
just for stopping by our showroom!” at least got a second look. If
the prospect took time to ask questions about a new kitchen or bath
right there at the home show, the person was given a $1 lottery
ticket and a promise of five more just for stopping by, or letting
someone from the showroom give them a quote at their house. Of
course with the tickets came the words, “Who knows, you might end
up getting the [kitchen or bath] for free!” Very clever. Everyone
in the booth had lottery tickets coming out of their pockets, and
the curiosity factor played out well.
Of course there are some states that don’t have lottery
drawings, but there are a lot of things you can do yourself on a
very limited budget. Not only can you increase business from these
exposures, but by using a separate table for a free drawing, you
can also produce a great mailing list of semi-qualified leads. The
secret here is to have the free drawing table staffed, and the free
drawing cards should qualify the registrants. Find out if they
currently own their own home, how old the house is, what remodeling
they have done on the house and what remodeling projects they are
considering. Give away something of value that will appeal to the
largest number of people walking by. Combination DVD and VHS
players are inexpensive and work well. Surround-sound TV theater
systems have come down in price and have perceived value. Your
entry cards will qualify people who sign up so that you can
determine who the qualified prospects are.
Work the plan
Home shows and other consumer
events can be great opportunities for selling kitchens and baths.
You don’t have to be slick, devious or high-pressure. Instead, you
have to be creative, assertive, personable and sharp. You have to
be able to get people to stop and to buy. You have to follow up
leads and act as if you’re interested.
If home and mall shows are a pain for you, do yourself and your
company a favor; stay home. Remember, selling is the lowest paid
easy work, and the highest paid hard work there is. If you really
want to do some business and run circles around your competition at
the same time, start planning your next show now. It could really
generate some immediate business and give you enough leads to keep
prospects coming through your door every day.
Bob Popyk is the publisher of Creative Selling, a monthly
newsletter on sales and marketing strategies. His sales meetings
and seminars are presented internationally to major companies and
industries, including many in the kitchen and bath industry. For a
free sample of his newsletter, call (800) 724-9700; e-mail
[email protected]; write to: Bentley-Hall, Inc., 120 Walton
St., Suite 201, Syracuse, NY 13202; or visit his Web site at
www.creativeselling.com.