One of the issues of exhibiting at conventions is finding the right people to work your booths at trade shows. Some salespeople aren’t able to stand being at expos, and they have good reasons for it. Loss of wages, time at work, boredom and others render it an unattractive proposition. But, if you can identify the reasons behind why your team does not want to attend the event, you can argue against them and make them reconsider their decision.
Common Objections to the Staffing of Trade Show Stands
Lost Compensation
Particularly if your sales force is entirely dependent on commissions travelling out to a convention can take a significant portion of their revenue. They are moving away from their normal territory results in a loss of sales and, consequently, a loss of income. It is possible that they will end up not being able to meet the sales goals, which could cause them to lose their jobs. It’s why your employees are not keen to move. This issue can be solved by paying the salespeople! If you’re able to find some money within your financial budget, you could offer each salesperson a set amount of period they’ll be away from their desks. In addition, you can take every lead that you can get at the event as a purchase, giving them a percentage of their regular commission and credit towards the sales goals they have set.
Scheduling
The time you spend on trade show booths will be a challenge to regular schedules. Your employees will want to know what’s happening in the office and with their clients who are regulars, as well as keep track of the emails that are likely to become a mess. There’s a good chance that your regular customers will be at the show too, and sales representatives will need to meet with them to ensure the relationship. It’s hard to keep everything in order, and the majority of reps don’t be able to stretch themselves too thin. To make up for the extra work, ensure that you set up breaks regularly for every employee in order to complete their tasks. It’s also beneficial to plan the staff according to their geographic regions. For instance, if the trade show is held located in New York, have your California reps begin their work in the morning, as their clients remain asleep, and then cover the stand during the afternoon so that the east coast reps can get caught up on each other’s accounts.
Boredom
Being at trade shows can be boring when the team isn’t equipped. One way to counter this is to involve the salespersons involved in the creation of the exhibit and decide which strategy the company will use. In this way, they’ll be more active in executing. Another option is to start an unintentional competition; for example, the employee who has the most leads at the end of the day could receive a small reward or, if the team achieves a specific goal, then the company will reward everyone with an enjoyable meal. A happy team is a team that’s productive!
Fear of rejection
Because most salespeople are accustomed to presenting their ideas via phone, it’s difficult to win leads face-to-face. They’re used to being rejected on the phone, but in person, the prospect could be daunting. One creative solution to this issue is to give a reward for the rejection! It may sound ridiculous; however, it’s an excellent option to help your employees feel better when they’re rejected. After the day, ask everyone to discuss their experiences of being rejected and offer a $25 voucher to the employee who’s had the toughest time to transform a loss into a victory.
If you’re having difficulty convincing your sales team to join your stand at the trade show, discover what their obstacles are. Once you understand the reason they aren’t keen to attend and you have a plan of action, you can come up with innovative ways to overcome the obstacles and make sure your team is fired to go to the expo.
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