Trade shows can be a boost to your business or a money pit.

It's trade show season again. Yesterday I met with some potential dealers in the log home industry and we talked about trade shows. They really understood a lot about the do's and don't's but some in the group didn't.

Here are a few bits of wisdom I've picked up over 25 years of shows.
1. YOUR BOOTH - I can't tell you how many shows I've been to a show and walked by a booth and not really figured out what the did or what they were selling. It should be obvious within less than 5 seconds. And, then there are the people who put up 40 little photos on a backdrop. Duh. Nobody is going to be able to see them from the aisle...nor will they care. Then there are those who just plain don't understand that the booth is simply a billboard with the goal of stopping traffic long enough to take interest. A display with more than 7 words is a recipe for boredom. Your value proposition statement or slogan should say what you do in only a few words that can be read and understood in only a few seconds. Large graphics or photos can really make a huge impact, too...so use them.
2. HANDOUTS, GIVEAWAYS AND FREEBIES. Unless you sell a product or service that absolutely every visitor wants or uses, don't give away anything except a single sheet of paper! Over 85% of all materials picked up at a trade show are dumped within 4 hours after the trade show. Think your expensive catalog or marketing piece is so good that it will survive? Not likely. Email me and I'll tell you what you should be doing.
3. FISH BOWLS - If you want the name, address and phone number of every man, women and child who walks through the show, put out a fish bowl and a big sign "Enter Here for a chance to WIN $500 this weekend." If you only want the contact information for serious prospects and don't have time to sift through 1000's of names to find a few likely prospects, don't put out a fish bowl.
4. TRADE SHOW ATTENDEES ARE NOT FISH - If you are fishing, you through out the most attractive bait in your tackle box that is sure to attract just the kind of fish you are fishing for. And, you wait for them to take the bait. Sure, some visitors are outgoing and will come right up to you and "bite" on your booth bait. Most won't. You need to get out there and pull them in by making friends and asking a few questions.
5. DECIDE BEFORE YOU GO WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU GO HOME. If your goal is to go home with the contact information and other info appropriate to your product or service in order to execute your follow up program, then your booth strategy should focus on that. This is critical. Email me and I'll send you some tips on how to easily run a program in your booth that will produce sales.
6. DRESS FOR SUCCESS - Again, I can't tell you how many times I've seen staff in trade show booths dressed inappropriately. This will kill your chances before you ever have a chance. Here's what you should never wear in a trade show booth: hat, tennis-type shoes, jeans, perfume, provocative dress [women], tank top, anything that is wrinkled or t shirt.
7. EASY CHAIRS - Do not ever have a chair in your booth. Never. A high stool is acceptable if it is used only when there is no traffic.

9 Marketing tips I learned from my 10 year old’s vegetable stand

9 Marketing tips I learned from my 10 year old’s vegetable stand

1. Give people something for free and they will feel obligated to return the favor

When you help someone, it creates a natural desire to return the favor. As a web designer, provide helpful tips on your blog, participate in forums offering advice and helping non-designers, share ideas on Twitter. In doing so, you’ll not only build trust, but also develop relationships with potential clients.

2. Give potential customers a taste of your offerings

Offer free themes or templates with an easy upgrade to “pro” versions. Provide free stock graphics that hint at potential identity or branding packages while demonstrating your creativity. Just be sure to make it good. When users are excited about the base product, they are much more likely to upgrade.

3. Make it “Extra Special”

Don’t just offer vegetables. Put in something extra. Make everything you do “extra special” and clients will take notice. Not only will they come back for more, they’ll tell their friends.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Tell Your “Neighbors” (Network!)

One of the first things my son did when he opened his stand was run next door and tell the neighbor. After getting his vegetables, he called two other neighbors to tell them about the vegetable stand – both of whom came right over with “donations”. Don’t be afraid to tell friends and colleagues about your services. You never know, they may talk to your next big client later that day.

5. Do What You Need to Do to Be Seen

It wasn’t enough to just put up a sign. My son’s advertising consisted of jumping up and down screaming “free vegetables” at passing cars. While it might seem extreme, it worked. How are you “screaming” about your business?

6. Be Persistent

Even though most of the cars passed by, my son didn’t give up. Finally, after many failed attempts, one of them did stop—doubling his income for the day.

7. Build Anticipation

My son’s first customer knew about his project and was there as soon as it opened. Don’t just launch your new web site, let people know it’s coming. Drop hints, show them screen shots, make them look forward to the big day.

8. Find Good Partners

My son’s little sister kept eating the vegetables – not the best partner. However, his friend from down the street was out there with him jumping up and down screaming, doubling their advertising efforts.

9. Advertise Your Popularity

Once my son’s cup started filling with coins, people were more likely to “donate”. Don’t be afraid to advertise your popularity. Place download counters, comment counts and subscriber numbers in prominent places. Just make sure the stats are high enough to warrant a little bragging.

Today's Best Crazy Word...at the grocery store, no less.

My local Jewel-Osco....but, wait, what's that on the sign?

 

 I was at my local market [a large Midwestern super market chain] this morning to pick up a couple things when I looked up at the aisle marker and saw "Powder Drink." Check. "Bottled Juice" Check. "Aseptics" Huh? What? What the bejeebers is that. I looked around the shelves for a clue. Nothing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I asked the checkout clerk, "Hey, what's Aseptics? What's supposed to be in the Aseptics aisle?" He said, boy, you got me, I have no idea what that is. But, just a minute, let me call the manager. He put her on the phone with me at the checkout counter. When I asked her, she said, "I have no idea." with a chuckle. But she asked if I would show her where it was. So, we walked down the aisle and I pointed up. Puzzled, she said she really didn't know what 'Aseptics' were or are. But she called over another store person who was in the aisle who solved the mystery. It's juice boxes! Oh yeah, sure, that's......huh? Juice boxes?                                                                                                                                                         I went home and looked up "aseptics" and sure enough, it means sterile box often used for juice or milk. But I asked over 8 people at the grocery store and not one had any idea what the sign meant. The closest guess was, "....maybe something to do with bandages?"  THE LESSON. The words you use everyplace, anyplace, make a difference. They must make sense to your customers. You should avoid industry jargon on you website, in your marketing pieces and in your signage.   I wonder if the sign at my Jewel-Osco store will change. They are huge company. Probably not....very soon. But, I am smiling thinking about the big-wig marketing guy who came up with that sign thinking, "Oh yeah, everybody knows Cereal, Fruit, Soup, Soap and Aseptics.

Lessons from the Shoe Store

I am always looking for great examples of customer service sales and terrible examples of customer service. I am sorry to say that this is a terrific example of a small business making some classic missteps.

I received a coupon at a local trade show for a discount on tennis shoes at a store that specializes in tennis shoes about 16 miles from my house. I wore out my shoes so I went online to check on their hours and directions.

Their website was down. I figured it would probably be up the next day...but no such luck. So I called the shop. The lady who answered said, "I am very sorry but that coupon has expired." Ah nuts. I thought about it for a day and called the shop again and this time got the owner. She was very nice and said, "Oh we'll honor that; but actually there's a new one in your association magazine this month so you can use that one." Hooray.

It took a week before I had time to get up there but I made the trip on Tuesday. By then one of my shoes had a hole in it so I was desperate since it's unsafe to play with shoes that worn.

Off I go to the store. Jessica is the lady who greeted me and waited on me. It turned out she's a college student and although she wears a badge that says "Certified Fitter XXX" something or other, she has only worked there 2 weeks. She did know how to properly size my feet and had some good advice about the proper fit. Although she did not know much about tennis shoes. Fortunately, there's lots of good information about the pros and cons of different brands and models within brands on the various online shoe websites; and I checked it before I went to the shop.

I choose the latest model of New Balance shoes and went to the counter with Jessica to pay for my shoes. As I opened my bag, I found that I'd lost my magazine coupon! I explained to Jessica that I had a coupon; that I had talked to the store owner on the phone; and that I lived a 30 mile round trip away and had come to their store purposely. She offered to hold the shoes for me to come back.

What do you think I did? Remember, I really believe in supporting local businesses....when it makes sense.

I went home and got online and found that the retail price on the shoes on the New Balance website and on other sites was $10 less than the regular price at the store and that the 10% discount would make them the regular price. Strike one.

I also found that shipping was less than the sales tax and gas I would have to pay to travel back to the store. Strike two.

I called the store back and let them know not to hold the shoes because I intended to purchase them online since I was at their store and forgot my coupon and did not want to drive back there again. The lady who answered was very nice and said thanks for letting us know but asked no further questions and did not offer anything. Strike three.


So here's the lesson:

1. Affinity group marketing can be very powerful if you manage it properly. Perhaps a single discount or incentive program for a group is a wiser choice than a series of discounts and dates. 
2. Never, ever let a customer walk out of your store because they "forgot the coupon." I've even negotiated discounts at big box stores with no coupon in hand. 
3. Make sure that your prices are legitimate. Don't assume that customers are not Internet savvy. 
4. Assume that if a customer walks out of your store without making a purchase or without a great experience, they will not be back again. 
5. It's likely that a customer who has either a great purchasing experience or a very poor purchasing experience will tell other people. I told one of my tennis partners yesterday, in fact. Although, research shows that a negative shopping experience story is likely to be retold many more times. 
6. Train your staff. It's not just about the speeds and feeds on your product line or services, it's about how to handle customer service situations. 
7. I got the coupon at a trade show from the store owner but she never asked my email address and therefore missed an opportunity to email me information about shoes and sales and special events at her store. 
8. Check on your website regularly. I talked to store personnel twice and they did not know that their website was down. And, three weeks later it's still down. Their web address is on everything they publish so this is a major fault.

Home Loans & Cars

I had an eye-opening exchange with my friend, Dean Loux, from Wells Fargo Bank last week. Here's the bottom line for you:

• The media is very poorly explaining what is going on with home loans today.
• If you have good credit and even a modest...and sometimes limited...down payment, you can still get a home loan easily.
• With interest rates at almost record lows, it's a great time to either build a new home or buy an  existing home. 
• This opportunity is not going to last. 

Another interesting tidbit from the auto industry:

• Car loans are also very loan and deals abound on payment plans.
• Because of the past auto stimulus, there is a shortage of used cars which has driven up the cost of used cars. 
• Great if you want to sell a used car. Bad if you want to buy a used car.
• The good news is there are some great deals on new cars. And some surprises. A leading consumer publication rated a Hyundai model as the best car under $20,000 that gets at least 35mpg. 
• "Green" [hybrid] cars are not selling as well as expected. Guess why? Regular ol' gas cars are now getting really good gas mileage. 
• Still...run the numbers as I did. It may not pay to get rid of your already-paid-for gas guzzler and get a new one. Unless the gas guzzler is in old age ready for the retirement home.  

Toll Interview is Telling

This morning's USAToday Money section featured an interview with Robert Toll, founder of Toll Bros., on of the largest home builders in the U.S.

No matter what industry you are in, the interview had implications and lessons for you.

Here's the take away from that interview:

• We know that interest rates are at historic lows but he believes that they may go up to the 7% range. 
• It's a great time to buy a house if you have decent credit and 20% down payment. You will not have any problem financing a purchase.
• "If the housing market stays stagnant, will the rest of the economy stagnate or even worsen?" His answer was, Yes, yes and yes. 
• The housing market employs probably more people than any other industry. Think about where people work that are affected by the poor housing market: finance, all building materials, building trades, furniture and decor, appliances, real estate. Everything from the people making and selling drapery and carpets to the folks making paint to the carpenters, the sewer contractor, cement plant and light switch manufacturer, sales person and distributor. 

What does it mean? My opinion:

• Business will likely remain soft for at least another year. 
• Whatever you do, whether you own a restaurant, car company, party rentals or build houses: be aggressive and smart. 
• You need to out maneuver and out market your competitors and get the business that does exist. 
• Whatever business you are in, there are customers albeit, in some cases, fewer. 
• Only spend money on what makes you money!

Different Browsers

OK, it's not a very sexy subject for sure. But it might be worth a few minutes of your time. You might consider a different 'browser.'


Microsoft Internet Explorer - This is the de facto browser with any Windows installation. It does work pretty well and the new Version 8 has better security built into it. It is bloated and not all that fast or clean as far as the screen goes.

FireFox [from Mozilla] - It's free and it faster and very easy to set up with more security than most. Plus there are lots of 'plug-ins'...if you care about tweaking it. I would not recommend Version 4.0. I would stick with, only only download, 3.6. It does not play nice with a few apps; although they'll probably fix it at some point.

Chrome [from Google] - I believe is the fastest of the bunch; has a very uncluttered screen; plays nice with most applications; and since it's from Google has lots of support and configuration options if you want to customize it a bit.

I believe that most people who would consider themselves as knowledgeable computer users are using either FireFox or Chrome simply because they are better browsers. I tend to bonce back and forth between both of them. But, I rarely...to never...use IE.

If your not stuck in a rut, look at the advantages to switching. All of your favorites and bookmarks are easily and automatically ported over so no worries there.

Oh, if you do also use an iPad, as I do, Firefox is pretty ugly there. Probably the gatekeeper, Apple, sees to that. So Safari is your best option. But, Flash doesn't work on the iPhone or iPad anyway....a real downer for sure. But that's the price you pay for the very nice iPad.

Shoes

This is a true story! I JUST got off the phone with my brother who works for VW as a regional marketing consultant. He is just getting ready to go into a dealer meeting and related this to me.

When he opened his suitcase this morning after packing and traveling yesterday, he realized that he'd mistakenly packed a pair of shoes that don't match. He said they were kind of close....but sure not the same. And, it's the only pair of shoes he brought. And, he's 200 miles from his home near Atlanta.

But it gets better. They are both left feet! So, as I am talking to him he's getting ready to go into an important meeting with two shoes on his feet that don't match and are both the left foot!

He says that fortunately his pants are kind of long. But, I am laughing and wondering what anyone will think if they notice. Pity? Sympathy [this poor guy must have as club foot or some deformity]? Will they try and hold back the snickers?

I assure you that I am  going to be much more careful in my packing and business meeting preparation from now on.

On a serious note, I always carry two different formats of any digital presentation on two different storage devices plus paper copies plus the presentation stored out on the web at You Send It or on Google docs.

I am still chuckling about the shoes. So check yours today too.

Who's Cheaper?

I bet you see the same ads I do for Geico, Allstate, Progressive, Nationwide, Farmers and others who say that you can save $400 --- or whatever--- by switching to us.

How can they all say that? How can they be right? What happens when you call up?

Frankly, I don't know what happens when you call up. But one thing I do know: None of them are the least expensive for good coverage. My personal experience is that I have gotten the best coverage for the best price from a company who is large but does not run those kinds of braggadocio.

But, that kind of marketing obviously works. I don't like it, however; and I do not encourage it. Whatever kind of business you are in, it's likely there are the same kind of boasters running the same kinds of ads who are really selling less for more.

Another example is eye glasses. A recent report showed that the companies advertising glasses at bargain prices actually don't have bargain prices at all once you get to their store. In fact, your local optometrist or ophthalmologist probably has the best combination and price and service.

I think the lesson is that your marketing should be honest and emphasize your core values....the benefits of your products or services. It can be funny, eye-catching or thought provoking, just make it honest.

Everybody has the same problem

One of my tennis buddies is the service department manager for a large GM dealership. He picks up my Denali and brings it back whenever I need service. It's a pretty sweet deal.

So last night when he brought it back we were chatting in the driveway for a few minutes. Terry says, "I am advertising oil changes for $18.95 and beating the big chain oil change stores big-time and they charge $39.95 like it's a great deal."

So I asked him, "So what's the problem besides not making any money on it? Are you getting lots of new customers?"

He said, "No! My problem is that even though I am mailing post cards and running ads, people still don't know that I have this great deal."

It's an "ah ha moment" isn't it? You have a great product or great service but unless people know about it, so what? Effective marketing is the key.

Is the stuff on your computer important?

Well now, that might seem like a dumb question. But, here's why I ask. If it is, what kind of insurance do you have on your computer data?

You have insurance on your house, your car, your health, maybe even your pet. And, then there's your boat, your gun collection, your jewelry and your next vacation.

What about the home and vacation photos, home movies, business documents, emails [except if you use something like Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo exclusively], medical information, Quicken checkbook, perhaps your will, family history or music?

I have been involved in the technology business since 1986. And, I think I've seen it all as far as computer disasters. Friends, family and business associates still contact me often with their computer problems. 

While I have never had a house fire or had my car stolen, I still have insurance. Same goes with the documents, video and pictures on my computer. For decades, I've used either a 2nd computer on my home network or more recently a large 250gb external drive for backup of everything on my computer.

However, I am now moving to online backup such as Mozy or Carbonite. Both programs are good. Both cost about the same. There are some very small differences for those with special needs.

Here's the best deal that I see for Carbonite. It's less than $60.00 a year. Sure, budgets are tight and times might be tough. But, honestly, I can not afford to risk losing the data on my computer. I have almost 100 gigabites of stuff accumulated over many years plus invaluable business data and my music.

So my advice is get either Carbonite or Mozy or religiously back up to an external drive.

Or, there is one more option. That is to store all your photos out on Picasa and all your documents [word processing, spreadsheet and presentation] out in Google docs....which is also a great service that is free. Not quite as simple a solution, but it does work.

Just promise me that you'll do something.

Entrepreneur magazine

Entrepreneur magazine [and website] has long been one of my favorite places for inspiration, ideas, business intelligence and thought provoking sales and marketing tips. Their website is loaded with good stuff, too.

Better yet, the print magazine is free on your iPad....or your iPhone. Although I think reading a book or anything else much more than a page or so is silly on an iPhone...or any smart phone for that matter.

Another great source for any small business person is Success Magazine. Some of it is available online too.

Check them out. I think learning new stuff using it to adapt should be you goal every week.

Tabs for MS Office

Here's my computer tip for this week. Check out Microsoft Office Tabs. It's a free program. It's adds tabs to your Word, Excel and PowerPoint applications just like in FireFox or Internet Explorer. This makes switching between documents very easy. It's a great tool that I encourage you to try out. Tip: Unless you have Microsoft Office 2010, be sure and pick the 32-bit version even if you have a 64-bit computer system. Otherwise, it installs in just a couple minutes. 

Cracker Barrel Restaurant

I'll never forget what I learned at the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Mt. Juliet about 3 years ago.

Amanda was our waitress that day and she had 4 stars on her apron. If you don't know, Cracker Barrel servers 'earn' stars on their apron by passing customer service tests and Amanda had the highest rating.

Always ready to learn something, I asked her about the stars and about what her personal philosophophy of customer care was. She said, "Even if you're difficult, I will still take care of you."

Wow! I thought about that for a second. No matter what business you're in, there are difficult people and easy people. Either, or both, are valuable customers or clients.

Amanda never hesitated with her answer. She didn't take any time to think about it. That fact was obviously how she performed her job.

After that, every time I went back to Cracker Barrel ---which was often---I wanted Amanda as my waitress....even though I always tried to be an 'easy' customer.

I think it's good to always try and take the customers side. See things through my clients eyes. I always try and go the extra mile no matter what they are like...to me. I want them to feel like they can always depend on me. Always.

iPads

I bought an iPad [original, not the newest iPad 2] a few months ago. I am a champion of owning one now, for sure. A number of you have the big 18x24 photo books that are marvelous sales tools. They are real attention-getters for trade shows.

But with the spectacular screen on the iPad, you can use that for a photo show too. Photos look even better than on a notebook PC, I believe. And, it is very fast and easy to do a show on.

The bonus is that it does have Wi-Fi [or some models are wireless.....which I don't think is necessary in most cases] so you have web and email access plus you can open and edit MS Office docs and do lots of other cool things....including watching movies on the airplane in style.

It is small and light weight and travels really well. You are not going to get the kind of work done on it that you would on your notebook or desktop, but it's a super tool. They cost between about $400 and $600. If you need more techy info, just let me.

Your Buiness Card Is Crap

I ran across this today. Check out this YouTube Video. It's a bit 'over the top,' I admit. But, there are some good points here.

1. You should --- you must --- have a good business card.
2. Your business card is not just transportation for your contact information. People look at the transportation too. Is it a jalopy? Is it a Cadillac? Is it clean and nice? Does it look like you built it yourself or does it look professional?
   
3. Do you want to do business with the person represented by that card? Does it convey success?

Some things I do not necessarily agree with:

1. Your card should be an odd size.
2. It should cost a lot of money.
   

Here's what I think you should do:

1. Get a nice logo and card design. Whether a friend does it who is competent or you hire someone to do it. Do it! It does not cost a lot.
   
2. Use both sides of your card to provide your prospect with more information so that your card is valuable enough to keep.
   
3. Make sure the card explains clearly what you do.
   
4. Make it easy to read. No tiny print. Do not have text going sideways or in different directions on your card. Good contrast is important to good readability, too.
   
5. If you print it on your home computer printer, be sure it's a good one. But better yet, go online to someplace like Vista Print and have it professionally printed on the best paper you can.
   

By the way, it did make me think about my card, too. I am going to make mine better. It's the cheapest thing you can do to make you and your business look like the quality company that you are.

So, what's wrong with the U.S. housing market?

This is a great report that explains what's going on. The bottom line is:

1. Job growth is very, very slow.
   
2. Wages are getting squeezed.
   
3. Home values are still sliding down in many areas.
   

There are indicators that we are generally on the upswing, however. But it will be slow. However, let's dig into the numbers a bit more. Last month there were a very low 384,000 single family residential housing starts in the U.S. How many of those were, or could have been, log or timber frame? I am not sure. But even a fraction of a percent means that some people are still deciding to build a log home.

No matter how bad you think it is, somebody in your area has decided to build a new log or timber frame home. You just have to be out front and be the company that gets the job.

Check this out if you're in the log home business...

July is National Log Cabin month and the log home magazines are making a big whoop-de-doo over it and you can tie your own event into their campaign for some free PR. Why not? Check it out here.

Then get a hold of me and I'll help you plan your own event. I can help with flyers, ideas, give-away stuff, agenda, presentation and other things. Also, if you have at least 25 pre-registrations, I will come to your event and help you.

So, start planning! Get going now!

How many times they have to see/hear our message

I just read again about how many times a prospect has to see or hear your message before they commit to a purchase or engagement. 8 is what I just saw a few days ago.

Some say 5 or 6. Some 10 or more. So, let's say 8. That means you need to craft 8 messages delivered over an appropriate length of time for your business.

By the way, the chances of success after 1, 2 or 3 contacts were just abysmal. In case you were thinking of 'giving it a try' for a couple times.

Whether it's coffee, automobile services, honey, printing, condos, decorative accessories, furniture, non-profits or log homes [all companies I have worked with], you need to develop a series of messages that keep your product or service in front of prospects on a regular basis.

I am in the process now of developing 8 messages for log home dealers to send to prospects. If that's your business, let me know if you would like to participate in this program.

Spend money on the important stuff

Saturday night Dawn and I and some friends went to one of our new favorite restaurants, Butlers. They've been open about 6 months and is owned by two enthusiastic --- but new to the restaurant business--- brothers. They both have extensive and solid customer service and retail experience.

Later in the evening Louie came over and sat down and we started chatting.
Bob - How's it going, Louie?
Louie - Really good for only being open 6 months.
Bob - OK, Louie, tell me what 'really good' means. Come on.
Louie - Well, I think in a couple more months we should be making a profit.
[I am thinking, yeah, that is probably about right].
Bob - So, Louie, are you taking home any salary yet?
Louie - No, we just can't yet.
[I wait a minute for Louie to say something/anything else].
Louie - But, I think we are going to buy a POS [Point of Sale] system now.
Bob - No! Louie, don't do it. I mean, I don't think you should.
Louie - [With a very puzzled look on his face] Why not?
Bob - My opinion is that at this point you have to focus every penny you can on only activities that bring new customers in the door and old customers returning. And, a POS system does not do that. Is building your customer base the most important thing?
Louie - Well, now that you say it, yes.

We chatted a bit more but you get the idea. I just think that all of your energy needs to be focused on one thing: new prospects and new customers. And, when profitability is consistent, then add those bells and whistles such as a POS system that we make ordering quicker and more accurate and efficient.

My goal

I have struggled with a way to let my friends and business associates know about techniques, tricks, methods and tools that I discover that will help their log home, construction, sales, coffee, automobile consulting, retail or other business make more sales.

I didn't say 'be more successful' or 'achieve goals' or anything of the other cliches. Today, it's bottom line. It's about what works now to find and win business.