Author name: Mollie Ring

We’re thrilled to share first-hand tips on how to inform your trade show strategy plan with competitive intelligence from our very own Strategic Partnership and Trade Show Ninja, Kelly Kenney. After 20+ years of trade show participation experience, Kelly’s an expert at figuring out what her clients need to know about their competitors and how to gather that information—without them even knowing she was there! We call that Ninja style. Approaches to gathering competitive intelligence should vary The competitive intelligence component to a trade show strategy plan should vary depending on the event and industry. In industries where competitors are head-to-head, exhibitors tend to keep information close to the vest. In less competitive markets, there’s room for cooperation—or as Kelly calls it, a “we’re all in this together” approach. Kelly approaches less competitive markets from the perspective that “we’re all trying to help solve a particular problem in the marketplace.” She’s open about that, and asks exhibitors straightforward questions like, “how’s the show working for you?” to break the ice. “It’s a nuance thing, but if you can get them talking and listen really hard, you pick up good stuff.” When the competition is more head-to-head, Kelly takes a step back to closely observe the booth offer and how the competitor positions themselves on the trade show floor through messaging. Once she’s honed in on their trade show strategy plan, she looks for entry points around how they differentiate themselves in the market. “Sometimes there’s an offshoot component of what they do which allows me to go to them and say—I didn’t know you do that, can you tell me more about it?” Openers like these can serve as a bridge to more illustrative questions such as: How’s the show going for you? Or, who are you meeting? The goal is to find ways to ease into the type of questions that deliver competitive intelligence. The value of a great open-ended question Kelly’s goal is to get her targets to talk. “Have you met anyone great?” “Did you see this content piece?” are great open-ended questions. Specifically around content, Kelly’s done her homework before the show and already knows what she and her competitors will find interesting. “Asking them if they’ve seen a piece of content is a really useful way to get them to share their interests and what they’re following at the event. If you can get them to talk about what makes this a great show for them, they’ll often tell you a lot!” And don’t be nervous. Kelly says that unless they’re a really astute exhibitor, they won’t know what they’re giving up or why. “I’m always amazed by how little they ask in return. They almost never say—hey, why do you ask?” When approaching a direct competitor’s booth, who do you target? Kelly has her eye on anyone in upper management or the sales team. In a really large booth, she also targets key marketing people to understand why they’re there and what their message is. Pro Tip: Within five minutes of completing a competitive intelligence mission, Kelly finds a quiet place off the floor to copy down everything she’s learned, even if it seems off base, as an input to her trade show consultation strategy. “I don’t know when I’ll need that data point but it may be in the post show follow-up.” How to open and close a competitive intelligence conversation Kelly starts each conversation by responding in some way to the booth’s message. When she’s not 100% sure what that message is, she’ll ask: “hey, that’s really interesting to me, what’s your message with that?” Closing a conversation can be hard, especially for Kelly. Humor can be an easy way to disengage, especially when the conversation has gone too technical. That’s when Kelly says: “Wow, that’s way over my head, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “I try to get them to send me away by saying: maybe there’s someone I can send your way who is really interested in this.” We interviewed Kelly on October 23rd as part of a series we’re offering at MEET: Coffee and Conversation. Inform your trade show strategy plan with more expert advice from Kelly Kenney, Strategy Partnership and Trade Show Ninja by tuning into our full interview here. About 
MEET (meetroi.com) helps B2B growth companies and pavilion hosts effectively leverage at trade shows and in-person events. MEET’s processes help its clients ramp-up sales quickly and maintain a steady stream of high-quality prospects going forward. Contact Bill Kenney at MEET today for a free trade show participation assessment bill@meetroi.com or +1 (860) 573-4821

We’re thrilled to share Part 2 of our discussion with Kelly Kenney, Strategic Partnership and Trade Show Ninja at MEET. Our conversation with Kelly was live-streamed on October 23rd as part of a series we’re offering at MEET: Coffee and Conversation. Join us periodically as we chat live with experts and veterans in trade show, event, and complementary industries to hear their wisdom on common challenges and simple solutions for success. You can check out Part 1 of our recap here, or feel free to catch the full interview with a fresh cup of coffee here. We continued our conversation with Kelly by asking about how she approaches booths she’s identified as potential customers, recognizing that booths on the trade show floor come in varying sizes. How do you know whom to target when you approach a booth? “It’s a roll of the dice a lot of times,” Kelly replied. However, here are a few tips. “If it’s a bigger booth, typically the further you can get to the center in the better. The perimeter staff members are typically the ones learning how to work a trade show. It’s deeper into a booth where you’ll find more senior people. That’s who you want to get some quality time with.” She followed by explaining that sometimes it’s possible to leverage those on the outside of the booth to get an introduction to those on the inside. This is particularly useful if you’re not able to identify the right person out of the gate. In Part 1 of our interview with Kelly, she provided some useful tips for engaging in first-time conversations with potential customers. We followed up by asking how her trade show floor tactics change when approaching at potential B2B partner. With potential partners, how does your approach differ? Like everyone at MEET, Kelly devotes a lot of time to pre-show preparation. That means that by the time she is ready to approach a potential partner, she’s asking questions to confirm or deny what she already knows based on her research. “It’s more like an interview. I’m looking to learn more about how they differentiate themselves, who they currently work with, who their key clients are, and what kind of problems they solve. Those four basic elements.” “I need to confirm those four elements so that when I go to the next show I can compare them equally. Because if I talk to a potential partner and walk away noting “wow, that’s really cool” but haven’t categorized this information, it’s very hard to compare one partner to another across different shows.” In summarizing her approach to scoping out potential customers and partners on the trade show floor, Kelly emphasized the importance of remaining open to new information. “You have to have an open radar when you walk the trade show floor. Even when you’ve done a ton of research, you need to be open to the fact that once you get talking to people you might find that sudden “Ding! Here’s an unexpected opportunity!” moment. Kelly shared that while she hates to completely bypass a booth, at some shows you just have to. While remaining focused on your learning objectives is critical, remaining open to new knowledge and insights and meeting new people is also an important component of any trade show strategy plan. About MEET (meetroi.com) helps B2B growth companies and pavilion hosts effectively leverage at trade shows and in-person events. MEET’s processes help its clients ramp-up sales quickly and maintain a steady stream of high-quality prospects going forward. Contact Bill Kenney at MEET today for a free trade show participation assessment bill@meetroi.com or +1 (860) 573-4821.

In late July, our team at MEET launched an exciting series: Coffee and Conversation, periodic live-stream interviews with experts and veterans in the trade show, event, and customer acquisition industries. Our goal with these conversations is to share the wisdom that comes from work on the ground and to identify common challenges and simple solutions. On October 23rd we spoke with Kelly Kenney, Strategic Partnerships and Trade Show Ninja at MEET on the topic: Walking the Trade Show Floor, How to Get Value When You Can’t Exhibit. Our goal was to explore how B2B companies can approach and leverage events as part their trade show strategy plan beyond exhibiting. Our first question for Kelly was to unpack her role and title at MEET. What does it mean to be a ninja on the trade show floor? Kelly’s responsibilities vary from devising client strategy, managing the market and event research team, and working with clients on matching their buyer personas with specific trade show opportunities. When she hits the trade show floor, that’s when she flexes her ninja skills. “First, being a ninja means having an innate love of trade shows. It means being excited and truly curious about meeting people and figuring out who they are, why they’re there, and how we can work together or make connections for each other.” How do you find your own trade show ninja? We’ve found that among the best interview questions you can ask a potential hire is what seat they might choose if boarding a Southwest Airlines flight. A true ninja will pass an empty row just to snag that middle seat between two strangers because they want to meet and learn from new people.  That’s Kelly Kenney. At MEET, we believe that 90% of the race is won before it begins, meaning that the vast majority of value you can derive from a trade show event is the result of good preparation. What are some of the things you do to prepare for an event? Kelly started by saying it’s important to know precisely why this particular show offers the best opportunity to meet your target prospect. That means knowing who is going to be there and precisely who you’re looking to meet. “If you don’t know what you’re looking for it’s really hard to find it.” All this requires research, carefully exploring the content, looking at the list of exhibitors one by one, and categorizing them by prospect, competitor and partner. “If you don’t have those lined up and prioritized, you can’t effectively walk a trade show floor. When I get there I’ve mapped out where I want to go and I have a list of who I’m there to meet.” In dividing the trade show floor into a series of categories: prospects, potential customers, partners, and competitors that correctly implies that each requires a different approach. What is your objective and strategy approaching a potential customer’s booth? “I try to engage and get them talking about why they selected this show and what, if executed really well, makes this a successful event for them. For me, it’s about getting them to talk about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Hopefully, at some point, they turn around and say why do you ask?” Kelly also strives to build rapport with potential customers. Coming off too aggressively with rapid-fire questions may make them suspicious. Rather, balance the conversation with some sharing about why you’re there and what you’re trying to accomplish. “I probably over-share and say things that a lot of people wouldn’t say, but I find it gives them the sense that you’re there for a conversation and not just fact-finding. It also allows them to get a sense of who they’re talking to so they know how to position themselves. I try to stay away from chatty stuff like—gosh are your feet sore? That becomes wasted time. I am really focused on getting them to talk, revealing a little bit and sharing.” Stay tuned for Part 2 of our interview with Kelly Kenney to learn more about her trade show floor ninja tactics. About MEET (meetroi.com) helps B2B growth companies and pavilion hosts effectively leverage at trade shows and in-person events. MEET’s processes help its clients ramp-up sales quickly and maintain a steady stream of high-quality prospects going forward. Contact Bill Kenney at MEET today for a free trade show participation assessment bill@meetroi.com or +1 (860) 573-4821

In our recent post, we talked about the importance of goal setting and testing when preparing a trade show strategy plan for U.S. expansion. In essence, carefully crafted buyer personas based on frequently tested hypotheses allow you to build vital knowledge about how to scale your company. But how do you bring this knowledge to life in all aspects of your trade show strategy plan? The answer: alignment. Aligning your communications and marketing materials—essentially anything that is prospect facing—to your buyer persona, will ensure your trade consultation strategy is not only effective but highly responsive to new information. In our experience, companies that have difficulty identifying their buyer personas have an even more difficult time verifying that their marketing materials, booth training protocols, and verbal communications strategy are effectively targeting the right customers.  Furthermore, they don’t know how to adapt when new information about their customers becomes available. 4 steps to aligning your trade show strategy plan Once you have your buyer persona: Identify local events and associations that appeal to your target persona and become an active participant.  You’ll find within almost every industry and discipline a wide array of trade associations and organizations facilitating monthly meetings for you to attend at very little cost. Ensure that all your marketing materials (your offer, call to action, and value proposition) speak directly to the urgent needs of your target buyer persona. (Check out our post: Your Trade Show Business Strategy Starts with a Need for more on this) Develop lead nurturing resources that are of unique interest to them. Things like webinars, assessments or white papers that you can promote through a well-crafted, succinct offer will draw your buyer persona from heightened awareness, to trust, to conversion. Devote resources to a robust follow-up plan. A well-aligned offer will help to moderate the flow of qualified prospects and ensure that a well-resourced follow-up strategy is cost-effective. The importance of a localized communication strategy The U.S. market is large and diverse. In this context, it is not enough for your communications and marketing materials to be buyer persona focused at a national level. A U.S. trade show consultation strategy must take into account local, regional, and industry-specific differences and reflect this awareness through written, verbal and non-verbal (how one presents) communications. For those operating from abroad, this may require staffing events with a U.S.-based team or those highly familiar with U.S. customs and regional accents/language differences. A well-aligned trade show strategy plan has the ability to drill down to this level. Companies that are able to clearly identify their ideal customers and how to reach them are well above the fray. Translating this knowledge into an actionable trade show strategy plan is what truly distinguishes them from the rest. Alignment is the critical first step. About MEET (meetroi.com) helps B2B growth companies and pavilion hosts effectively leverage at trade shows and in-person events. MEET’s processes help its clients ramp-up sales quickly and maintain a steady stream of high-quality prospects going forward. Contact Bill Kenney at MEET today for a free trade show participation assessment bill@meetroi.com or +1 (860) 573-4821.

When we think of a trade show strategy plan, the words of Zig Ziglar often come to mind: “a goal properly set is halfway reached.” At MEET, we believe that setting clear goals around how to identify and reach target customers is half the battle to successfully growing your company. For companies looking to expand to the U.S. market, trade shows represent a vital opportunity to get face-to-face with target customers, test value propositions and offers. A good U.S. trade show consultation strategy can help to set market entry goals, minimize risk and maximize the opportunity and potential for reward. Goal Setting Step 1: Know Your Target Every trade show strategy plan should be focused on a target customer, or what we refer to at MEET as a buyer persona. Buyer personas are fictional representations of your ideal customers—their wants, needs, and profile. You may identify two or three buyer personas by product or service, and that’s fine. Buyer personas are developed based on your existing knowledge, research, and conversations with customers, partners, and mentors. They represent a hypothesis based on the market you’re in for the purposes of entering a new market and therefore need to be tested. The first goal to set within your trade show strategy plan is to identify the two to three buyer personas that you are aiming to meet. Prior to exhibiting in any particular marketplace, it’s important to prioritize these buyer personas based on who is most likely to attend a given event. Goal Setting Step 2: Bet Small and Frequently At MEET, we’ve noticed a tendency for companies looking to expand to the U.S. market to place all their chips on one big event. While there’s certainly a place for big events in a trade show consultation strategy, we don’t recommend them as a starting place. Here’s why. In the first 6-12 months of a market expansion, your goal should to maximize exposure (i.e. take advantage of as many opportunities as possible to meet customers and partners) and test your hypotheses, all while minimizing your costs. Identifying small, frequent event opportunities within a 100-mile (160 km) radius of your new hub are ideal, and you’ll find within almost every industry and discipline a wide array of trade associations and organizations facilitating a monthly meeting for you to attend at very little cost. Focusing your goals around building strong intimacy with key groups in your new geographic area will rapidly increase your knowledge and your network while decreasing your risk of investing in events that do not deliver quality prospects. Small events allow you to iterate and evolve quickly, setting you up for success at national and global events in year two. Setting the goal in your trade show strategy plan to attend one to three event each month delivers results without breaking the bank. (Check out our webinar: SCALE NOW: Entering the U.S. Market through Trade Shows and In-Person Events for more high leverage strategies for success.) The value of a good trade show strategy plan for any company cannot be oversold.  Setting clear goals and investing resources in preparation minimizes both risk and waste, which in a new market is at least half the battle. About MEET (meetroi.com) helps B2B growth companies and pavilion hosts effectively leverage at trade shows and in-person events. MEET’s processes help its clients ramp-up sales quickly and maintain a steady stream of high-quality prospects going forward. Contact Bill Kenney at MEET today for a free trade show participation assessment bill@meetroi.com or +1 (860) 573-4821.