october2023 - 4

EDITOR'S NOTE
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The road to success
at trade shows
Whether the show you're attending is big or
small, try using these five tips to make the most
out of your trip.
EMILY MARKHAM
EDITOR
Emily@
VehicleServicePros.com
H
as anyone else started a
countdown? The SEMA
and AAPEX shows are
coming up quick. Anyone who
has attended one or both of these
events in the past knows that they
are some of the biggest shows
put on by the industry.
Regardless of whether you
attend every year, are planning to
attend for your first time, or would
rather just stick to the smaller
industry shows, you're going to
want to be prepared. Check out
these five tips from one of Alan
Sipe's previous Go Sell Something
articles (VehicleServicePros.
com/21118178) for making the most
out of attending a trade show.
1. LET YOUR CUSTOMERS
KNOW ABOUT UPCOMING
EVENTS
Not only does this let them know
you may not be stopping by that
week, but it also provides them with
the opportunity to ask any questions
they may have. Try sending
out an email and/or a social media
post to inform your customers and
collect their queries.
2. PLAN AHEAD
Look over new product releases
for the show and how those tools
might fit into your current inventory.
As for the tools you already
stock - try to create a list of products
that you have questions about
or that you have a hard time selling.
The manufacturers are there
to show you the best ways to demo
their products and how to handle
any objections that come your way.
3. EMPTY YOUR TRUCK
One of the main reasons for a
mobile tool distributor to attend
a trade show is for the deals, so
before you go try to downsize some
of your inventory to create space
for new products on your truck.
4. MAKE SALES FROM
THE SHOW FLOOR
Don't be afraid to give your customers
a call from the show floor
if you see something you think
they'd be interested in. This is an
especially good practice to have
with larger tools or equipment
that you wouldn't typically stock
on your truck.
5. ATTEND THE
TRAINING SESSIONS
Even if you think you know it
all because you sell product 'X'
really well, there's always something
new you can learn from
attending one of these sessions.
Don't get stuck in your old ways
of selling a product. Having a few
different approaches to selling
the same tool could be the difference
between making the sale
or that product forever sitting on
your truck.
4 Professional Distributor I October 2023 I VehicleServicePros.com
Printed in the U.S. Volume 31, Number 9; October 2023
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - TRANSPORTATION
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october2023

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