Naomi's Notes:

Your main goal in exhibiting in a show is to obtain sales leads and turn those leads into sales and profit. The way to make this happen is to ask questions and find out more information to help the potential client know that you care and can help them accomplish what they want. Working your leads properly and effectively will then ensure the amount of business you end up getting from that one event.

If you just hand out cards or brochures at your booth, you will not get the results that you should expect from a show. A huge opportunity is missed by doing this.

When a bride is walking into your booth because your booth looks inviting and interesting, you have done something right in creating curiosity. This helps to be able to ask those qualifying questions to see if the bride is a real qualified lead for your business. Have your lead slips ready with the top two or three major questions that you want answered. The answers you receive will tell you whether or not this person is a potential current client or possible future client. Your staff should be properly trained with knowing how to answer every question and knowing where to lead the conversation with different comments.

Make notes on your lead slips with all information that you are given, what ideas and goals the bride has, any comments that are made, and especially answers to your important questions. Also, add the initials of the staff person that talked to the bride at the booth. Some who email their leads may have a subject line that reads, "Saw you at the .... Show." Instead, make the subject line more personalized and customize it to the individual person and their requests. Let the bride know that you will be mentioning one of the requests or ideas in the subject line so that she knows it is coming from you. Whoever talked to the bride at the show needs to be sending the email with their photo in the email signature (no downloads). Voicemails need to be from the staff person who actually talked to the bride.

Doing all of the above will help you in getting more responses from your emails and calls. And of course, work your leads on a consistent basis until someone tells you to stop. You have so much more potential business besides the wedding with every person you meet.  

If you do not ask qualifying questions, and then try to email or call, you have missed that one chance to find out what the bride really wants. This can cause you to get fewer responses.

A bride is more apt to spend time with you and trust you when you show that you really care about what she wants. I call it the Burger King Principle---helping the bride have the wedding she wants, her way. Remember the 80/20 rule with 80% listening after you ask questions. You have a short time to find out as much as you can at a show, so make every moment count.

These are just a few ideas of what we discuss in our "How-to Workshops" and "Exhibiting 101�" Seminar. Please stay in touch with us for upcoming workshop and seminar dates in 2013.

Sondra is currently a student at Collin College and is working on her Hotel/Restaurant management and her Conventions/Events management associates degrees. She plans on graduating in the summer of 2013. Sondra wants to work in the Meeting/Event/and Convention sector of the Hospitality Industry.

Abigail Tusant

Special Projects Manager

Start Date: April 2012

Abigail Tusant attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City where she studied musical theater performance. After learning a lifetime of experiences in the Big Apple, she came back to Texas to pursue a theater career. She has performed with Theater Arlington, Six Flags Over Texas, and the Fort Worth Opera just to name a few. In 1999 she was able to further her education by attending Texas Women's University where she studied vocal performance and vocal pedagogy. After taking a break, and a few corporate jobs, she found that God had gifted her with teaching, and became a theater teacher and private vocal instructor. She is married to her husband, Andr�, and has a beautiful 3 year old daughter, Amelia. She is completing her Music Education degree at Texas Woman's University to be able to teach choir in the public or
private school systems.

    

Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others

By: Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas

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Internet:

bridalshowsinc.com

dallasbridalshow.com

lascolinasbridalshow.com

planobridalshow.com

theknot.com

txweddings.com

brideandgroom.com
Brides of North Texas Wedding Blog

weddingwire.com

weddingchannel.com

upcoming.yahoo.com

craigslist.com

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