The Art of Bidding

SURE EXPOSURE!

CONTENTS

Basics

• Exhibiting Edge
• Planning & Budgeting
• Setting Goals

Exhibiting

• Communications
• Trends, Advertising & Promotions
• Design & Layouts

Value

• Staff Education
• Selling and Lead Management
• Follow Up and Evaluation

THE POWER OF CONTENTS

• Seek highly visible & growing shows
• Participate with shows that network & support participants (exhibitors) year round
• Select shows that work to increase the value of your business image & distinctive services

Exhibiting Advantage

• Visitors want to be at the show and have made up their minds to participate before coming to the show
• Visitors are normally curious & open minded about the products & services exhibited
• Prospects are on neutral turf
• Visitors enjoy a relaxed & informative atmosphere, with no pressure or obligation to buy

PLAN AND BUDGET

• Space
• Exhibitry
• Setup/Dismantle
• Drayage
• Cleaning
• Floral
• Models/Hosts
• Personnel/Staff
• Freight/Trans
• Electrical Plumbing
• AudioA/isual
• Telecommunications
• Security
• Photography
• Sales Lead Management
• Special Event Management

EXHIBITING EXPECTATIONS

• Make sales – direct, bookings, leads
• Introduce new products – publicity, breakthrough technology
• Meet dealers and representatives – market or product support
• Meet customers – prospects, mailing lists, referrals
• Create an image – quality, reliability, competitive, innovative service
• Be compared to your comp€ customers –prospects, displays
• Demonstrate a specialized product – show samples

Staff & Space Estimation

25 Show Hours

GOAL SETTING ELEMENTS

1. Make it Measurable  – Quantify your expectations
2. Make it Obtainable – Set goals that you reasonably reach
3. Give it Priorities – Rank each goal by its level of importance
4. Personalize it – Divide the goals among your employees

 

Goal Setting Process

• Company Benefits
• Expectations (Goals)
• Plan Results

Showtime Do’s & Dont’s

Do…

* know your products * know your space * know your show * be honest * be confident * be enthusiastic * be well groomed * keep your space tidy * treat all visitors equally

Don’t…

– smoke, eat or drink – sit or be preoccupied – leave your space unattended – knock the competition – take up peers or other exhibitor’s show time

The Five Be’s

1. Be Available
2. Be Warm
3. Be Professional
4. Be impressionable
5. Be Proactive

Communications

Signage that’s seen & understood within 7- seconds

• Who Are You?
• What Do You Do?
• How Can You Help?

Exhibiting Trends

• Colors, Lights, Sound
• Team Dress Codes
• On-line Demonstrations

ABCD’s of Exhibit Advertising

• Direct+ Action
• Attract + Attention
• Build + Interest
• Create + Desire

Exhibit Attraction & Promotion

• Literature & Pricing Info
• Demonstrations
• Contests & Raffles
• Special Events
• High Profile People
• Premiums

Promotion at the Show

• Show guide/directories
• Seminars
• New product displays
• Hospitality suites

Educate Your Staff

• Knowledgeable about your company’s products and services
• Have an appreciation for people
• Rehearse your company’s product and sales demonstration
• Have a sound understanding about the Transportation industry
• Have a good attitude about the purpose for Trade Shows

Exhibit Selling

• Ask open-ended questions > who, what, when, where, why
• Listen to visitors > Encourage-elaboration
• Adopt an attitude of receptivity > get feedback
• Direct action to take the next step > demo, proposal, giving references > sales representative follow-up call
• Thank you

 Lead Management

• Name (Title, Affiliation)
• Access (Address, Phone, Best to call, Email)
• Potential Interest (Application, Frequency)
• Rating (Comment, Support staff)

Post Show Evaluation

• Post show debriefing
• Analysis of immediate results and comparison with goals
• Final analysis of costs and results and comparison with goals
• Final report on show with recommendations for future shows > Subjective and Statistical

SUMMARY

• Set Goals
• Display An Exhibit that Communicates
• Educate Your Exhibit Support Staff
• Make Good Use of Promotions
• Follow-up Leads
• Evalute & Fine Tune Your Trade Show Presentation

About the Presenter

 
Dean Jones is widely recognized and respected for his work to expand, retain, and attract enterprise to the greater southern California region.  He is a notable business and labor engagement advocate currently operating the Southland Partnership Corporation, a nonprofit economic development corporation.  In this capacity, he serves as the director for the POWER Collaborative Network (POWER — Promoting Opportunities with Essential Resources), an independent human resources services organization delivering capacity building for workforce service providers in the non-profit sectors.  Under his management, this inter-professional Los Angeles County network sponsors the www.IStartOnMonday.com, Jobobama.com, JobCollaborative.com, and Joblip.com community social services assistance web sites.

Similarly, he works with the African American Engagement Collaboration that supports better integration processes between small and large corporations.  This collaborative is comprised of the Black Business Association, California Black Chamber of Commerce and National Black Business Council that targets emerging suppliers to enhance their request for proposal responses through improved estimating techniques.  This collaborative manages two web sites; TheArtofBidding.com and BlackSuppliers.com, each offering business tools to encourage, recruit and utilize black-owned and operated enterprises to access and supply products and services to major public and private organizations.

As a Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.), his consulting services have extended best viable practices to a diverse range of major organizations, such as; Blue Cross of California, California Endowment, City of Compton CA, City of Long Beach CA, City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, Comerica Bank, First American Title Corporation, GTE, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles Black Business Expo & Trade Show, Los Angeles Music Center, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Southern California Edison, Verizon Communications, West Coast Expo.

A second generation Angelino and Los Angeles Unified School District graduate, he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration – Accounting from San Jose State University.  He has received a range of recognition and distinction awards for his work in support of socioeconomic programs, including a special recognition from the California State Legislature for his extensive service and contributions to the regulated utility corporation’s supplier diversity programs.