Getting the Most Out of Trade Shows

Participating in trade shows and conferences is an important—if sometimes overrated—component of an effective marketing strategy. I say “overrated” because many firms get enthused by how many contacts they make while failing to really evaluate the results (which are often meager).

It’s also true that many trade shows have diminished in value in recent years as attendance has declined and fewer client decision makers are coming. The current recession certainly hasn't helped this trend. Nevertheless, done right, trade show participation can yield results worthy of its significant cost. Here are a few tips for maximizing your investment in trade shows:

Define your purpose. Many folks assume the reason for exhibiting is obvious—generate new leads. But there is much more potentially at play: Strengthening existing client relationships, learning about emerging client needs and trends, helping clients (more on this below), branding your firm. And don’t overlook the opportunity to recruit. For the larger, more general trade shows where all your competitors are present, I think a recruiting focus is a great way to differentiate your firm (plus there’s a big pool of potential employees there). Bottom line: Make sure everyone who works the booth knows what they’re there for.

Clarify your message. I used to inconspicuously hang around competitor booths to listen to how they presented their firm. There was a consistent trend. When someone asked, “So what does your firm do?” the standard answer was, “Oh, about everything” or some other variant of "we're a full-service firm." Ugh! Claiming to do everything says nothing. Now most of these firms had distinctive messages on their booths or in their literature, and sometimes it was pretty good. But the people working the booth were poorly prepared to describe what their firm was all about. I recommend coaching everyone on how to present the firm in those first few seconds. The message should be relatively consistent.

Better still; quickly shift the focus to the prospective client. I hate sales pitching in general and find it particularly aggravating at trade shows. I suspect clients feel the same way. Trade shows seem to give some license to pitch to the max, and the faster the better. Once the folks in the booth have provided a very brief, distinctive introduction to your firm, they should turn attention to the client: “So what kind of challenges is your company facing?” Or something like that.

Encourage the self-discovery approach. One of the best ways to get your folks to think more strategically about their approach in the booth is to ask them to wander around to the other booths to listen and observe. What approaches do they like? What don’t they like? Chances are they’ll see a little of themselves out there and they’ll better understand what needs to change and how to do it better.

Turn your trade show booth into a strategy center. Equip your space with a laptop computer, printer, flip chart and easel, and small table and chairs. Invite people in—not to look at glossy brochures and listen to you expound about your firm’s services—but to brainstorm ideas and solutions to their problems. I’ve found this an effective strategy, especially at the meatier conferences where decision makers are really looking for ideas. How to get started? Write some notes on the flip chart, making it look used. Then ask questions to draw prospects into the discussion: “We were talking to a guy who had this problem…have you dealt with this at your facility?”

Qualify leads. You don’t need to go to the expense of a trade show just to produce a list of prospects to call. Google is a cheaper alternative. With the opportunity to talk face-to-face with prospective clients, your firm’s representatives should be urged to determine who warrants follow-up. Even better, have the prospect expecting (hopefully, even looking forward to) a follow-up call or visit. Reps who might be doing such follow-up should have their calendars available to schedule calls or meetings, if possible.

As a general rule, don’t exhibit unless you’re speaking. Most people attend for the sessions, not the exhibits. But a booth provides a great forum for follow-up to a presentation or other visible role in the conference. Unless your firm has that visibility, I question the value of paying for exhibit space. Keep in mind that some people attending a trade show can meet just about as many people without a booth, and it’s a lot cheaper (usually). Again, I used to hang around my competitors’ exhibits to figure out who I should be talking to.

Assign the right people. A common mistake is to use trade show exhibits as a training ground for younger technical staff or to assign marketing personnel who don’t know how to engage a client in meaningful conversation. If there’s good reason to include such folks, make sure they’re teamed with more experienced, qualified individuals.

Showcase something that stands out. I’m amused how often firms rely on giveaways and other gimmicks to drive traffic to their booth. Why not have something distinctive to say? I know, easier said than done. Yet perhaps no other forum—where you’re surrounded by your competitors—better points out the need to differentiate your company. But that’s a topic for another post!

Strangling the Golden Goose

Aesop was an uneducated slave who lived in ancient Greece. Yet he could teach a thing or two to some accomplished modern-day executives in the A/E industry. Particularly relevant in this prolonged recession is his popular fable The Goose and the Golden Egg.

No doubt you're familiar with the story: A countryman grew rich by selling the golden eggs that his goose laid, one each day. Thinking he could increase his fortune, he killed the goose only to find no golden eggs inside it.

Similarly, a few years ago most A/E firms were enjoying an unparalleled period of growth and profitability. Then the economy tanked. Now some executives are badgering their managers and staff trying to extract more production from a smaller pool of opportunities. In the process, they may be effectively strangling the golden goose that was delivering the goods just months ago.

I suspect the problem is especially acute in publicly-owned firms subject to satisfying shareholder expectations each quarter. Achieving the budget is now a stretch. It's not even a possibility for many. Yet that doesn't seem to abate the pressure to still meet the numbers in some firms. Of course, the management pressure isn't limited to public companies.

Okay, I understand the business drivers behind this. But as Aesop realized, you don't increase production by mistreating the producers. There's a point where the pressure to produce becomes counter-productive. Some firms have passed that point. Such heavy-handed tactics fly in the face of all we've learned about the dynamics of human performance.

There's a better way. Tough times don't call for managers to be tough on their employees. In fact, the opposite will probably yield better results. Here are a few suggestions for those of you in executive or management roles:

Define reasonable metrics for the times. This is where the problem starts for some firms. For example, you can't manufacture higher utilization out of thin air no matter how much you ratchet up the pressure. Instead, you need to rethink what is actually achievable. Who decides? The best approach is to let people have input in defining the metrics they are responsible for meeting.

Focus on actions rather than results. I know, success requires attaining certain results. But if what you're doing isn't getting the desired results (after recalibrating your expectations), you need to change what you're doing. What I'm seeing in some cases, however, is a myopic focus on results without giving appropriate attention to rethinking the approach. You've probably heard it said that this is the definition of insanity.

Celebrate success. The best way to motivate people is to give them positive reinforcement. Yet the prevailing motivational approach is negative in some firms these days. Achieving goals is taken for granted, but falling short of others becomes the main focus of management interest. It's not an effective way to turn things around. Instead, turn attention to what people are doing right and their achievements--even the mundane ones. That helps build momentum towards performance improvement.

Restore some fun to the workplace. A comment I've heard repeatedly in recent months is something akin to, "It hasn't been much fun lately." You can't do much about external forces that may be impinging on fun at work, but what about things you can control? Is a little fun too much to ask in a down economy? Not at all, and studies show it can have a demonstrable effect on performance. Take steps to lighten the mood and break the pressure--staff lunches, contests, silly hats, whatever. The smiles may well go straight to the bottom line.

What about your firm? Are you caring for the goose or trying to squeeze a few more eggs out of it? Aesop's ancient wisdom is still good advice for businesses today, especially in these tough times.

Networking for Success

Everyone should network, and I mean everyone. Unfortunately networking has been miscast as primarily a sales activity. So those with no direct sales responsibilities are likely to think that networking isn't for them.

But networking shouldn't be all about selling, rather about building relationships. And everyone should be into relationships. Ultimately that's what we take of enduring value from our careers (see my post on "The Intrinsic Value of Your Network"). There are multiple benefits we derive from the business-related relationships we develop, and one of them is potential new business.

That's why in my previous post "The Extreme Marketing Makeover," I advised that you encourage all employees to "nurture their network." But not with the primary motive of increasing sales. More sales will result from building more and better relationships. So what, then, does this kind of networking involve?

Serve those in your network. Helping others is a great way to build relationships and, of course, to build service businesses like yours. Networking often fails to yield satisfying results when it is approached from a self-serving perspective. When you interact with others for the primary purpose of uncovering sales leads, it's common to find your network become increasingly unproductive. But when you are motivated to help others, most people are inclined to reciprocate. Serving your network includes:

• Providing timely information
• Making introductions and referrals
• Sharing ideas and advice
• Helping others succeed!

Be consistent in your contact. Networks languish with inattention. This is the other great cause of ineffective networking. We get busy, we let too much time pass between conversations, we let the relationship weaken by neglect. What makes this a bigger problem is that it is usually shared by both parties. If you're not taking the initiative to keep the contact regular, chances are the other party isn't either. Someone needs to take responsibility; let that be you.

• Set up Outlook or Act! or whatever scheduling software you are using to prompt you to call or visit on a regular basis


• Whenever you uncover a lead or interesting information ask,"Who else do I know that might be interested in this?"; then pass it on

Always follow up on your promises. There is a surprising number of unfulfilled promises that are made in conversation. They often escape our notice. "I'll call you with that information." "I'll send you the article." "We need to have lunch together soon." Does the other party remember? Sometimes. But even when forgotten, the insidious problem of unkept promises takes its toll. It erodes trust, compromises your integrity, weakens the relationship, and can do so without conscious thought. Be dependable. Always follow up what you promised. And don't promise what you won't deliver.

Promptly return calls and emails. We get this, don't we? Then why do so many of our "friends" in business take so long to get back to us? What message does that send? The common answer is "I was really busy." But we all know that no one is too busy to promptly respond to that important client, regulatory agency, or golf partner. Tardy responses communicate that the other party isn't that important to you, even if that's not the message you intended to send. If you really don't have time to talk, respond with a message like, "I'd really love to talk with you, but I'm covered up with work right now. If it's not urgent, could I call you back next Tuesday?"

Respect confidentialities. I'm assuming we all agree on the importance of respecting formal confidentialities. But what about the informal ones? This includes information shared with you where the expectation (often unstated) is that it wouldn't be shared with others. It also includes things you have witnessed, read, or overheard that are best kept to yourself. Sharing such privileged information or experiences not only harms the party not present; it can harm your relationship with the person you're talking to. He or she might be reluctant to share information with you for fear it will be passed on to others. And you might lose some respect in that person's eyes.

Networking isn't about sales. It's about tending to relationships. It takes time; it takes attention. But it pays back big time and for the long term, both personally and professionally. Don't neglect this critical source of sustainable success.

Raise Performance With Real-Time Coaching

A fundamental problem in our business is managers who are too busy and distracted to manage. Managers, by definition, are appointed to accomplish company and team goals through the efforts of others. They multiply their personal efforts through those they lead (see the principle of "The Time Investment"). When they instead focus on individual tasks rather than their management responsibilities, it stifles organizational performance.

To really impact performance, managers need to get involved at a level beyond the norm. They need to embrace the role of coach. Consider some of the top performers in their respective fields, people like Lance Armstrong, Julia Roberts, Robert De Niro, Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, Luciano Pavarotti, Tiger Woods. What do they have in common? They all worked with world-class coaches.

Could your firm benefit from more coaching? Absolutely. You may not have world-class coaches in your midst, but you do have people who could make a real difference if they functioned more like coaches--your managers. First, though, they have to get up from their desks, out of their offices, and interacting with the people they're supposed to be leading.

I call this role "real-time coaching," which is a redundant term, but emphasizes an important distinction. It needs to be hands-on, in-the-moment, as the work's being done. That's where learning is most effective, where encouragement and constructive criticism is most beneficial, where inspiration is most powerful. Real-time coaching also facilitates collaboration and teamwork.

If you want an example, consider a sports coach. Can you imagine your favorite team's coach giving the team instructions, disappearing into his office, then returning later to check on results? Chances are, you'd be among the majority of fans clamoring for that coach's job. Yet this is the model most common in our companies, is it not?

Successful sports coaches are noted, among other things, for their ability to develop their players. That comes through hours of focused instruction and feedback while the player is actually performing in practice the skills that will be required in the game. In our business, we don't have the benefit of practice. Everything is for real. Yet we still largely develop our staff by osmosis. We put them in the mix and trust that they'll eventually absorb the distinctive flavors of "how things get done around here."

Does it work? To a point. It brings us in line with what most in our industry are doing. But how much potential are we failing to tap?

So what do coaches do? Here's a short list of key responsibilities:

Provide real-time, on-the-job reinforcement of new skills. Classroom training has its place, but people don't learn skills passively. They have to practice them repetitiously. That process is greatly enabled when the coach is providing ongoing instruction, demonstration, feedback, and encouragement.

Help maintain focus on goals and planned actions. Multitasking is sometimes viewed as an asset, but it is more accurately defined as a dysfunction (see my post on "The Myth of Multitasking"). Coaches help staff to stay on task, to concentrate effort until the job is done, and ultimately to help them develop the skill of focus.

Help develop new habits. Habits are the cornerstone of efficiency, and a major obstacle to growth and improvement. The best way to overcome limiting habits is to develop new, desired ones to replace them. That requires sustained effort and attention, which is where an effective coach comes in.

Provide personal attention, advice, and encouragement. These are the essence of coaching. Yes, you're guiding the team, but coaches of team sports still spend a lot of time engaging people one on one. That's necessary for individuals to reach their full potential.

Offer constructive evaluations and critiques of performance and progress. This is much easier and more effective than doing it after the fact. Plus it helps you avoid the painful consequences of mistakes by catching them in the act.

Sound too time-intensive? Probably is given the way most managers allocate their time. But is there a more important management responsibility than helping others improve their productivity? Let me urge you to rethink the role, and how that time is invested. If you can take an hour helping five others double their net output, for example, is there a better way to spend your time?

Finally, some of your coaches could probably use coaches themselves. Despite the dramatic increase of executive coaching in other industries, there are very few examples of it in ours (at least that I'm familiar with). When you consider the multiplying impact of coaching, it's an option worth considering.

Selling the Relationship All the Way to the End

Ideally, you've been building a relationship with the client well before the Request for Proposal is released. Even so, now you face a test. The client's procurement process isn't all that relationship friendly. Indeed, quite the contrary. It strives to be objective, impersonal, and impartial. It seeks to level the playing field. And you won't find strength of relationship among the selection criteria.

Of course, we know the process is hardly so dispassionate. As long as people are making the decision, personal factors will always come into play. That's why relationship usually trumps the formal criteria, although the client will rarely admit it. Nonetheless, the procurement process can erode some of your relationship advantage, if you have developed one.

Think about it: Proposals and presentations typically don't show us at our best. Most technical professionals are only passable writers and presenters. The comfort level, the informal human connection we forged with the client earlier is now temporarily subjugated to a rather artificial posturing. Real communication is compromised in favor of a formal exchange of pre-rehearsed facts and claims often devoid of the humanness that fosters relationship building.

Several years ago, I had something of a revelation about this. I was sitting around the table with my colleagues brainstorming our strategy for an upcoming proposal. Wow, I thought, these guys really understand this project. I can't imagine that anyone else is better qualified. If the client were in the room right now, we'd win this job hands down. But when they tried to translate their insights and enthusiasm into writing, something was missing. Happened every time. Same thing in shortlist presentations. Have you noticed that trend in your firm?

So I set about trying to figure out how to preserve the relationship advantage in the procurement process. How could I capture the essence of what I witnessed in those brainstorming sessions? Or in the meetings with the client before the RFP came out? Following are some strategies that have served me well over the years:

Proposals

Keep the focus on the client. One of the greatest dangers in the procurement process is the temptation to shift the focus from the client to your firm. After all, doesn't the RFP ask for it? Don't fall into that trap. Of course, you need to be fully responsive to the client's request for qualifications information. But direct most of the attention in your proposal to the client's needs, goals, and priorities.

Address the working relationship. The client's perception of comfort and how well they'll be served by your firm is a huge selection factor, whether it's mentioned in the RFP or not. So capitalize on that fact by doing something most of your competitors won't: Talk about how you're going to ensure a good working relationship and serve the client well. Hopefully, you uncovered the client's service expectations during the sales process. But even if you haven't, don't ignore this important point of differentiation.

Use personal language written in a conversational tone. Most technical professionals write in a different language than they speak. It's stuffy, wordy, often unclear. It's absent personal pronouns such as "you" and "we." To avoid defaulting to what I call "technicalese," I advise visualizing your audience when writing. Imagine you're communicating directly to that person (or persons, hopefully) with whom you've been building a relationship because, well--you are!

Refer to earlier discussions with the client. For some reason, many proposals make no reference to previous conversations with the client. That's a mistake. These conversations give you distinct insight into what the client is thinking. They provide a solid foundation for a compelling proposal. Build on them. Plus mentioning your previous discussions with the client reinforces the relationship that you have been nurturing.

Share your thought process. Another strange omission that I've seen in many proposals is a reluctance to share ideas. I've even seen my colleagues withhold suggestions that they've previously made to clients in conversation. Why? The usual answer I get is something like, "Well, I need more information before I put it in writing." Sharing insights, ideas, and possible alternatives in your proposal doesn't commit you to anything. And I've learned from clients that they value your thinking as they're trying to identify the best solution (which includes picking the right firm).

Shortlist Interview

Incorporate dialogue into your presentation. Most technical professionals struggle to come across as authentic when asked to make a formal presentation. It's even more a problem, in my experience, in a smaller room with few people in the audience. It's unnatural. So why not talk with them instead of at them? I started merging conversation into shortlist presentations almost 20 years ago, and the strategy has been quite successful. Here's how: First, ask for permission to take this approach (the teams I've coached have only been denied once in all those years). Then preface key transitions in your presentation with a question or two of the client.

This invites more interaction, puts everyone more at ease, and helps keep your presentation on target. Of course, the downside is that you need to be willing to adjust your presentation to respond to audience input. But that's the nature of conversation, which is far more relationship friendly than one-way presentations.

Put your interview team in roles to succeed. Don't feel a compulsion to have everyone on your team make a presentation. Multiple speakers in a short presentation is awkward anyway, and some people are just plain awkward doing it. So ask them questions instead. Try to recreate some of the creative energy you witnessed in that earlier brainstorming session: "Jim, when we were talking about this earlier, you thought we could substantially improve air flow with an innovative design. Could you share those ideas with the group?"

Again, talk about the working relationship. This is even more effective when you can discuss this topic in person. I have been involved in major procurements where the client noted that our firm was the only one to talk about how we were going to serve them better. We outlined it in a specific service delivery process. One client, a major airline, said, "This is precisely the reason those other firms aren't working for us anymore. Why isn't anyone else talking about this?" How about your firm?

Tell the client how much you want to work with them. A study funded by SMPS a few years ago found that clients tended to favor the firm that seemed most interested in working with them in the interview. They noted how most firms tended to focus on the technical aspects of the project or their qualifications and failed to connect at a personal level. Very few, they said, simply asked for the job. Don't be afraid to express how much the project would mean to your firm, or to state how much you value the opportunity to work with the client. It can make a difference.

There are other strategies, of course, for continuing to build the relationship during the procurement process. I encourage you to share some that have worked for you. The main point is: Don't let the formal process throw you off the relationship focus. Regardless what the RFP or interview instructions may say, it's still the primary point of differentiation in most situations.

Too Smart to Listen?

How can something so easy be so hard? This world is filled with people longing to be heard, but there are very few willing or able to truly listen. Shut mouth, open ears. Is that really so difficult? Obviously yes.

We've all heard of the manifold benefits of listening. It is the key that unlocks the deeper dimensions of human interaction. When we really listen, it indicates we care. That is fundamental to creating trust. Listening enables understanding, empathy, intimacy. It completes the communication process that connects people to people. It builds and strengthens relationships.

In the business world, listening positions us to better serve our customers. It illuminates their needs, concerns, priorities, and aspirations. It shapes our value proposition. It informs our strategy, validates our performance, guides our work processes. Great listening skills define effective leaders. Great workplaces arise in companies that listen to their employees.

We know this. So why is it so hard to do? Why are all the benefits of better listening just beyond our reach? Most of us have all the necessary equipment (ears); we just can't seem to turn it on. Or turn up the volume. There's something blocking us. It's us.

Ego and expertise combine to erect a formidable barrier to listening. The first step to becoming a better listener is to simply care what the other person has to say. Sounds easy, but self-interest gets in the way. It's been noted that most folks engage in two primary activities when in conversation: (1) talking and (2) thinking about what they're going to say next. (And just enough listening to formulate the next point they want to make.) Ouch! Guilty as charged.

Having something to say is also a problem. Most of us "experts" are just bursting to share what we know. Years ago I sold environmental services. Having come from the civil engineering field, I had limited knowledge of what I was selling. So I learned to ask good questions and listen carefully. Given the success I had, I surmised that I had developed into an effective listener.

Not so. If my interactions at home weren't evidence enough, I started my own consulting practice. Now I was selling my expertise, not someone else's. I had a wealth of exerience and collected insights to share. Obviously, I wanted to be perceived as being smart. So I opened my mouth--too much, in my opinion. And my previously strong listening skills were suddenly missing in action.

Ego and expertise; do you have these by chance? So how's your listening?

Something I've noticed over the years: Most of the wisest people I've ever met were good listeners. Their wisdom was evident in the questions they asked, and their measured responses. They didn't need to say much to show how much they knew. Because they listened so well, their comments tended to be right on the mark. Delivered with pinpoint, rifle-shot accuracy, not the usual shotgun dispersion of facts and opinions. They connected with their target audience because they knew them so well, and seemed to genuinely care about them. They listened.

Doesn't that sound like the profile of a great consultant, engineer, architect, manager, or business developer? Shut mouth, open ears. Ask good questions, then really listen. Shouldn't be that hard, but it is for most of us.

Maybe we need some practice. Let me suggest an exercise, one that I too seldom draw upon. In your next conversation, try to center your focus on the other party. I mean, really focus on that person. Make listening, not talking, the priority. Don't let your mind wander to what you'd like to say, or what you think about what is being said. Just listen. Take your time, don't rush to fill any dead air, formulate questions with some forethought.

The goal is to develop your capacity for extrospection. That's defined as a "habitual interest in or examination of matters outside oneself." Sure, there is intrinsic value in putting others before self. But there are also substantial personal and professional rewards for becoming a great listener, for being extrospective. Considering the payoffs for all parties, it's just plain smart.

Go After the Inarticulate Need

Clients may be spending less, but they are still looking for solutions. The question is: Are you offering the solutions they're looking for? There may be high-margin, sole-source work right under your nose. But your clients aren't asking you to provide these services. In fact, they might not even know what to ask for. It's the golden opportunity of the inarticulate need.

One of the classic examples was the introduction of the minivan. Hal Sperlich, who championed the idea, initially approached his employer Ford about it. They declined, in part because they lacked market data showing that people were looking for such a vehicle. Sperlich ended up at Chrysler, which was willing to take the chance--and the minivan was largely credited with reviving that troubled company. Now Chrysler is back in distress, lacking that untapped opportunity that saved them in the 1980s.

Undoubtedly your clients have needs that they don't fully understand. To a large degree, problems are defined by the available solutions. Several years ago, everyone recognized the need for better treatment technologies. Then some began to focus on revising upstream processes and inputs to reduce the need for treatment. Later, the emphasis shifted to reevaluating treatment standards in light of actual risk, particularly with regard to hazardous wastes.

With each development in thinking, the inarticulate need surfaced and the market responded with a new set of services. As the client came to better understand the need, and as the number of solution providers increased, the value of those services generally declined. But inevitably someone would uncover another unrecognized need, and the industry would go through another cycle of invigoration as new services emerged in response.

The current recession has shaken the business world and created new challenges that may not be fully understood, or even acknowledged yet. This opens new possibilities for your firm, if you're willing to venture outside the box. Uncovering your clients' inarticulate needs isn't easy, but it can be immensely rewarding. Some suggestions:

Don't be a hammer in search of a nail. The typical sales approach focuses on finding opportunities for existing services. Thus it biases your investigation of client needs. If you really want to understand the client's issues, especially inarticulate ones, you must probe for problems outside the realm of your normal services.

Ask feeling questions. The inarticulate need is often first manifested in emotions. The client may feel frustrated, perplexed, discouraged, overwhelmed, resigned--and not have yet connected those feelings to the root cause. Unearthing that connection doesn't necessarily require expertise in psychology, just a willingness to ask good questions and listen carefully. So once you've explored the more objective issues with the client, carefully pose questions about how he or she feels about the situation. The emotional context can help you better define what the real issues are. Plus those feelings can create a greater sense of urgency to do something about the problem.

Brainstorm with the client. The beauty of brainstorming is the freedom to generate ideas uncritically. Often the inarticulate need is hidden by "the way we've always done things." Your role is to help the client escape limited thinking and explore new perspectives. Again, you need to avoid limiting the alternatives considered to only those matching your expertise. If you need additional expertise to fully address the client's needs, pull it from elsewhere in your firm or partner with another firm.

Examine the less obvious impacts of change. We are all interested in how current economic, political, and technological changes affect our business. A better question is how these changes impact our clients. Help your client anticipate the new needs and opportunities that will result from the new realities we face. Better still, look for the hidden impacts, those that your competitors are missing. This involves looking beyond technical issues and examining the associated consequences of those issues. It is those consequences that often present the greatest challenges to our clients, and addressing them may not require venturing as far from your core competencies as you might imagine.