The 2008 Global Pet Expo is only three weeks away in beautiful San Diego, California. Are you ready? If there answer is no, there is still time to generate some buzz about your product/service.
Email Prospects
One of the easiest ways to gain attention from prospects is to send them an email about the benefits of your product/service and invite them to your booth for a demonstration. This married with a special incentive will help drive customers to your booth. What would be a good incentive? A percentage off the total cost, free shipping, buy a dozen and get one free, or buy this product/service and we’ll donate a portion of the proceeds to the AA Animal Rescue.
Phone Prospects
I know there are a lot of people in the business world who don’t like “cold calling”. I happen to be one of them. It helps me to try to think of “cold calling” as phone introductions so I’m not as nervous on the phone. I also have a phone script handy, describing the benefits of my service in succinct bullet points so as not to waste their time. I conclude with a question to determine if they’re in need of my service and if so, I schedule a follow-up appointment. You accomplish the same task by concluding the conversation with an invitation to your booth and a promise. That promise can take the form of a giveaway and/or more information, whichever fits your customer’s need(s).
To leave a message or not to leave a message
The task of actually talking to your prospect can sometimes be daunting. Everyone’s day is filled with meetings, unscheduled tasks and phone calls. If you can’t reach your target, leave a short message on the voice mail. I believe once a week is sufficient without annoying the person. You don’t want to stalk the person, just let them know you have something they might be interested in for their company.
So, get out there and hook people into visiting your booth at “The Show”!
About the Author
Dara is a brand identity and marketing design strategist at 7 Lucky Dogs, a leading consultancy in marketing to “pet parents”. Through customized marketing and brand identity packages, 7 Lucky Dogs helps you discover what makes your company, product or service different from your competitors. We then translate this differentiation visually into a logo, product packaging, an E-commerce site and promotional materials to reflect those unique attributes. We make our clients look credible and memorable to their prospects while they increase their bottom line. As the owner of 7 Lucky Dogs, Dara is passionate about helping independent pet businesses stand out in front of their competitors and attract more clients. She blends business smarts with creativity with over ten years of design experience with formal education in both graphic design and marketing.
