Sarah Breymeier
We all know how tough it is to make a sale on an exhibit hall floor… but remember that sales aren’t the only stat that counts when it comes to conversions. A conversion could be something as simple as “closing” on acquiring an email address.
Ultimately, though, we want that sale to hit the revenue report, right?
Another thing we all know is how difficult it is to close a sale AFTER show. Once DPMs get back to their offices and the day-to-day sets in, the harder it is to get them to pay attention to a post-show email/offer… and getting past Suzie-Gatekeeper at the front desk is harder than getting into the Oval Office.
One aspect of DPM contact is the glorious cell phone number. As a sales and/or marketing rep, this is sacred ground. We have to be extremely respectful of cell phone numbers because unlike an email or a phone call to the office – it really is one of the most personal aspects of our lives. But that doesn’t mean it’s off limits!
We were recently engaged in a conversation with one of our sponsors who told us that they were doing a promotion at the meeting that required the DPM to text a key word to the rep’s cell phone. Once they texted the word, the DPM would have access to various resources and automatically win an Amazon gift card. If I remember correctly, there were different price points at which the Amazon gift card was “won; so if the DPM texted, he/she knew that a $5 gift was in guaranteed, but that a $100 gift was also possible!
So what does this do? It gives the rep immediate contact access to the doc. DPMs might not be checking their emails during a conference if you email them after a great on-site conversation, but they are definitely checking their text messages!
But – let’s not ruin this brilliant tactic by bombarding. If you know you have a solid sales lead during a show and the doc has opted-in to a texting promotion, I say it’s OK to text them once or twice during the meeting to encourage them to back to the show and ensure they get the best deal before the end of the week. This is a great way to increase your sales conversions on site before the dreaded post-show sales process ensues.
But, be respectful when we all go home. Be sure to ask if it is OK to send text messages after the meeting if a special offer comes up that you don’t want them to miss. Ultimately, use common sense and put yourself in the DPM’s shoes. You know you would get pretty frustrated if you were being solicited all the time by a rep via text, but you also know you would be appreciative if something you’re truly interested in comes to you personally.
So be open to trying this idea, but be smart when it comes to cell phone etiquette!