Home Show Guide - Enertech Global

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Home Show. Guide. Enertech Global .... And that's just advertising, which we all know is just one small part of ..... be
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Home Show Guide

Table of Contents Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Why Home Shows..........................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Getting Started: It begins with a plan...........................................................................................................................................................4 Timeline.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Do’s and Don’ts...................................................................................................................................................................................................................6 Perfecting your Approach.......................................................................................................................................................................................8 Developing your Referral Network.................................................................................................................................................................8 Utilizing Social Media....................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Think Before you Tweet, Post, and Share...................................................................................................................................................9 We’re Here for You.......................................................................................................................................................................................................10

With home shows, preparation is your best friend.”

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4 Introduction: Are you ready for home show season? Come December, you’re likely filling up your schedule for the year, selecting the right shows that will give you the biggest bang for your marketing bucks. But, how do you get the most out of this exciting opportunity? How does working home shows align itself with your overall marketing strategy? And more importantly, how does this support your business strategy? Here’s the thing—You could work every home show in your area, talk to hundreds of people about geothermal heating and cooling, but if you don’t have a plan going in with a focused goal, you’re missing out on major growth potential for your business. That’s what we’ll be tackling in our Home Show Guide. Everything from planning to execution, we’re sharing the info you need to foster more leads and make more sales by working home shows. Let’s get started!

Why Home Shows? There are many avenues you could take to promote your business, and we’ve found those that take a balanced approach to their marketing efforts are the most successful.

That means you’re spending marketing dollars in several areas that make the most sense for your region (i.e. Advertising, Public Relations, Events, etc). When used in combination, it can be quite effective. Even finding balance in just advertising will make a difference for your company. For example: Whether that’s a combination of billboards and direct mail or ads in the local paper and on television, marketing is a long-term investment that takes patience. Running one ad in a paper won’t have people flooding your business. But, running a series of ads in your local paper for several months will give you the brand recognition needed to see results. And that’s just advertising, which we all know is just one small part of marketing. So now that you have brand recognition taking place through advertising, events can be a catalyst to reap the rewards. In fact, home shows when part of a larger strategy can be extremely successful for the dealer and are the number one lead generation tool available. Think about it. Home shows put you in front of a large audience of people who are interested in your products. They wouldn’t be at a home show if they weren’t at the very least thinking about a future project. And, there’s very little competition for you there. It’s easy to position yourself as their

local geothermal expert for very little time and expense. Now, let’s look at how you maximize your home show experience.

Types of Home Shows you should consider: Home and Garden Shows Electric Co-ops Annual Meetings Fall Home Shows Farm Shows County Fair Other Community Fairs or Festivals

Getting Started: It begins with a plan With home shows, preparation is your best friend. In fact, having a well thought-out system in place will help you focus and be more successful. First, be sure to go through your vendor packet from the event. They’ll have important deadlines that you’ll need to make sure you don’t miss. An easy way to do this is to start your own show binder, where you can store everything in a single location. This should include your

Home Show Guide vendor contract for the show, any notices you receive, and even a budgeting spreadsheet like this one here. Here are a few basics about booth planning:

pipe, coils, coax, filter, and other visual aids

opportunities, and appealing to the right interested customer.

Literature request forms for capturing leads

1 Month:

At least a 10’ x 10’ booth is required

A small supply of literature

An 8’ x 10’ wide backdrop is preferred

Business cards

A 2’ x 5’ table top display is also acceptable

Consider offering a show special for those who make a purchase decision

A 2’ x 6’ table with drape is preferred If you must have a chair, make sure it is a high back or director chair for eye level communication Now that you have the basics, let’s make it even better. One of the most important things about working home shows is your booth has to invite people in for a closer look. Take time to really think about this. It can make or break your show. Everything from the look of your booth to even the clothes you’re wearing needs to be carefully planned. Here are a few things for you to consider adding to your booth: Warm, inviting plants Carpeted floor Album of satisfied customers with before, during and after installation pictures Copies of testimonials Salesman tool kit with samples of fusions,

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Volunteer to be a speaker if offered Advertise in the show program to add visibility for your company

Timeline: 4 months: Get signed up. When you commit to a show early, you’ll be able to select optimal booth placement with the show organizers. It’s like the saying, “The early bird gets the worm…” It’s the same for tradeshows. Be early and take advantage of that prime real estate. Tip: Consider establishing a recurring booth with the show organizers. When you book in advance, you may even be eligible for show discounts. Check with show organizers for early sign up specials. Also – Try to position yourself beside energy saving products or services such as cellulose, foam vendors and even electric companies for increased marketplace credibility, great networking

Order your show materials, including literature, and put together your album of satisfied customers with testimonials. Depending on the size of your show, be generous in estimating what you need. We suggest starting with the following: 50 Homeowners Guide to Geothermal brochures, 50 tax credit brochures, 10 DVDs, and at least 4 packs of lead forms. Tip: Lead forms are your most important piece - Have more than you think necessary.

A Few Weeks: Establish an objective and goals

prior to your event, and write them down. To be successful, you need to be honest about what you’re wanting out of the event. Make sure you and your team are on the same page, and figure out a way to make sure you meet your goals. You might consider thinking about it in terms of leads. How many leads would you like to have for the total show? Then divide that by the number of hours you’ll be at the show. This will provide you with a number per hour to help you focus.

1 Week: Pack for the show.

Don’t wait until the last minute. When you rush, you’re likely to forget important materials.

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6 individuals who just simply don’t understand it. Make sure they’re comfortable with the process before you present the equipment. As you know, the equipment will only function as well as it is installed. Sell yourself first, share the technology second, and then the equipment for optimal success.

can, allowing them to ask questions. From the conversation, you’ll be able to tell whether sending them home with literature will be helpful. However, your first goal should be to have them fill out the literature request form. That way, you have their information captured after the show for a follow-up.

Take into account your audience

Avoid using gimmicks within your booth

Once the show has concluded, revisit your original objective and goals. Did you meet them? What could you have done differently to have more success? It’s a good idea to create a short debriefing of the event, specifically describing what methods were most successful for you. That way, when you attend the event the following year, you’ll know exactly how to create even more success for your business by continuing to learn from your experience.

When talking to a homeowner, be sure to listen first, ask questions second, and offer solutions third. Your typical homeowner will not understand jargon, so don’t spend time trying to impress them with your terminology. Put it into words that they will understand, specifically pointing to solutions that address their needs and desires. When you appeal to what they’re asking in a way that they understand, you’ll be able to connect with the homeowner as a professional who is looking after their needs.

While gimmicks can be helpful to increase traffic in your booth, you’re giving up quality for quantity. If you have limited staff, sorting through mass quantities of leads is very time consuming for very little gain. Maximize your time by qualifying your leads first, and that means no gimmicks. Spend time with show attendees who are interested in your product, so you can concentrate on closing the sale.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do not hand out product literature unless absolutely necessary

For every conversation that ends with a literature request form, be sure to assign them a category. A simple way to do this is to simply mark them as cold, warm or hot. Cold means they are least likely to purchase geothermal with hot being they are very interested in purchasing. When you get home from the show, start with your hot leads first.

A few days: Meet with your sales team who

will be working the show. Walk through how you want your booth set up, the approach that you’ll take with show attendees, and even work out a system for breaks if you have enough people. Home shows are a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure you allow yourself time to stay fresh for attendees

After the Show:

Promote your company first, geothermal technology second, and your equipment third When you approach a homeowner, they have to be comfortable with you first. If they don’t trust your company, then the technology and equipment you sell won’t matter. Also, even though geothermal heating and cooling is becoming more popular, there are still many

This may seem a bit unorthodox. After all, you’ve seen the amount of materials that companies hand out during trade shows. But, our product is a bit different. This is a major purchase decision, and many times consumers need to be educated on the product. Be sure to talk with everyone you

Do categorize your leads by making notes on your literature request form sheets

Home Show Guide Do follow-up within one week of the show For all your leads, and especially for your hot leads, don’t wait too long to follow-up with them. Any later than a week after the show, and you’ll be further from your homeowner’s mind. Take advantage of the connection you made at the show and begin building a relationship with them.

Advertise your company in the home show program and in local media prior to the event. Anything you can do to increase your visibility to program attendees is a good thing. That way, when an attendee passes by your booth you’re already familiar to them. Now, you simply have to take the time to build on that foundation.

Do volunteer to be a guest speaker at home show seminars Just like in advertising, this is one more way to increase your visibility with attendees, and you’ll be able to educate consumers on a larger scale. We recommend utilizing the “Geothermal 101” presentation. This will give an interesting introduction to attendees and set the tone for you to have meaningful conversations at your booth.

Never put a table in front of your booth If you need a table in your booth, be sure to

put it off to the side. When you have it in front, you’re blocking entry into your booth. Keep it open and inviting for attendees to come in and check out your displays.

Always have a positive attitude and be enthusiastic As a sales person, customers have to know that you believe in your product. Without enthusiasm, that’s next to impossible. Allow your passion for geothermal and your company to shine through by being excited. When you do that, others will see that and be more likely to want to learn more from you.

Do have a professional appearance Be sure to dress appropriately and think about matching with those who are working your booth with you. Whether that’s a company dress shirt or polo, make sure your attire is not a topic of conversation. Think about it. When you are dressed appropriately, you’re eliminating that as a topic of conversation. The last thing you want a potential customer leaving your booth thinking about is what you were wearing. Make sure they’re discussing the great insight you just shared, how affordable your product really is, and the passion and professionalism you exuded throughout the conversation.

7 Always remember why you are there With all home shows, there will likely be downtime at your booth. Even so, always maintain a warm and inviting presence and never let your guard down. You may be tempted to read a newspaper or even eat within your booth, but refrain from doing so. Also, if you have to use your phone, step out of the booth. If you need a break, have someone cover your spot while you recharge. The entire reason you are at the home show is to meet homeowners and share your products and services. Keep that first and foremost at all times, and make the most of any downtime by tidying your booth or by reviewing leads.

Utilize Enertech’s existing programs and resources for home show needs At Enertech, we offer a plethora of resources to help you outfit your booth accordingly. From banner stands to logoed apparel, we have everything you need right at your fingertips. Contact your sales manager for details about ordering materials to take your booth from great to extraordinary!

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8 Perfecting your approach: An elevator pitch is not the answer You might be thinking, “No elevator pitch?” That’s right. While as a salesperson, you probably like the comfort of a script to follow, but take a minute to think about it from the customer’s point of view. Do you think they really like to hear a sales pitch? In today’s world, the customer is savvy, and they’re likely to see right through your ultimate sales pitch. Now, if you have one that is working for you, by no means should you change it. But, we’d argue that your “elevator pitch” is probably less of a sales pitch and more of a conversation. Here’s a formula for you to follow to help you perfect your “conversation” with homeowners.

Share one intriguing fact about geothermal heating and cooling A great bonus of being in geothermal is that there are so many benefits you can talk about with homeowners. However, that doesn’t mean that you should talk about every one of them in your first meeting. Don’t

overwhelm them with the facts. Pick one or two benefits instead of cramming every last detail about our amazing products down their throat. And, remember to sell the benefit, not the feature (i.e. Feature: Free hot water; Benefit: Saves the homeowner money).

Showcase what you do If they seem interested, elaborate on that benefit and share how your business has helped others. In fact, this is the perfect opportunity to share a testimonial from a happy customer. (i.e. “Suzie just installed geothermal, and she’s saving around 40% on her utility bills.”)

Move it forward It’s likely been about 30-40 seconds. Now, see what it is that intrigues them by asking an open-ended question. Something as simple as, “Sounds like you find this technology interesting… if you don’t mind, what part has you so intrigued?”

Ask to show them more Now that you know what interests them, go for it. Talk to them about scheduling a free energy analysis,

and get them on the calendar right then. If they’re not quite comfortable with that, go to plan b. Ask to send them more information regarding geothermal by filling out a lead form. Easy, right? Remember – Practice makes perfect. Continue to refine your own technique until you find the one that is perfectly you.

Developing your referral network: Follow-up! There is a very scary statistic out there that suggests 80% of leads generated for a business are never followed-up on by a sales person. Now, if you’re going to go to all the trouble of generating leads at a home show, why would you not follow up with them? We think that sounds a bit crazy, too, but it happens all the time. To make sure that you don’t fall into this statistic, develop a plan now. After all, when you have a plan in place, all that’s left to do is follow the plan. That’s the easy part. So, let’s get to it… There are many different avenues that you could take. For instance, you could choose to set up an open house for no more than

Home Show Guide 3 weeks from the close of the show. This is an immediate opportunity for interested parties to see the quality product and professional service that you are offering. To further promote your event, consider having a one-page flier at your booth with the location, date and time of your open house event. Furthermore, if you can cosponsor your event with a local utility, you’ll garner increased credibility and consumer confidence.

Customize the letter to fit your own unique business style.

Inviting your prospects to see a live installation is a great follow-up and one that works quite well. Consider sending a reminder card to the homeowners that expressed interest, too.

Even if you don’t have a CRM tool available to track those results, use resources you already have available to you. For example, you can use a spreadsheet like this one here.

The great thing is that there isn’t one right way to follow up after an event. Whether you want to send a packet of information, invite people to another event, or even just a quick phone call to set up a free energy analysis, you can’t be wrong. You just have to find the technique that works well for you. Try different things, and track your results.

Remember to only post original content. Don’t copy and paste other’s content without giving credit where credit is due. And always remember the following: Everything you do, say, and post

Get to work making a follow-up plan now, and stick to it after your event.

Utilizing Social Media With the popularity of social media today, being on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn can be an added bonus in building your business, and it’s especially helpful at home shows. So, let’s start with breaking down what social media actually is. The technical definition: Social media refers to the interactions of people where they create, share, exchange and comment among themselves in virtual communities and networks. That’s a fancy way of describing people talking. And, you know how to talk to people, right? In Social Media, the same principles you apply in a face-to-face meeting are the same on social networking sites. It just happens to take place in the digital space. The beauty of

You can also send an event follow-up kit to each lead. Your kit should include the Homeowners Guide to Geothermal, a tax credit brochure, DVD and thank you letter. Here’s a sample of a thank you letter.

Word to the Wise: Think before you Tweet, Post, and Share

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on your social media pages will reflect on how your customers view you. Before every post, run through this quick test. Would you tweet this to yourself? Would you tweet this to your Mom? Would you tweet this to your boss?

If the answer is yes to these three questions, it’s ok to post. If you answer no to any of these, don’t post it. It’s that simple. Keep your messages clear, concise and conversational. Have fun, and always remember to be yourself. Social Media is one space where people want to see the real you. It’s not just a sales pitch; it’s a conversation.

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10 this is that you can literally connect to anyone without concern for geographic location. If you can’t physically have a face-to-face meeting, you have the tools to communicate anyway. But, you have to remember that social media is just a tool. Albeit, a very powerful tool… Always keep in mind that sales and marketing is about developing the personal connection, and you have to do the same thing on social media. Posting a link to your website on your Facebook page does not mean you’re going to see an explosive growth in traffic from your friends. You need to talk with them about it. You could compare posting links to cold calling. While you’ll receive some business, it shouldn’t be your only strategy. Think outside the box. What kind of content would you like to see? If you’re at a home show, take pictures at the show and post them to your page. Let everyone know what you’re doing, and start those conversations. Also, utilize Enertech’s social media, too. If you’re on Twitter, tweet us. We’ll engage with you and help you start those conversations. You can find us on the following social networks. Follow us, like us, and share our posts, too. We’ll do the same for you.

We’re here for you…Every step of the way One of the great things about being with Enertech Global is that you’re never alone. We’re always right here to help support you and your business. Talk to your sales team manager, call our support teams, and let us help you. We understand marketing and the challenges in selling our products. And, we also have solutions to help you be successful.

Click to Download Resource Files

Sales Lead Template

Develop your marketing plan for this year, and look at incorporating home shows into your marketing mix. You’ll be glad you did!

Home Show Event Budget Template

Follow Up Letter Template