SEPI Marketing VP Discusses Keys Of Networking, Perspective & Respect In Pursuing Success
Carlene Morris, Vice President at SEPI Marketing Inc., understands the inner workings of building rapport and fostering relationships when it comes to industry trade shows. Having attended at least 10 trade shows a year for the last 30 years, these events are now second nature to Morris who recently sat down with The Buzz for an insider’s guide on attending trade shows with class.
The Buzz: Attending a trade show can be fun and exciting, but there’s also a significant amount of background preparation and planning. What kind of expectations should companies have going into the show?
Carlene Morris: Well, you have to remember that the first year you go to a show you have to earn respect. You can’t just pop in there and think that you’re going to get their full attention the first year, because you’re not. [Trade shows] see a lot of people come and go; [so] you have to be able to give it some time and earn the respect. It’s really just going in and building relationships.
The Buzz: Strong relationships seem to play a large role in the final buying decisions. How do new attendees go about earning that respect and building a reputation for themselves over the more veteran attendees?
Carlene Morris: It’s very important to do your research and make sure that you’re educated as far as who’s attending. If you can get the list of who’s attending [before hand], even better. Be prepared to answer their questions and have total product knowledge of what you’re doing….[as well as] knowledge of them. You’re spending money to go to these shows, and you’re looking for business [so] be prepared and get the most information you can before you leave.
[Also] a lot of our customers go to several different shows…not just one. Our company feels like we have to have the same people attend all of the shows because once you’ve built that respect and people know you, [then] they’re going to remember you. And if you build a rapport with them [you’ll] get them as a customer. You might not get them for a few years, but one day they’ll be your customer. The biggest mistake you can make is to [talk to a current] customer, and you not know them. You’re going to lose that customer.
The Buzz: Knowing the key players of a trade show can really make a difference in the overall experience.
That, to me, is very important in anything you do. If you do everything right…do the professional thing and have all your ducks in a row…that person’s job is so much easier. And if they’re [helping] put it on, they know somebody…and you’ll have a good contact in the future. You just make long- term friends at these [events]. If you do 10-12 shows a year, you’re going to see that vendor pop back in at least eight of them…so you’re going to build relationships in a lot of ways.
The Buzz: One of the key elements of trade shows is the intermingling that takes place after the show and off the clock. What are some best practices for a more casual setting?
Carlene Morris: When you’re not in the show, and you’re just out eating or socializing, you have to be careful there too because people are watching. If you drink, be a casual drinker. Don’t get drunk. Because, guess what, there’s somebody watching you. And you also build a lot of rapport in those casual atmospheres. They’ve seen you in the vendor hall, and now they’re looking at you somewhere else. You’re going to intermingle a lot and [customers are deciding] whether they like you or they don’t like you…It’s very important.
The Buzz: Knowing your experience and success in the industry, what are some of the biggest networking secrets and trade show insights you’ve sustained over the years?
Carlene Morris: Be friendly, be professional [and] have patience. That’s it. We worked with [a company] that took us five years to get. [That’s] five times of going to the [same] convention before we [received] any attention, and now it’s really big for us. So, you just have to be patient and know that, if you do the right thing, success will come. Don’t give up.
[Second] know what you’re doing and know that you’ve got the best product…be excited about it. If you’re not excited about what you’re offering, they’re not going to be excited about it either. One day, they’re going to need your services [so] don’t be uncomfortable and pushy. When you finally build respect, and they [see you’re] the real thing, then everything works for you.
And, again, remember someone is always watching.
Jannie Schaffer
A graduate of the Fashion Institute Of Technology in New York City with a degree in Interactive Marketing, Jannie has worked both for FOX and ASA Electronics. She enjoys traveling and whitewater rafting.
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