NAPP JanFeb

GOING TO CONVENTION?
“MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT”
It’s convention time again -
of accountability. the same clothing store if they always carried
whoopee! Time to greet old
the same clothing. Sooner or later your wife
The next objective is to pick up at least one
friends, party a little, or per-
would go elsewhere even though she liked the
new marketing idea. Marketing ideas are really
haps a lot, play a little golf,
store, the employees and consistent customer
Thomas
neat because they work. As a matter of fact,
do some shopping with the
service. Bottom line - she is bored. She wants
nearly all marketing ideas produce fruit - if
Grandy wife, see a few sites. Last,
to buy something new, and you know what.
they are carried out. Most of us could name at
but not least, sign up for the
She will shop till she ﬁ nds it. Your current
least ﬁ ve things we could do in our business,
ﬁ nal banquet so you can ﬁ nd out who was elect-
customer base is the same way. They want to
from a marketing standpoint, that would in-
ed contractor of the year and who next year’s
replace old ﬁ xtures with the latest thing on the
crease our sales. If I asked you to list them you
president will be. Sound familiar? It does to a
market. They want new, high efﬁ ciency water
could. That’s the good news. The bad news is
lot of contractors. Just one big party that can
heaters and much, much more. If you don’t of-
we never get around to doing them! We get
be written off on your taxes - right? Now there
fer it to them they will shop somewhere else
busy, it costs to much, don’t have enough time
is nothing wrong with having a good time and
until they ﬁ nd it. Look for that “new” item at
or some other excuse comes up and it never
seeing old friends but when you are investing
the trade show and then introduce it to your
gets done. This year pick up a new idea and do
at least $1,000 to $2,000 wouldn’t it great to
current customer base with a direct mail piece
it. As sales increase, you can then look back
have something to show for it? This year why
with a coupon attached. Opps, that was a mar-
and say to yourself, “My business grew be-
not try something different. Why not approach
keting idea wasn’t it - sorry! Anyway, attend
cause I attended last years convention and put
convention with a desire to take something
the trade show this year and take that new
my new marketing idea to use”.
home with you that will help you to become
product literature home with you. It might just
more efﬁ cient, better organized, or at least a lit-
Our third objective involves attending the trade increase your bottom line a bit!
tle more proﬁ table. After all, if you were going
show. Did you every ask yourself what the real
Our fourth objective is a bit more fun. Meet
to spend $2,000 on training your employees,
purpose of the trade show is - from the conven-
someone new. Old friends are great and we
or purchasing equipment, you would expect a
tion designers point of view. Some think it’s
want to keep those relationships. However, be-
return on your investment. If you simply put it
simply a way to ﬁ ll several hours of the con-
tween sessions, at the trade show, in the halls,
in the bank you would earn something. Let’s
vention schedule. That is partly true. Others
during breakfast or seminar break, look for that
approach this years convention with the spe-
believe the trade show is a way to get manufac-
person who seems to be all alone. Introduce
ciﬁ c objective of making your business more
turers and distributors to offset part of the con-
yourself. Ask them about their company, how
proﬁ table. Promise yourself this year you will
ventions cost by underwriting the convention
they got started, what they offer their custom-
return home having accomplished ﬁ ve speciﬁ c
with the booth rentals and hopefully sponsor-
ers and how. Don’t talk, listen. The best con-
objectives.
ing one of those parties we all love to attend.
versationalist I ever knew was one that listened
That is also partly true. Wives sometimes see it
Objective number one. Return home with at
and asked me questions about myself. Lots
as a way to keep the kids busy for several hours
least one new business idea. Not three, not sev-
of people are shy and feel uneasy in crowds.
going from booth to booth picking up freebies.
en and not ﬁ fteen new business ideas but one.
Make them feel welcome. Let them know you
Lastly, however, contractors themselves often
Why one? If you come home with lots of things
care. You never know, that new relationship
view the trade show as a necessary evil to at-
to do what happens. Nothing. Right, noth-
might just be the source of your new business,
tend because they are expected to show up.
ing. You try to do so many things that nothing
or marketing, idea!
The countenance on many contractors faces as
gets done. Attend the seminars and listen, take
they stroll the aisles reminds me of the bum- Last, but not least, relax. You have worked hard
notes and ask questions. Make long lists of
per sticker that says “I’d rather be sailing”. all year. Many spend 50, 60, 70 hours a week
some great business building ideas but on that
Do you know why the trade show was really or more running their businesses. Take some
long plane ride home take a really good look at
placed in the overall program by the conven- time to smell the ﬂ owers. If your not sure you
your list and narrow it down to one thing you
tion designer? It was put there to introduce can afford to take your wife to convention let
will actually put into practice when you get
you, the contractor, to all the new products that me help you make that decision - TAKE HER.
back. Be able to look back six months later and
have been designed for your industry over the Who is it that keeps the ofﬁ ce running for you
say to yourself “My business is different be-
past year. That’s right, the show is designed for and encourages you when business is down?
cause I put this idea or that system in place that
you! Take advantage of it. Spend some qual- If she doesn’t work at your ofﬁ ce she is work-
I learned about at convention.” One good way
ity time going through the trade show this ing somewhere else be it at home or another
to be sure it happens is to make yourself ac-
year with a very speciﬁ c idea in mind. Look company. When was the last time the two of
countable to someone for your plan. When you
for that special “new” item you can begin to you sat over a cup of coffee and really talked?
have decided what to do, tell someone and ask
carry that your particular customer base may Can’t afford to take her along - you can’t afford
them to ask you about every once in a while. If
be interested in purchasing. Do you remember not to. Don’t just bring her to the convention -
you are traveling with fellow contractors, dis-
what your most valuable asset is? It’s your cur- take a couple extra days on one end or the other
cuss your ideas. I have even heard of people
rent customer base. These are the people who and do something really unique. Ask her what
putting their ideas in a self addressed stamped
like us. They continue to use us and they want she would like to do! Then do it. You won’t
envelop and then asking a friend to mail it to
to purchase our “new” products as well. How regret it.
them a few weeks, or months, later as a form
often do you think your wife would buy from
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