How To Qualify Leads – Prospecting At Vendor Events

Find Network Marketing Leads At Fairs And Expos

Fairs and expos are an unlimited supply of quality network marketing, direct sales or MLM leads!

Any time that you put into finding fairs and expos, setting them up and working them is well worth it, because they will bring you an UNLIMITED supply of leads!

The expo also is an excellent direct sales and marketing training tool for your team.

Take advantage of the networking opportunity of bringing customers into your business who are totally unrelated to your existing client base.

How To Qualify Leads For Network Marketing Business

It is important to qualify leads to determine if the person is a good prospect for your business.

Using this system you will come home with a shorter stack of leads but they will be waiting for you to call!

Wouldn’t you rather bring home 8-20 quality leads that will answer the phone, as opposed to 100′s of prospects who you cannot reach. Use this system and you will get massive results from your expo experience.

Teaching your team how to qualify leads should be party of your basic training program. Take team members to your events when they are brand new so that they learn from listening to you.

Booth Set Up At Vendor Business Fair

A booth with a professional appearance is imperative.

Invest in a set of table linen and skirting so that you look professional. When at a fair or expo the guests are receiving visual overload. It is important to have a pleasing booth which is not too busy.

Simple yet tasteful is always better. The goal is for them to want more.

• Do not try to display your entire catalog!

Make sure that you set up your table to be consistent with the event’s theme, colors, the season or holiday as appropriate.

Some Set Up Do’s:

• Use multiple levels
• Display products but not a lot!
• Leave space for filling out drawing slips at table level
• Have flowers, theme props and overlays
• Have a large sign with your company name that can be seen from across the room
•  Set up your table so you can stand in front of your table
• Hide all unneeded items, avoid clutter
• Dress appropriately for the event and for our business. Wear comfortable shoes! Pockets will be helpful.
• Move around in your space
• Look people in the eye and smile!
• Whenever possible break the barrier. This means to stand on the outside of the imaginary line that separates us from the guest.

Some Set Up Don’ts:

• Don’t Have a chair in booth
• Don’t leave purses or other unnecessary items around
• Don’t have product boxes in front of table
• Don’t have more than 2 people at time in booth
• Never eat or drink in the booth.
• When on duty; do not sit, eat, talk, cross your arms, put your hands in pockets, lean, read the paper, take excessive notes or wander off.

Prospecting At Your Vendor Expo Booth To Qualify Leads

When prospecting at the vendor booth remember that the attendees are guests and we are at work.

Our purpose at an expo is to find new business, either potential hosts or potential consultants.

We are not there to sell, book, recruit or to close deals.

We are looking for good leads! It is important qualify leads.

Do not come to the fair expecting to schedule a lot of shows on the spot. It may happen, so be prepared to do so. Scheduling shows, signing consultations and selling product takes time. When engaging in closing deals, you may be letting the best lead walk past.

Plan to close the deal in the follow-up. Do not spend to much time with one guest, as a good lead will walk right by. At the show we are qualifying the guests, so that follow up may be prioritized. Don’t let anyone walk away without your name and phone number in some form.

• When at the booth we are at work.
• Your job at the vendor event is to network with the guests and also to network with the other vendors.
• Your mission is prospecting for good leads not sitting around waiting for them to come to you.

Qualify Your Leads!

YOUR JOB is to QUALIFY the guest as they walk by which means that you must ENGAGE them before they pass.

Be prepared with a statement or question which you are comfortable saying that will stop them, such as “Have you ever been to a XXXX show?”; or Are you familiar with XXXXX?

When they stop you are going to QUALIFY them.

Do they have an interest in what you are offering? With a series of 2-3 questions it is your job to determine if they are interested in learning more. Basically you want to sweep them away if they have no interest.” Here is my card (or an old catalog)… Call me if you need anything…have a nice day!”

If they seem to have an interest in learning more about your company or services, then you INVITE them to come into the booth to learn more, and to enter the prize drawing. Do not offer the prize drawing as a form of engagement!!

Get the DETAILS: The details are the information which you gathered after they have chosen to enter your booth to learn more information.

Once they come in, you give them the prize drawing slip and continue to converse with them.

It is a good idea to have some pre-thought questions at this time as well.

Take the prize drawing slip from them and after they leave make quick notes on it. This info will be ice breaker info for the follow up call, e.g. 3 kids, loves a specific product, has these items, wants this service you have, is a teacher, etc. Any tidbit of info which you can use to establish rapport when you call back.

Then you will SWEEP them away, here is a catalog, I will call you when you have won the drawing!!

CODE each lead Immediately:

• G=green, definitely call, this is a hot lead.
• Y=yellow, not a great lead, but call after you call all the greens.
• R=red, don’t waste your time unless really desperate!

Usually you would throw red leads away. Tonight or tomorrow when you are looking at the slips, you will be able to quickly separate them into priority calls. Be sure to take notes! And also, do not take to much time making notes, because your best lead may be walking by!!

Follow Up On Leads

Follow up is essential. If you do not follow up within 48 hours, than you are wasting your time.

FOLLOW-UP within 48 hours. Consider offering a second prize of a gift certificate for free XXXX at the show. If you leave a message that they won something, they will surely call you back. When you speak with them, be prepared with your rapport-building information to establish a bond before offering the opportunity to schedule a show or joining the team.

What To Bring To A Fair Or Expo

What to bring to a fair or expo depends a bit on your products an company but this is a good starter list: business cards, old catalogs, and current catalogs, (You should give out a lot of old catalogs, and only the current ones to “green” leads).

Also information for potential consultants, prize drawing slips stamped with your name, stickers to put on the old catalogs that are in the booth already, your calendar, pen, host packets, (personally I mail them, after a confirmation phone call), opportunity information. Anything else you want to give away.

Networking For Leads At Vendor Events

Networking for leads at vendor events requires one really important thing to achieve success:

A TERRIFIC ATTITUDE and A Big SMILE!

This system of direct sales and marketing at fairs and expos is discussed in extensive detail in the Power UP program.

Deb teaches this workshop each year to the vendors at the annual York County Chamber of Commerce Expo.

Share With Your Team!

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