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Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-08-02 00:28, PaulGreen wrote: Is his guy too cool. He's just like he is in his DVD's-a warm, generous person!! Thanks, Paul!!!!
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
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jlevey Inner circle Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2076 Posts |
Wonderful description, Paul.
Thank yo so much for spending the time and thought to share your insights.
Jonathan
Max & Maxine Entertainment Magicians with a touch of comedy! ___________________________________ www.maxmagician.com www.mindreadershow.com www.monsieurmagic.com |
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Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
Paul and Top are definitely worth listening to, however, I disagree that Eddie Tullock's video set is the way to go as the complete guide for one big reason - he claims that using a microphone and sound system is completely unnecessary.
While that may have been true about ten years ago, in today's world of trade shows, unless you are working a small booth, you will need one just to be heard over all the noise of the OTHER performers, presenters and multimedia programs that will be going on around you. Remember, if the audience can't hear you, they will not hang around to catch your pitch. Also, as a trade show performer, the cardinal rule is to get customer information - the more pre-qualified the prospect, the better, but you better figure out how and when to get those cards and badges run through the scanner. this is where the company's sales team can become your best friends or your worst enemies. Enlist them to get the badges of everyone sitting in the crowd as they come up, or, if you are working a theater seating arrangement, as they take their seats. Then make sure that they hold on to the badges. This does several things - it keeps the people there more reliably and, if someone's interested, they will make that known when they go to get their badge back. Just a little trick from the trenches. Lee Darrow, C.H. P.S. I always thought that drayage was what they feed Dr. Dre!
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
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jlevey Inner circle Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2076 Posts |
I like to help the sales team out by collecting the cards of prospects just prior to the "grand finale" of my show.
As I near the conclusion of my ten minute act, I move into a friendly pitch about how, if they have enjoyed the show up to this point, we'd appreciate receiving their business card. The audience naturally chuckles at the cleverness of this ploy and often rush forward to put their card in the hat (or silver bowl), or to have their badge scanned (I often prefer to do the scanning myself), or a staff member does the scanning). I thank them and then give them, to their delight, what they've been waiting for... the grand finale. Although this tactic is similar to street performers passing their hat (for coinage), in a trade show setting, if done well, it is not perceived as "begging". In fact, it can be lots of fun (for both myself and the audience) to get the cards this fashion. Because it's done with thoughtfulness and gentle humor and because they (the audience) has sincerely appreciated the show and the company's efforts to entertain them and make them feel welcome, their response is immediate and enthusiastic. While I'm in the process of scanning, or collecting their cards, I will often ask them for their title and interest level in our company's particular product or service. The staff, sitting off to the sides but having been coached to be attentive, listen acutely to this information as it is shared. If it's a very large group,I prefer to collect only a few cards at this juncture in the show, so the pause is brief and I don't miss too many "beats" or lose precious momentum gathered. It's sort of like a denouement. Then, two minutes later, following the final effect and the conclusion of the show, the rest of the crowd has been primed to step forward (in appreciation) and have their badges scanned. At the same time I am inviting those interested to speak to the rest of the team on hand, to answer any specific questions. As a result,the staff genuinely appreciate my ability to qualify leads and my willingness to roll up my sleeves in order to handle the scanner and secure the much valued info. This approach is certainly not for everyone, but I hope that it will be of some help to some. All the best.
Jonathan
Max & Maxine Entertainment Magicians with a touch of comedy! ___________________________________ www.maxmagician.com www.mindreadershow.com www.monsieurmagic.com |
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holmes New user 35 Posts |
Yes. But how do you know that you are not inviting quantity rather than quality with this approach in regard to the gathering of leads? I know that you said you qualify leads to a degree but it does seem a tricky business (no pun intended).
Just curious. I don't know much about trade shows. |
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jlevey Inner circle Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2076 Posts |
Good point. Whether I close the show in this manner depends on the interests of the client. Some clients prefer volume, rather than take the chance of missing a hot lead. In such a case, I coach the team (pre-show)to be attentive as I take the prospect's info. They might make subtle notes on the back of a card, and they approach the very "hot" leads directly on the floor just after my show. The sales team will coach me, prior to the show as to which "badges" of visitors to avoid spending (wasting)time with (ie. university professors, students, other exhibitors --often the competition) and I do so very gently. At the end of the day, when the marketing director returns to his hotel room,he/she will often quickly go through the scanned info or cards and --by noting the person's title and company, they can quickly determine which leads are cold and which are hot.
Other clients prefer that I take a less pro-active role and instead simply put the visitors in a highly receptive frame of mind by providing them with a high quality, amusing,startling and memorable presentation. A presentation that is interactive and peppered with buzz words, features and benefits of the products, and web address info. In this way, following the show, those visitors that have a "real" interest in the company will take the initiative and talk to the sales staff. Sort of an auto-screening method. Ini this way, the company risks, however, missing potential "good" prospects since the ones that feel in a "rush" to "move on" to gather info at other booths, may not take the time to drop their card, even though if they had been put onto the company's e-mailing list, they may have found out down the road that they really did have a need or interest in the company's products or services. Hope this helps. It's just my particular style and approach. Many (many) exist.
Jonathan
Max & Maxine Entertainment Magicians with a touch of comedy! ___________________________________ www.maxmagician.com www.mindreadershow.com www.monsieurmagic.com |
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holmes New user 35 Posts |
Interesting. Thank you for your insight.
Do any trade show magicians out there plain not bother with prequalifying in any way whatever and just let the people in the crowd come on to the booth and talk to the reps if they want to? With a little push to do so at the end of the presentation? |
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jlevey Inner circle Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2076 Posts |
If the client is there to re-kindle current and "old" clients of their own, then they might prefer to have the magician simply create a warm and inviting atmosphere in the booth. However, this is usually more the case for their hospitality suite following the show.
Also, another company might not want to bullet the visitors with buzz words, etc., simply draw and entertain the masses, and to let their competitors know they have a presence at the show and in the industry, etc. But qualifying leads is a valuable asset for the magician to have and this ability is valued by most companies who are looking to increase their client base at the show, so it's good to develop this ability. It also justifies being able to charge highter fees,as does customizing the presentation to incorporate information about their products and services.
Jonathan
Max & Maxine Entertainment Magicians with a touch of comedy! ___________________________________ www.maxmagician.com www.mindreadershow.com www.monsieurmagic.com |
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Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
In prospecting shows, I always pepper the presentation with direct questions about the sponsor's products or service and will ask them of people sitting in the first few rows (if a seated area) or in the first few ranks of the spectators. If I get a nod, I ask for their badge, hand it to a handy sales rep and tell them to make sure to talk to that rep.
Because the person nodded, I know they have a need and they're automatically pre-qaulified. I also note which other people are nodding and do what I can to get one or two (or several) involved in the presentation, getting their badges as they come up to participate. I will always brief the sales team on how this works and make sure that the sponsors are okay with it (they always are) and often tell the reps to mark the printouts with a special mark for those that were received in this manner. Clients love it, especially as the reps usually follow the presentation and note what product or service I was talking about at the time I got the person's badge. For "schmoozing" shows, where everybody knows everybody else, I entertain and make sure that badges are gathered in lots before and after the shows. Hope this helps! Lee Darrow, C.H.
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
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bitterman Inner circle 1189 Posts |
I've always passed on Trade Shows after my first. Too much 'Sales Weasle-ing' going on for my taste, but I understand that for people who don't mind that kind of thing, there a lot of $ in it. (Maybe because the one I did was a Hunting and Fishing Expo in Worchester, MA, I got tainted: anybody have any really pleasant experiances with it?)
If you are not cheating, you are only cheating yourself.
Dutchco is about to put out some new Ebook: DUTCHCO. Get 'em while you can. |
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jlevey Inner circle Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2076 Posts |
In brief...
As for myself, helping a company to communicate their prime marketing message(s), interacting and entertaining potential clients with customized magic that reflects the company's products and services, and encouraging these potential clients to connect with knowledgeable staff --staff that seek to meet a need, or solve a problem for that particular visitor, doesn't feel like weasling, it feels like fun (and it is!). The ones that really aren't interested or in need of what the company offers won't stick around long after the show...and that's okay. They still were treated with respect and to a mutually enjoyable expereince. Because I perform with genuine and honest good humour, there is no lingering feeling of being cheated or conned. After all, all visitors are free to move on if the experience does not suit there tastes or interests. Of course, it all depends on how you interpret the experience. If you feel like you're harassing visitors to the booth...then maybe you are. Hope this particular perspective is of some help and addresses some of your concerns. Of course, a lot more can be said, from varying perspectives, and hopefully it will...Lee, Joe...? All the best.
Jonathan
Max & Maxine Entertainment Magicians with a touch of comedy! ___________________________________ www.maxmagician.com www.mindreadershow.com www.monsieurmagic.com |
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Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
Trade show performances are sales performances. Some clients will give you a script and you will either have to vary your presentation to fit their pitch (which is often not suited to a magical performer at all as the writer(s) have no clue about what a magician does, or how). Dealing with that can be very daunting and requires educating the client on how magic can fit into a program.
But, as in any selling situation, the first thing you sell is yourself. If the audience doesn't enjoy what ou do and enjoy YOU, then you are not going to do a very good job for the client. I almost always use a features and benefits approach to my selling, but also know how to sell the sizzle instead of the steak, especially at shows where everyone is selling the same thing, like the Reassurance Show, where everyone was selling services to insurance companies to help them distribute their risk. At that point, I go on about reliability, length in the business, size of the company, niches and the like while just plain entertaining. All of which is pre-approved because the last thing an insurer wants is a violation of standards - they are even more regulated than the nuclear power industry! But generally, I keep the pitch level reasonably low and have fun with the crowd, do the pre-qualifying things I talked about earlier and make sure that those who give me the best responses are the first ones to see a rep. It works for me. Lee Darrow, C.H.
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
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RonCalhoun Special user Independence, KY USA 599 Posts |
My only advice is to go back and reread everything Lee Darrow said.
Founder Heroin Doesn't Care. Find us on https://www.facebook.com/heroindoesntcare
www.heroindoesntcare.com |
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Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
Thanks, Ron. That was very kind of you.
Let me add something on a practical note as well. Trade shows are HARD work. There are several things you can do to make the time there easier on yourself, from a physical standpoint: Good shoes. With Dr. Scholl's gel inserts. If your feet hurt, the rest of you will, too. Be good to your feet. Support stockings. See above. Bananas - the potassium in them helps prevent muscle cramps. Advil - same thing. Water. trade shows are almost uniformly dry air events. Your voice will tire easily due to a lack of moisture. Drink water. Lysterine Mouthwash slips. The little gel slips of what liiks like clear paper keep your breath fresh FAR longer than breath mints and sprays and, in dry air, your breath will start to lose that nice minty fresh scent you started with in the morning pretty quickly. These are just some of the other little "tricks" I have found to be more important than a good card control or witty patter line over the years. Hope you can use them. Lee Darrow, C.H.
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
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magic113 New user 30 Posts |
I realize that this post is almost 2 years old. What can I say I'm new here and just searched for tradeshows and this thread came up.
First I'd like to say that I have met with Joshua Seth 2 years ago in GA at Dave Dee's boot camp. As has been said, he is a very talented and busy entertainer. I bought a copy of his book and it is filled with some really great info. about tradeshow work. I also have to agree with the gentleman who named Joel Bauer as the top dog. His Hustle Hustle is a classic now and he is one of the highest paid tradeshow entertainers in the business. One afternoon while surfing the net I looked him up on google and found his website. I poured through everything. On his contact page there was a phone number and I called it...I was trying to track down a copy of H.H. vidoes. A man answered and said he was one of Joel's managers/assistants and what could he do for me. I told him and he pointed me in the right direction. He was very friendly and wanted to know all about me, what kind of shows I was doing, where I lived, what were my favorite tricks. After 45 minutes of talking with him he announced that he was actually Joel Bauers...the we talked for another two hours about everything from tradeshows to ballon animals. He said the best way to get started in tradeshows was to buy your way on the floor and then go from both to both and offer to do two free hours. During those 2 I was to build a crowd and then send them into the both to have their badges scanned. At the end of the 2 hours I was to go to the booth manager and ask if they liked the extra leads I was bringing into the booth. Ofcourse he/she is going to say yes! Then offer to work the rest of the show for them at a slightly discounted rate in exchange for a good letter of recommendation and a video interview afterwards. He said that I before and after the show I was to gather as many business cards from boths and then follow up with them via direct mail specifically mentioning the show where I got his info. and including the letter and video tape thus booking more tradeshows. Since that conversation I have done 2 smaller local shows just to kind of get my feet wet. I'm in the process of relocating to CT and plan to follow up with this approach in full at the convention center in Hartford. I'd also like to thank Paul and Lee for their great info. I'm sure it will help a lot in the future. I hope that my story above helps out in some way. Joel is a really great guy if you ever get the chance to see him or meet with him. Ted Peterson |
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Agent86 Regular user 154 Posts |
That's some great information Ted. Thanks
chris |
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SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
Trade Show Work 2007
-This is a hugely competitive field. -There are few of us who are successful at this. -Often you end up “pitching” more than doing any magic. -Very few can really teach you this business. -Even with books or workshops it’s an uphill battle. -This is a limited field with limited potential clients. -Each year you’ll find fewer and fewer magicians at shows. -So, so many poor performers are ruining this market. -You must put business first, magic second. -Save your money. -Buy another rabbit. That said, I just privately sent a nice guy a few tips, so if this is where your heart truly is email me. Magically, Walt |
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