Exhibit at a Trade Show

Have you considered advertising your services at a trade show? In addition to local shows, like a "Home & Garden Show", there are specialized trade shows (like the Hurricane Expo) that enable you to reach prospective customers in large numbers.

There are some keys to getting the most out of your involvement, however:

If possible, share the cost. Approach your insurance agent and ask if he or she would be interested in sharing a booth. You might name your booth "Peace of Mind" and then have both of your company logos on a sign below that.

Make your own signage. You don't need a $1,000 booth -- have some professional signs and banners made, and get some disaster photos blown up.

Have a contest. A memory contest would be a good way to reinforce the principle of a home inventory service. Create a contest where you have 3-4 people compete against each other to see how many items they can write down from memory after looking at a photo of a room for 1 minute. Offer the winner a prize -- say, a $50 towards your service.

Conduct a drawing for a Free Express Inventory (up to one hour of service, or [$] towards a full inventory). Use the drawing to collect the name of qualified prospects. But don't just collect names and addresses. Ask for e-mail addresses too, and ask if they are interested in a Free Guide to Conducting a Home Inventory.

Give something away. Imprinted pens or notepads are good, as are refrigerator magnets.

Staffing makes a huge difference. Of course, you'll be working your booth -- but you'll need help. You need at least one other person to help interact with people while you engage with potential clients. Choose someone with an upbeat personality who isn't afraid to help you draw attention. My mom has always been my best trade show worker -- she's non-threatening (think 60-something, short, and silver-haired), and isn't afraid to stop people to ask them to sign up for the drawing.

Don't be afraid to SELL at the show. Make sure to have sample (fictionalized) inventory books available for people to look through. Set appointments at the show -- offer a substantial discount (30-35%) for folks who put down a non-refundable $50 deposit at the show. Ideally, you want to walk out of a show with a half-dozen or dozen appointments.

Follow up...quickly! You might be exhausted when you get home from the trade show ... but now is not the time to rest. Instead, create a mailing list of prospects -- and tag them as A, B, and C. "A" prospects either won a prize or set an appointment. Follow up with them first. (To confirm the appointment and reinforce your interest in working with them to provide peace of mind.)

"B" prospects provided an e-mail address and requested more information (the free guide mentioned above). Send them an e-mail within the next 24 hours with the guide attached, and a link to your website. (Create it -- a simple one-page tip sheet -- BEFORE the trade show so it's ready to go. (Follow up with a phone call to these individuals within a week to make sure they received the guide and "to see if they have any questions about conducting their inventory.")

"C" prospects didn't provide an e-mail address, but they might have provided a home address. Send a postcard to these individuals and direct them to your website for free resources on emergency preparedness and disaster planning. (You do have those resources on your website, right?)

Exhibiting at a trade show is expensive -- so make sure you are prepared to capture sales at the show, and to follow up to make the most of the leads you identify.

Improve Your Client Acquisition Rate

Getting an incoming call from a prospect inquiring about your home inventory service business can be a blessing.

(It can take a while for all of your networking, advertising, and marketing efforts to yield that first call.) So when those calls starting coming in, you'd better be ready to turn those prospects into paying clients.

Develop a script to answer common questions and make your pitch for the sale. You'll feel more relaxed if you can focus on the person you are talking to .... and not wondering what information you need to know from the client.

What information should you collect? For starters:
• How did they hear about you?
• Have they ever had an inventory before (Have they done one themselves?)
• How large is the space to be inventoried? (Is it a home, an apartment, a business, a second home?)
• Have they had a recent loss -- or what is the reason they're interested in an inventory now? (This will help identify an "emotional trigger" you may be able to use to close the sale)
• What is their timeframe for completing the inventory, and what is their availability for an appointment for you to conduct an on-site estimate?)
• Collect their contact information -- including phone number and e-mail address (especially if they are not interested in scheduling a free consultation just yet.)

I recommend developing a "Lead Sheet" to capture information from new callers. This will ensure you gather all the information you need from prospective clients.

THIS Business Action Plan - Part 2

Here's the second installment in our series. (Click here for part 1)

6. Teach a class. An even better way to increase your credibility with prospects is to teach a class sponsored by another group or organization. Contact your local community college, for example. You will have to provide specific, detailed, useful information (you were anyway, right?!?!)... and no hard sell for your services.

7. Write a great ad for the phone book. Focus on the specific benefits you have to offer. Comprehensive services? Evening/weekend hours? Convenient payment options (Mastercard/Visa)?

8. Contact local property management firms. They may be interested in hiring you to conduct inventories of their properties as a service to their clients.

9. Offer free information. Educate prospects about specific aspects of the home inventory process. (For example: inventorying collectibles, or inventorying garages or off-site storage sites

10. Solicit referrals from happy, satisfied customers. Ask for referrals. Give out business cards stamped on the back with a special offer ($25 off complete inventory). Offer a bonus for the referring person ($25 off an annual update).