We get updates from The Professional Consultants Association of Central New York.  Recently, there was a presentation from the local head of Peak Performance, a sales training organization affiliated with the Sandler Training System, Rick Olszewski. Rick talked about being in business, not necessarily marketing or sales.  Here are some quick notes that were taken at the presentation:

• Never defend, apologize or justify your price. Those who treat you as a professional will accept your price and your background. Those that don’t might not be serious about their business, and might not be your target market.
• No mind reading. You never know what someone else is thinking when it comes to your business or your price when you market to them, so don’t beat yourself up before you’ve even tried.
• Ask the client what their expectation is of what you can do for them. Sometimes what we know needs to occur and what the client thinks needs to occur don’t match up.
•  If you find yourself negotiating with yourself, go higher. Most people start lowering their price when they’re trying to get business. You have to be willing to value your own services more by potentially raising your rates.
• Ask if the client has a budget first and then determine if you can work within that; get it out of the way early. Many of us go through the motions, think we have something lined up, only to discover once we tell the client the price that they can’t afford it.
• Without the cost of the pain & personal impact you can’t sell. Not your pain but helping your potential client find their pain so that they’re salivating to work with you rather than your having to work hard to get their business.
•  You must always be willing to walk. Whether it a deal where you feel you’re wasting your time or a gig that’s giving you more trouble than it’s worth, you just might have to be the one to end things and move on to the next potential client.
• Never become emotionally involved in a negotiation. If you seem too eager potential clients will feel it and you might lose your edge, ergo affect your potential income.
• First concession must be the most difficult decision you make. Never reduce your price until you get to the point where you know it’s the only way you’re going to get the deal. Remember the line above about going higher on your price? This is why.
• If you have to make a concession look to the future to know where the final price may be. Look for something on the back end you may be able to give up.
• Always have a walk away price prepared. Don’t let anyone nickle and dime you down to the point where you’re going to either lose money on the deal or feel like you’ve been taken, because you won’t do the best work and you’ll resent both the client and yourself.
• 80% of all concessions are given up in the last 20% of the deal. Basically this means that since price is often the last thing you and your potential client will talk about, this is when the client might start to try to negotiate your price and you’re trying to save it. Hence, the recommendation to try to get price out of the way earlier.
• 90% of the time a potential client has already decided who they’re going to hire. In other words, don’t take rejection personal because it’s possible the deal’s already been done, in which case the decision has nothing to do with you. Once again, don’t take it personally.

Local resources like this are fantastic for keeping sharp with your design, but even sharper with your design business.  If you’re in the area, I’d encourage you to go to the PCA of Central NY (http://www.pcaofcny.com/) website and see what they have to offer!

Communication:

In all design processes this is the A-number-one-concern.  You’re booth is only a tool for you to communicate with the people at the show.  It’s a giant, expensive, heavy prop.

It needs to function perfectly within it’s environment to quickly and accurately express your message.  Your booth will only be as successful as your team’s understanding of that message.  Think of this experience as starting a train.  When you start this long, heavy, moving process, it’s imperative to have a destination in mind from the onset.  Once the train gets going, it’s going – it WILL go somewhere.

Trade show booths have a lot of people invested – from the client CEO and marketing mangers to the designers, to the fabricators, to the show attendees.  Everyone wants, sometimes needs, to create a great show presence.   So, if you’re not quite sure about what you want to say at the show, or how many people are staffing the booth, or if you need storage, or are unsure about any of the many other questions to answer, you will invite your teammates to fill in the blanks for you.  With a high quality team their answers can be pretty good, but eventually you’re (the client) the one responsible for the booth.  If you’re not careful, the train will derail and you’ll be stuck.

A quick tip here is to do some initial visualization before you involve other team members.  Lay out your goals for the show and your marketing program in general.  Briefly discus your competitors, both at the show and in general.  How do you want to be positioned in relation to them?  Have a clear vision of your budget and available resources.  Do you have art and graphics already produced?  Do you have the staff needed to operate the booth?  What are your thoughts on storage between shows? Lay out a show experience plan.  Start envisioning your experience as an attendee when you enter your imaginary booth.  What do you see?  How do you feel? What do you walk away knowing about your company?

The more information you understand about your booth – before you create it- will infinitely improve your chances at getting something that not only works at the show, but creates a presence that captivates your potential clients.

How should you work with a designer?  It’s a simple question right?  The easy answer is,”Hire them and they’ll give me amazing things.” However, when you really look at it, it’s not that simple.  Beginning a relationship with a designer  is far more complicated than hiring other vendors.  For example, if I were to hire a plumber to fix a leaky faucet, I’d find someone qualified with references and he would arrive and stop the leak.  It’s a simple thing – leaking water – no leaking water – problem solved.

With a designer, there is nothing concrete.  There is nothing simple.  There are multiple interpretations as to why the water is leaking to begin with before even talking about how to fix it.  One might suggest that the leak is an opportunity to slowly water some house plants.  Another might look at the water and suggest to build a new, more modern, kitchen.  Still another might look at the leak and simply reach down to tighten the fitting thereby stopping the leak.  Designers are designers because they see the world differently.  They look at problems and pluck solutions out of thin air.  Some are practical, some aren’t, some are brilliant (which isn’t always a good thing) some struggle with flexibility.  The world of design is as varied as the work they’re asked to consult on.

So how do you interface with this? How can you make the most out of this human creative capital?  Keep in mind the following when you’re beginning one of these relationships (and make no mistake, it’s a RELATIONSHIP):

1) Communication

Creating a successful working relationship with a designer is entirely based on good communication.  Think of this as getting in a cab.  You know where you want to go, but you have to tell the driver where it is.  It’s the same thing with a designer.  Let’s say you’re redecorating your living room and you’ve hired an interior designer to help.  If you don’t like the color yellow, hate it in fact, then you’d want to express that early on so you don’t end up with a yellow couch.  A successful design relies on a clients ability to clearly state their wants and goals and then conversely, the designer has to be able to express their creativity with clarity and purpose.  Don’t confuse the tools a designer uses (3d modeling, sketching, vision boards) as a metric of skill – they’re just techniques that enable discussion.  A good designer is able to take all the tidbits of information from the client (lots of questions in this stage), add a bit of planning and creativity, and then presents potential solutions that inspire and drive the process forward.  If you’re expecting a designer to magically CREATE something beautiful that just blows you away without any input or suggestion…you might get it, sure.  However, more likely, you won’t be happy and you’ll leave the project feeling duped.

2) Trust

Trust in a relationship with a designer is essential.  As a designer deals in the intangible – creativity, sketching, brainstorming, inspiration, etc.  it can be extremely difficult to feel confident that they will produce a quality end result.  Consider the plumber example from above.  Before you hire a plumber, you’d want to make sure he’s insured and that he’s got a body of work that suggests he’s a good plumber.  The same is true for a designer.  Before starting a project ask to see prior work, talk about design motivation and their history.  Ask how long it usually takes to do a project.  Ask if you can contact prior clients.  If they’re a designer that is interested in communication they’ll have these references, if not, then they’ll have a bunch of burned bridges.  This all helps, but in the end, you simply reach a point where you have to trust that they’ll do their job.  You have to believe that they’re good at it because, typically, you won’t really see the benefits until the work is finished.  Consider a trade show design.  You won’t be sure you’ve got a great designer (and they’ve done a great job) until it’s completely designed, built, installed and your company looks better than all of your competitors.  You won’t love your new living room until it’s built, painted, and full of furnishings.  Then, it’s clear that the designer has done a great job.  During the process you have to release the control of your project to them.  The good news is, that’s why you’ve hired them in the first place – to create solutions that were beyond your grasp – so LET THEM.  It might sound easy, but it’s always more difficult than you think.

1) What is a trade show / tabling event

Trade shows and tabling events are about one thing: relationships.  Whether you’re beginning a relationship with a client or building upon an existing one, the only reason you’re there is to talk to people.  That’s it.  You’re there to get out your message.  You’re there to find people that are interested in what you have to say (whether they know it or not).  If you leave a show without a list of contacts or a full box of graphic collateral you didn’t distribute, you’ve missed an opportunity.  Remember that the days of the hard sell are over.  It’s not about the sale, it’s about the client.  It’s about what the client is telling you and if you can help them.  If you can find a way to help then you win, even if it is to direct them to someone that might be a better fit.  Giving will return results. Give and develop relationships at these events, not sales.

2) Presenting your message (or brand)

Remember that you’re not the only one there.  A trade show floor is a stimulus overload for the attendees.  Rows upon rows of people that are just hoping to stop, chat, and have you buy something (or sign up or call back or log on).  It can be crazy.  So, before you go, plan out how you’re going to put out your message.  Make clarity a large focus.  To do this, understand who the people are that are going to the show.  What are their needs?  Then, present your solution to their problems quickly and efficiently.  I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve seen who put a table top presentation together that has every brochure, pamphlet, business card, or promotional piece the company has  produced in the last 5 years out for display.  DON’T DO THIS.  A very small number of people are going to find your company so important (among the 50 + others in the hall) that they are going to want to read every piece of paper you put out.  In fact, if someone did this, personally, I’d begin to worry about their motives.  So, if you don’t really want people to read everything – why are you putting everything out to read?  Make it simple for people.  Make it clear.  Organize your material into a few key items that can impact quickly.

3) Make it easy

One of my favorite sayings is “bring me solutions, not problems”.  Make the experience of your booth easy to be in.  Don’t require people to sign up for information to be delivered later.  Don’t direct them to a website login.  Don’t let a line form.  Don’t have them waste time by filling out comment cards or info cards.  You’re there now.  The relationship is building now. Make it easy for them. Items that help this mojo to happen are badge scanners for quick information gathering, handy business cards with areas for notes (that YOU write), appropriate graphic packages to give away, etc.  Once they’re in, make it easy for them to be in your booth and do the work for them.

4) It’s all about the offer.

Face it, no one lives at a trade show.  Everyone had to get up and get themselves there. They had to deal with parking, registration, hotels, etc.  So, in honor of that – make it worth their while.  Give a discount to trade show attendees.  Hand out limited promo materials for the first 100 to sign up.  Involve them with your brand make them a part of your family.  Again – GIVE (and give a little extra to the people that made the effort to come see you).  AVOID GIMMICKS AND PURSUE THE GENUINE.  People can smell gimmicks a mile away and they’ll stay a mile away because of it.

5) Stand out

So, you’re typically not alone at these events.  You’re probably one of many exhibitors that are vying for the same attention.  Why should they choose you?  Since, you can’t talk to everyone individually (actually, most shows have rules against selling outside your booth space) you need to stand out from the crowd in a different way.  That’s where, admittedly, I come in. A designer can help you come up with a great solution to get you noticed.  It’s worth a try to find one.  If you have the budget, you can find them in larger exhibit design houses, but if you’re not ready for that, there are plenty that will work for freelance (again, shameless plug).  However,  you can also do simple things like putting out hand sanitizer in your space.  People are shaking a lot of hands at these events and you’re just helping them to stay clean (and getting them to stop at your booth).  Put out candy – the good candy cause no one likes the house that gives toothpaste on halloween- to get a pause here and there.  And finally, DO NOT PUT ANYTHING BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMER.  I can’t tell you the amount of people that go to these events and sit behind a table.  Besides being incredibly boring, it instantly puts a barrier between you and your client.  Think of your booth space as your brand, if the people are outside – they’re not involved.  If you give them a tour and invite them into your home – well, then let the conversation begin.

So to sum up, remember that a trade show event or a tabling event is like a wedding.  It’s the only time that these people will be in this space for the same reasons.  You don’t want to have bad food, a poor band, and a drunk MC at your wedding right?  So why would you do the equivalent at your booth?  Focus on being a genuine person.  Introduce yourself.  Talk about your product naturally, don’t be so heavy handed that you’re saying your company name every other sentence.  Remember that people get it.  They’ve seen your booth (which hopefully visually communicates enough of your message) so they know what you’re about.  They already have an interest in what you do – answer their questions- and then welcome them into the family.  Who knows! Maybe it’ll be a match made in heaven and you’ll go on to have many many many prospective projects down the road.  But for now, be genuine, clear, efficient, exciting and enticing, and look better than everyone else.  Give it a thought as you go into your next event and I promise better results.

Autodesk (http://usa.autodesk.com/)

Autodesk is the juggernaut of the architectural and 3d modeling industry.  It’s hard not to encounter their products.  They have offerings that extend into every sector of what they refer to as “Makers” (or those that make things) however their three main focuses are on architecture, engineering/product design, and animation/entertainment.  As exhibit design falls in the cracks between these larger categories, it’s a bit tougher to find a program that does fast arch/vis modeling AND photo-real rendering. For a while, Autodesk was suggesting using a combination of Inventor and Showcase (an extremely limited rendering engine).  However, when it was implemented into the fast past world of exhibit design- the results were less than fantastic – and it still required an import/export of your model.  Now, the Autodesk reps are seemingly pushing a combination of Inventor and 3D Studio Max.  This make s a bit more sense as it combines the power and build-plan oriented workflow of Inventor and the photoreal and animation potential of 3d Studio Max.  However, most designers I talk to (myself included) find Inventor to be cumbersome in the initial stages of design – the free form thinking stages.  Also, 3ds Max currently doesn’t offer a file link to inventor files.  So, that means going to render is a one shot deal.  You create your model, import it into 3dsmax, add textures and lights, then run a final render.  When your client makes a change (a common occurrence in the exhibit industry), to the model  you have two options – either make the changes in 3dsmax completely (and if you do that-what good was it to work in Inventor to begin with?) or go back to Inventor, make your changes, then re-import, texture, light, and re-render.  That’s a lot of work and wasted time.  However, if you initially model using AutoCAD – 3ds DOES offer a file link to your DWG or DXF file.  So if there’s a change, you can update your DXF file and it will auto update when you reopen your 3ds file.  So, here’s the rub.  LEARN AUTOCAD.  Everyone uses it – it’s everywhere – it’s the air of the architectural 3d modeling world.  If you can model quickly in AutoCAD and then render in 3dsmax, you’ll go far.  Though, Inventor IS great for work flow documents and machining interactivity.  However, be warned – the price tags are not small when dealing in the Autodesk universe.

Google Sketchup (http://sketchup.google.com/)

Google Sketchup is, in my opinion, the strongest modeling option being sold today.  It’s ability to quickly and accurately create 3d forms on the fly is intuitive and extensive.  Additionally, it’s mainly free.  There are two options with Sketchup, the basic Google Sketchup, or Google Sketchup Pro.  The best part here is that the basic program (the free one) is almost exactly the same as the professional one (and then, the professional version only costs about $500!).  So, in other words, you can download it and work with it for free.  Starting from rather modest beginnings, SU (SketchUp) has now carved out a successful position in the 3d marketplace.  With it’s quick, easy to use interface and powerful set of basic tools, you can create just about any structure in minutes.  Also, with the addition of SU Warehouse (a collection of drag and drop components) and an open code – allowing 3rd party developers to create additional plugins- SU is becoming an increasingly powerful tool for designer across platforms.  Additionally, SU imports and exports (the professional version) a variety of file formats – the most useful being a clean import/export of autocad formats dwg and dxf.  However, SU does have a large weakness.  It has an extremely difficult time modeling organic shapes.  So, any kind of stretched fabric shape or blob will exceed what the base set of tools can accomplish.  Yet, the amateur plugin developers have been proposing tool after tool to augment the program’s capabilities (check out http://artisan4sketchup.com/).  Also,  SU currently does not have a photo-realistic rendering engine included in the default program.  There are 3rd party solutions like Vray for Sketchup, SU Podium, and Shaderlight and each provides different levels of rendering capability and each has the added advantage of working inside the SU environment , which means no import/exporting of your models.