At this year’s Experiential Marketing Summit one of the keynote speakers was Alyson Griffin, State Farm’s head of marketing. Ms. Griffin shared a story about three questions that her team must answer before an event or activation is approved for deployment:
1. What does your brand stand for?
2. Who are you trying to target?
3. How do you want your target to feel?
Griffin said: “It’s not enough just to get the activation right; you must know: Did you move them, how did they feel, were they excited, did it match to your brand, are you adding value to your company over time? If you do it consistently, you can transport your customers beyond the activation footprint and into infinite spaces.”
Did you move them? How did they feel? It got me thinking. Since the pandemic, there has been a heightened desire for deeper and more meaningful human connections at trade shows, beyond the typical discussions centered solely on products. I thought about attendee conversations and how event staff can connect deeper with booth visitors by just employing the age-old art of empathy.
Empathy can be thought of as walking a mile in the shoes of the person you’re talking to and learning and embodying what someone else is thinking or feeling. All things being equal, when engaging with a prospect at a trade show and aiming to include them in your sales pipeline, it’s logical to assume that the prospect prefers to work with people who listen to them, grasp their pain points, and acknowledge their challenges.
The late Marshall B. Rosenberg, an American psychologist, mediator, author and teacher, put it this way: “Often, instead of offering empathy, we have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling”. It’s human nature, I suppose, to fill silent voids or stilted conversations with our own opinions and advice.
Let’s explore why employing empathy is so important and how it can be the secret weapon of your trade show staff. Trade shows are a battlefield for capturing leads and making a lasting impression. But beyond the flashy displays and polished pitches, the real power lies in your staff’s ability to connect with potential customers on a deeper level.
Why Empathy Matters:
- Builds Rapport: When your staff shows genuine interest in a visitor’s needs and challenges, it fosters trust and a sense of connection. This makes the visitor feel valued and more receptive to your message.
- Uncovers Pain Points: By actively listening and asking insightful questions, your staff can uncover the visitor’s true motivations and challenges. This allows you to tailor your presentation to their specific needs, making it more relevant and impactful.
- Boosts Lead Conversion: Empathy fosters positive interactions, leading to better lead qualification and higher conversion rates. Visitors who feel understood are more likely to provide accurate information and be receptive to follow-up communication.
- Enhances the Overall Experience: Visitors attend exhibitions seeking knowledge, inspiration, and memorable experiences. Empathetic staff can contribute to creating a positive and meaningful experience for attendees. By anticipating their needs, addressing their concerns, and making them feel valued, your staff can leave a lasting impression and differentiate your brand from competitors.
- Fosters Emotional Connections: In today’s competitive marketplace, emotional connections can be a powerful differentiator. When visitors feel truly understood and valued, they are more likely to develop a deeper emotional bond with your brand. This emotional connection can translate into increased brand loyalty, positive word-of-mouth, and long-term customer relationships.
- Creates Brand Loyalty: A positive experience at your booth, fueled by empathy, creates a lasting positive impression of your brand. This translates to increased brand loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.
I think we can all agree that taking the time to understand and empathize with visitors can make all the difference. But how? What are some strategies for cultivating empathy in your trade show team?
- Pre-Show Training:
- Conduct role-playing exercises that simulate common visitor scenarios.
- Discuss the importance of active listening, open-ended questions, and non-verbal cues.
- Emphasize the need to avoid generic pitches and focus on personalized conversations.
- Active Listening:
- Train you staff to truly listen to visitors’ concerns and avoid interrupting.
- Encourage them to ask clarifying questions to fully understand the visitor’s needs.
- Pay attention to non-verbal cues like body language and facial expressions.
- Mirroring and Matching:
- Encourage your staff to subtly mirror the visitor’s tone and pace of speech to build rapport.
- Match their energy level to create a comfortable and engaging conversation.
- Acknowledge Emotions:
- If a visitor expresses frustration or hesitation, acknowledge their feelings and offer support.
- Show genuine concern and a willingness to find solutions.
- Focus on Solutions:
- Don’t just present your product; demonstrate how it directly addresses the visitor’s needs and pain points.
- Share success stories from similar customers to showcase the positive impact your product can have.
Staff training for trade shows is frequently underestimated during strategizing and planning. We strongly recommend our client partners not overlook this crucial step. Empathy and active listening techniques can be reminded of, practiced and taught. It’s skill that can be cultivated and nurtured through training and practice. Empathy not only enhances your staff’s ability to connect with visitors, but it also reinforces your brand’s commitment to providing exceptional customer experiences.
TPG training session with our client, Bayer.
Final Thoughts
I would like to conclude by sharing a real-life example of how I’ve seen empathy used to create incredible connections with people in the trade show environment. For more than 20 years, TPG was the trade show producer and manager for Ford Commercial Vehicles. As with any well-known, iconic and successful brand, people are wildly loyal and not short of opinions about the quality of the products or customer service. Over the years, I personally observed customers and prospects entering our booth with stories about being part of a Ford family, sharing anecdotes, and even showing us photos of their cherished Ford trucks. This happened all the time. It would have been easy to just shrug off these conversations because they didn’t seem to lead anywhere. But I never saw the staff do that. Ever. These die-hard Ford fans had tales to tell, and the staff listened. Conversely, as with any large brand with tons of product offerings, there were a few complaints and pointed comments. I witnessed firsthand how the Ford staff and our own Product Specialists listened to customer concerns and issues with no judgement. Every attempt was made to show reverence to each person’s concerns and find a way to solve them. I can tell you, whether these folks were Ford fans or not, every person left the Ford booth feeling better than when they came in. They felt paid attention to and treated with the utmost respect and consideration. TPG was proud to provide Ford with skilled Ford Truck Specialists and to aid in the training of Ford staff at various events.
TPG Ford Truck Specialist with a customer.
By prioritizing empathy within your trade show team, you equip them with the tools to build meaningful connections, generate high-quality leads, and ultimately drive business success. Remember, a little empathy can go a long way in creating a lasting positive impression and turning trade show interactions into valuable relationships. It is indeed a powerful secret weapon.
C.C. Carr, TPG Event Staffing Manager, and Contributing Writer
Your brand deserves to be experienced. Let’s work together to create an experience that’s memorable and drives action.