How To Give Your Visitor the VIP Treatment
Since the term “very important person” was coined in the 1930’s, businesses everywhere have realized the potential of these special guests and their ability to affect their bottom line. It’s widely known that 80% of a business’s revenue can come from just 20% of its overall customers. Treating that 20% of customers like the VIPs they are is a fantastic way to ensure they stay a valued customer.
Creating a VIP experience at a trade show can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Read on to learn more about giving your VIP clients a VIP-worthy trade show experience.
Get the VIP to Your Trade Show
Don’t discount the impact of a well-thought-out invitation. These simple gestures can be the difference between landing a high-powered client and losing one. A great (and alluring) invitation is to send a “free gift” to your VIPs or high-profile potentials. But these aren’t like normal free gifts.
In your invitation you can tell the guest that they’ve been gifted something awesome, like an iPad or a Kindle. However, they must attend the event in order to claim it. You can suggest that they make an appointment, and you can start off the occasion by presenting them with their free gift before getting down to business.
Make it a Party
Another great way to entice clients to your trade show is to make it a party. By booking some sort of entertainment (a DJ, band, entertaining act, etc.) you’re creating an atmosphere of fun where usually there would be mundane business talk. The trick to making sure this event isn’t just a money suck is to include the option for guests to exit the party and visit with the staff about business.
Give Them Something Personal
Returning to the topic of gifts–swanky items are well and good, but the next best option is something personal. This can be included in the event invitation as well, but maybe make it even more mysterious and alluring–something they’d have to receive at the event. These personalized gifts can be necklaces or other accoutrements with their name on it.
This tactic is also a great choice depending on what industry you’re working in, such as healthcare–personalized items can be more alluring to those involved in workspaces where relationships are centered.
Provide a Proverbial Crown
Being a VIP of a specific company is awesome–but being a VIP industry-wide is better. Some companies have created clout (for lack of a better word) for their VIPs. Their VIP status gets them into niche events and parties, and they’re well-known in the company and industry–they’re basically a celebrity. This additional delineation between normal clients and VIPs makes the achievement of VIP status that much sweeter for clients.
Dress Up Your Meeting Room
Much like VIP sections at clubs, you too can utilize this idea in your booth. Meeting in a normal meeting room can feel dreary, but by providing luxurious or coveted accommodations–food, drink, music etc.–you’re ensuring that your VIPs feel comfortable, valued, and entertained–not like they’re in a stuffy business room.
VIPs Status Begins with VIP Experiences
Trade shows often come with the idea that every visitor would get the same experience–but that’s not so. By providing your high-profile clients with the above-described accommodations and experiences, you can convert these clients into VIPs–a status that no one wants to walk away from.
