By Ben Olson, CGS Premier Specialty Vehicles, www.cgspremier.com
Many companies are finding that it’s a good move to supplement or replace some or even all of their traditional trade show efforts with a mobile showroom. These rolling road shows allow brands to take their sales efforts directly to their best prospects and customers, creating an emotional connection with their audiences and building deeper affinity with their brand. Following are some of the key benefits…
Convenience
With corporate travel restrictions becoming more prevalent and actual travel becoming more of an inconvenience, you can spare your clients the need to travel to trade shows to see your products. Mobile showrooms bring the show right to the target audience, allowing them a valuable brand experience without ever leaving their physical location. Additionally, you can reach an entire level of their influencers who you would not have access to at a traditional trade show.
Higher Quality Interactions
A mobile showroom allows you to create a controlled environment that provides greater customer concentration than on a trade show floor or in their office. No phones, emails, competitors or fellow attendees to distract attention away from your selling message. You’ll enjoy a focused opportunity for you to showcase your brand and the ability to get to know your customer and their needs on a deeper level, helping you to build a truly appropriate solution for their needs.
Flexibility
With the proper planning, the right mobile showroom/specialty vehicle can drive your sales all year long. When not in use as a mobile showroom, use it for special regional or local events. Put the CEO behind the wheel for a truly impactful visit to a key client/prospect. Utilize the mobile vehicle as a product development/R&D tool by taking upcoming products out to key customers for input. Finally, in between these, use the vehicle as a mobile training tool for your associates, your dealers or your customers. By sharing functions with other departments, you can potentially share costs as well.
Unique and Engaging
Who doesn’t love to participate in something unique and fun? Mobile showrooms/specialty marketing vehicles give you the chance to create an engaging experience, bringing the brand to life in a positive way. Use this to get appointments with harder to reach prospects, plus the on-site visibility of your vehicle will potentially draw out an even greater number of visitors, increasing the value of each scheduled stop.
Ease of Demonstration
While some products lend themselves to portability, many require permanent installation, or at least detailed set-up. With your mobile showroom, your product can be permanently installed and ready to go at any time. Large product lines that could never be carried in a sample case can be displayed to showcase the entire line. And for really large equipment, your mobile showroom can have video and satellite equipment for high-impact recorded or live demonstrations in a controlled, professional theater setting.
Efficiencies
Taking your products/services on the road can result in the ability to eliminate or downsize some of your trade show budgets. By hitting your key clients/prospects on a one-on-one basis, it becomes less necessary to be at every industry function, or allows a smaller presence at those key events. Savings from eliminating shows, square footage, personnel, and elements can often justify the creation of a mobile program.
