Implementing a Trade Show Intelligence Program

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SCIP: Implementing a Trade Show Intelligence Program

Gathering Ethical Information & Intelligence

"Competitive intelligence (CI) is the process of monitoring the competitive environment. CI

enables senior managers in companies of all sizes to make informed decisions about

everything from marketing, R&D, and investing tactics to long-term business strategies.

Effective CI is a continuous process involving the legal and ethical collection of information,

analysis that doesn't avoid unwelcome conclusions, and controlled dissemination of actionable

intelligence to decision makers."

Gathering Ethical Information & Intelligence

1.  Do not lie when representing yourself

2.  Observe your company’s legal guidelines

3.  Do not secretly record an interview if it is against the law

4.  Do not issue a bribe

5.  Do not use eavesdropping devices

6.  Do not mislead anyone in an interview

7.  Do not swap price information or capacity with a competing company

8.  Do not distribute or exchange misinformation

9.  Do not steal a trade secret

10. Do not now knowingly pump someone for information that could sacrifice their job or

reputation

Agenda

1.  Why Trade Shows are Valuable •  Exhibitor Goals •  Who Attends Trade Shows •  Other Trade Show Stats •  Trade Show Expectations

2.  Pre-event Activities •  Selecting Trade Shows •  Creating Your Team •  Team Training •  Key Performance Indicators •  Partnering •  Executives •  Competitor Unfavorable Reports •  Counter Intelligence

3.  During-event Activities •  Sweep the Event •  Types of Individuals •  Elicitation •  Techniques •  Obtaining Information

4.  Post-event Activities •  De-Brief •  Analysis Scenarios •  Create KPI Reports

Trade Shows

1.  Exhibitor goals

2.  Who attends

•  Your Competitors, suppliers, competitor suppliers, prospects, customers, competitor customers, financial analysts, industry analysts, magazine editors, etc.

Trade Shows (continued)

3.  Other interesting stats

Trade Shows (continued)

4.  What is typically obtained

•  Collecting brochures, samples, pricing lists, and other product information •  Conversing with the competitor’s people as well as industry experts for unpublished,

exclusive information •  Obtaining the trade show directory for a complete listing of competitors, suppliers,

sponsors, and other key players in the industry

Conference Intelligence Strategy

1.  Pre-Event Activities

2.  During-Event Activities

3.  Post-Event Activities

Pre-Event Activities

1.  Successful trade show intelligence programs consist of:

•  Planning •  Organization •  Communication •  Focus •  Clearly defined objectives

2.  Unsuccessful trade shows intelligence programs consist of:

•  Ad hoc planning •  Broad range of scope •  Little communication •  Unfocused •  Lack of detailed objectives

3.  Selecting an actual trade show

4.  Creating your team

•  Primary role of collecting data •  Should consist of customer-facing individuals

Pre-Event Activities (continued)

5.  Team should have an informational kit

6.  Team training

7.  Define Key Performance Indicators for the team

Pre-Event Activities (continued)

8.  Partnering

9.  Executives

10. Unfavorable reports

11.  Counter intelligence

During-Event Activities •  Interesting trade show stats

During-Event Activities (continued)

1.  Sweep the event

2.  Types of individuals

•  They don’t necessarily want to be there •  They have never been trained to interact with booth visitors •  They are uncomfortable in this environment and probably terrified of you •  Many are junior or new sales staff anxious to demonstrate their knowledge •  Some will have too much to drink at one of the after show parties •  Some will complain the entire next day about how tired they are and what they did the

night before •  Most haven’t worked for their employer very long •  Salespeople want to tell their story – they REALLY want to tell their story!

During-Event Activities (continued)

3.  Techniques

•  Visit a competitor’s booth during busy times if you want to gather passive information •  Visit a competitor’s booth during quiet times (usually towards the end of day, lunchtime,

etc.) if you want to ask direct questions •  Always identify yourself •  Control the discussion by asking the questions •  Attend conference sessions and networking events •  Stay in the conference hotel and use conference transit, instead of cab

4.  When obtaining information

•  Conduct yourself ethically at all times •  Use your existing connections •  Don’t use direct questions if possible •  Avoid certain words •  Let them speak •  Be prepared •  Write things down

5.  Team meets each day

Post-Event Activities

1.  Debrief

2.  Create KPI reports

3.  Strategic analysis

•  Scenario analysis

•  Hypothesis analysis

•  Early warning sign analysis

•  SWOT analysis

4.  Feedback and lessons learned for next trade show