In this presentation, Sam Lippman discusses the necessity of having an exhibit and sponsorship sales plan and how to build one with Kellie Shevlin of Craft Beverage Expo and Ryan Brown of NTP.

1. Building an Exhibit
Sales Plan
IAEE DC Chapter
April 10, 2015

2. Agenda
• Self-Introductions
• What is a Sales Plan?
• Building a Sales Plan
• Executing the Sales Plan
• Lessons Learned

3. • 30+ years producing exhibitions,
conferences, forums, and
roundtables
• Produced International CES,
GRAPH EXPO, and PRINT
• Consults in strategic planning,
management, and marketing
• Facilitates board meetings, user
groups, and attendee and exhibitor
focus groups
• Produce by-invitation events for the
exhibition industry
Sam Lippman
Founder and President
Lippman Connects

4. • Account Executive to Sales Director,
National Trade Productions (2002-
2009)
• Director of Sales, Metropolitan
Cooking and Entertaining Show
(2009-2012)
• Managed 5 sales people
• Founder, Craft Beverage Expo
(2012)
• Launched in 2013 with first event
in 2014
• Responsible for all sales in 2014,
hired sales person for 2015
Kellie Shevlin
Executive Director
Craft Beverage Expo

5. • Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
(2007-2009)
• American Composites
Manufacturers Association (ACMA)
(2009-2013)
• National Trade Productions (2013-
Present)
• Sells 5 shows
• Manages 3 sales people
Ryan Brown
Director of Sales & Event
Services
National Trade Productions

6. Who’s in the Audience?
• Suppliers/venues/destinations
• Show Managers
• Show Managers = 75% to exhibit sales
• Sell exhibit space and sponsorship
• Sell exhibit space only
• Sell sponsorships only

7. The Sales Plan is…
• Assessment of current sales
• Statement of sales objectives
• Strategies for achieving these objectives
• Track exactly when, how and if you will
achieve your goals
• Resources available

8. Must Have a Sales Plan Because…
• Exhibitors are more savvy
– Asking more questions
– Looking for ROI before they commit
• Exhibitors want new options to invest
marketing dollars instead of exhibit space
• Diversified product portfolio a must to
ensure exhibitors spend with you

9. Must Have a Sales Plan Because…
• Mergers & Acquisitions
– Industries contracting through mergers &
acquisition plus companies going out of
business
– Fewer companies to sell
– Must find new business to stay even

10. Sales Plan is Your Roadmap to Success
• Sets measurable sales goals
– Specific
– Measurable
– Attainable
– Realistic
– Timely
• Creates trackable sales campaigns
• Ensures simultaneous marketing and sales
campaigns
• Quarterly reviews ensures mid-course
corrections

11. Building the Sales Plan
• Analyze Industry Data
– Look for industry trends, market shifts, key
business drivers/influencers
– Found in surveys, industry pubs, market
research, Google
– Can identify growth markets, explain sales
trends, help relate to exhibitors

12. Building the Sales Plan

13. Building the Sales Plan
• Set Goals
• Set Budget
• Coordinate with
Marketing
• Start Writing

14. Building the Sales Plan
• Overview
• Define Event Goals
• Database Analysis
• SWOT Analysis
• Sales/Marketing Campaign Detail
• FABs (Features, Advantages, Benefits)
• Lead Generation/Key Targets

15. Building the Sales Plan
• Features, Advantages, & Benefits (FABs)
– Use your prospects’ own words in your sales
materials and scripts
– Know why your best leads say “YES”
– What’s in it for me?
• Common Objections

16. Building the Sales Plan

17. Building the Sales Plan
• Present the plan
• Confirm buy-in from sales & marketing
teams
• Sell! Sell! Sell!

18. Executing the Sales Plan
• Exhibit Sales Tracking Sheet
– Project where your sales will come
– Breaks sales plan into digestible bites
– Reveals soft spots in industry
– Know your real-time status in a glance

19. Executing the Sales Plan
• Eliminate “NO’s” and Get to “YES”
– Identify source and product category codes of
your “A” leads
– Segment the data to call prospects that match
closest to your “A” leads
– Eliminate “C” prospects so not waste time

20. Executing the Sales Plan
• Build Capacity and Motivate Your Team
– Be proactive
– Measure Activity/Progress
– Accountability

21. Lessons Learned
• Know the value of your show to your
industry/profession
• Confirm which source codes produced
• Introduce new product categories
• Sales plan is a daily/weekly/monthly
reflection of your efforts

22. Lessons Learned
• Don’t be afraid to adapt the plan
• Must get buy in from marketing
• Must get feedback from exhibitors
• Plus 1 month determine changes made to
next year’s sales plan

23. Questions?
For more information, contact:
kellie@craftbeverageexpo.com
rbrown@ntpshow.com
sam@lippmanconnects.com