Posted by Gary M | Posted in A shift in advertising | Posted on 30-07-2010
Tags: consumer behavior, insurance, marketing, new media, online marketing, sales, social media, trends
How many businesses set up display booths at county fairs these days? Our local fair just ended, where local representatives from my company rented a booth space. We’ve done this for as long as I can remember, but this year seemed different. Here are 6 observations I made while sitting at the booth for 2 days:
1. People are reluctant to put their name and contact information on any sheet of paper, even if it means it gives them a chance to win something of value. They’ve clearly been called by a salesperson in the past after they’ve completed an entry form for a prize.
2. People are picking up less “free stuff” than they used to, possibly because they now either realize that a. nothing is truly free or b. they don’t want to feel obligated to someone when they pick up that pen (like we can find you when we don’t know your name.)
3. Even though people “shop” and engage in a conversation with a salesperson, most state up front that they choose to stay where they are until their current service provider does something wrong or experiences a substantial financial hardship as a result of their prices.
4. It doesn’t matter if you are an independent franchise owner, when asked their specific representative’s name, many people cannot tell you. They CAN, however, tell you the company that has their account. The ones who can tell you their representative’s name frequently have a deeper personal connection with that person beyond the products/services they buy from them.
5. If there are multiple providers of the same service who represent the same company in one geographic area, most people assume you work together, share expenses, and are funded by the parent company. To take this even further, customers and prospects directly correlate the money spent on postage for correspondence and advertising and an ”excessive” number of storefronts in a given area to a waste of spending because they think these expenses all contribute to their individual rate. Some of these assumptions are true, but many are false.
6. This one isn’t business related, but I mention it because I’m a dad: Unattended children should be given an espresso and a puppy for the ride home with their parents. Maybe that’s extreme, but seriously, kids under 10 should not be wandering around by themselves, or with friends of the same age, even if they have a cell phone, in an uncontrolled environment like a county fair. Technology should never replace parental supervision.
Overall, my wife is correct in her assessment of why we should keep setting up a fair booth: “People will notice when you’re there, but even more when you’re not.” Funny thing is that I didn’t set out a huge stack of business cards this year and people looked relieved. Thank you to everyone who stopped by. If you want me to help you, I’m online. Just Google my company, hit “locate an agent”, and shoot me an e-mail message. Here’s my philosophy: I won’t call YOU…I’ll call you BACK.