3 things our mystery shoppers noticed at Professional Beauty Trade show
21st March 2019, by Angela Bartlett
21st March 2019, by Angela Bartlett
Another year for Hidden Beauty UK carrying out mystery shopping visits for some of the suppliers who were exhibiting at Professional Beauty Trade Show in Excel.
Whilst we were there we couldn’t help but notice a few things that would be of interest to all exhibitors to increase footfall to their stands.
The first point to mention was just how innovative we found some of the exhibitors at grabbing the attention of visitors to the show to get them to stop and take notice of their stand. The winner of our ‘best attention-grabbing tactic’ definitely had to go to one of the salon software companies. A magician had been employed to step out from the stand to ask ‘have you seen anything like this before’ as he deftly turned a piece of lighted paper into a lolly pop. This was really putting a smile on the visitors' faces, broke the ice and created a starting point for a conversation between visitor and exhibitor about salon software.
The second point worth adding was just how engaging it was for the visitor when exhibitors smiled at them. Creating a friendly and approachable demeanour is essential in any sales environment and the smiling sales representatives got us to stop more and find out about the products and equipment being promoted than the other exhibitors at the show. One of our mystery shoppers said “I stopped for longer at stand XXX because the sales representative was so friendly and engaging. I initially paused because she smiled at me and I felt welcome on the stand. This gave her the opportunity to ask an opening question and I stayed to find out about the skin care products the company was promoting”.
And finally, the exhibitors who made eye contact with the visitors provided a much more positive experience for them than those who were on their mobile telephones. It’s understandable that sales representatives need to make the most of their time by sharing images and information on social media, arranging last-minute meetings and keeping in touch with their customers. However, a sales representative sitting on a stool with their head down glued to their mobile telephone does not create the most enticing sales environment for a visitor and potential customer. We all know that this is the new era of information on mobile devices but….?
So the next time you exhibit as a beauty wholesaler at a trade event remember be innovative, consider asking your sales representatives to put down their mobile telephones, make eye contact and keep smiling.
Do you exhibit at trade shows? Would you like to find out how your sales people are engaging with potential customers at trade shows? Let us be your eyes and ears. We have mystery shopping packages to suit your business. Contact us here.
For more beauty related articles, review our latest beauty news - or perhaps take a look at this earlier article (from 4th March 2019): " Our top 3 tips for getting the most out of your mystery shopping programme "
About Angela Bartlett:
Angela Bartlett is an expert in the health, beauty and skincare industry with over 35 years' experience. As a high profile individual, she is passionate about the high-quality treatments, procedures and products in the beauty industry and is linked with leading industry bodies whose aim is to advance standards in beauty and holistic therapies. Based in Cheshire, Angela operates Hidden Beauty nationwide across the UK to support beauty industry businesses in their business development. To learn more about Angela and her accreditations, don't hesitate to get in touch.
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