h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: How To Survive A Trade Show - A20448867
Author: SWL™ Socialism - Strangling the chicken to get more eggs - U1775547

Matt has been making an eloquent plea for more entries so here's a quick one. I'm just back from a show and my feet are still throbbing.

That's a QUICK one?

I'll come back and read it properly when I'm more awake

But more! more!

Traveller in Time not buying
" First take a and an

Reads like you have been very busy lately

Taking new customers as soon as possible
>>'off the stand'
and introduce them to new . . .

Keep them 'on the stand' I think . . . "

Sorry Traveller, where exactly is that bit?

f you are approached by a new customer from your territory, be as nice as pie but don't waste any time. Get their details and get them _off_the_stand_ once you have done enough to tittilate them. Show them the best deals and tell them that you will call on their premises in the next week with the same special deals.

No, you want them off the stand as quick as you can. They aren't going to order and are really only attending the show to get information. You can give them all the information they want, but on *their* time. Your time on the stand is for actively selling, not chatting. Spend just enough time with them to get them interested and get an appointment to go and see them later.

Traveller in Time
"Give notice of your time budget in the paragraph, not clear. "

OK.


Tomorrow

It might be worth mentioning the car parking (nightmare) SWL

I can only go by my vague memories of visits to the NEC, Birmingham several years ago. We were parked (by direction) well away from the NEC, but there was a free (and very crowded) bus shuttle service between the car park and NEC. Maybe someone who's been more recent can confirm or add to that.

Emmily

Most useful entry, SWL, and very nicely turned out

Some suggestions for you:

You have some capitals in the intro paragraph that need to be changed.

I would rather see your 'seller' link in the body of the text. It looks tres odd in the header

Where you use 'Rep' could you say @sales rep' (without the capital, please somthing you can use ctrl 'F' for - helps you find all instances where you have used the word ) instead?

>>the Reps are under pressure to get some orders in. For some weird reason, the last few days have been spent dealing with hordes of customers <<
This bit is under 'buyers' but the reps are sellers - can you rephrase this bit to make it unnecessary to read twice to 'get'?

>>(minesweeping)<< Maybe put this in a footnote?

A brilliant way of getting good on-the-day-sale deals is to aim (as a buyer)is to make a bee-line forthe owner-operated stands. These guys have stock on their stand that they have to pay to ship back to warehouse... A little bit of initiative can snag you anything from an oak dining room to shelving. Just make sure you have a high top van waiting conveniently 'round the corner.

Nice entry, SWL

W

Nice entry, SWL, although if *everyone skives off doing the set-up and break-down, there would be no stand - unless you are rich enough to hire other people to do it, and even then, someone would have to oversee the work.

There's a bit of tidying up to do. See for instance undr 'Cheeky tips', there are paragraphs which need either separating or a page beak taken out. There's also a sentence at the end of a paragraph without a final full stop.

Nice one SWL. I'm with Wilma, take the link out of the header and put in the first sentence of that paragraph.

As far as I can see, the important things have been mentioned.

Changes made

How to survive 'How to Survive a Trade Show'...without being skinned?


That's the best piece I've read for a while, SWL . No, I really mean it.

Erm...I wonder if you wouldn't mind taking a second look at the following...and remember, they are only suggestions, so there's no need to get agitated.

Intro: (pleasure boats, cars,) rather than boat shows, car shows?

Buyer or Seller? mid: (Keep the flats in a bag)? With aching feet, one would hardly want to change from flats to heels, no?

Buyer or Seller?: I don't understand this at all. Why can't men carry a spare pair of Puppies if they want to? Where does the sexism come into it?

Parking 1st para: Would it hurt to replace one of the 'extremely's?

Parking 4th para: [Many venues allow only vans and lorries]

Parking end 4th para: [overrun]

Tips For Buyers: (don't try to do it all in a day.)?

Tips For Buyers end: (start planning the next day's schedule.)?

Day Two mid: <get some orders in, (see 'Cheeky Tips' above). (I don't think the comma is necessary)

Negotiations 1st para 4th line: ['Show Rate']

Negotiations mid 1st para: [corner of the stand so, at some point, drop in]

The Seller 1st line: [a Sales Rep can be fun if you prepare]

The Seller: [while] (I'll point out the others)

Setting Up The Stand 1st line: (Setting up the stand the day before the show is possibly the most important [task] for the company.)?

Setting Up The Stand 3rd para 1st sentence: [no-one will ever thank you for it, so use any excuse]

Reading The Customers end 3rd para (2): [while]

Reading The Customers end 5th para: (the best chance)?

Reading The Customers end 6th para: (will save the ordering for when they are back on their turf where they won't feel)?

Reading The Customers 7th para: [while]

Reading The Customers 8th para: [while]

More Bang For The Buck: [six]

More Bang For The Buck: [nine]

More Bang For The Buck: [who have previously been primed, and selling them]

Making A Clean Getaway end: [while]



Making A Clean Getaway.................

Thank you Rudest Elf

I'm extremely flattered that you read the piece so thoroughly and took the time to point out the errors.

Changes made.

No need to feel flattered, SWL. I think you are amongst the best and wittiest communicators we have. You must have rushed through this Entry, thassall. I'll have another look tomorrow - to be honest, it's been so long that I've not the slightest idea what the Entry is about .

It really is a great read. I don't want to slow things down, but there are a few more queries:

Buyer or Seller? 3rd line: [nine]

Buyer or Seller? last sentence: I mention this again because (he says, cowering so far under his desk that he can't see even the monitor) I don't think it's up to your usual high standard, and anyway, why in heaven's name would a man want to change from comfy flats to high heels after a hard day on his feet?


Tips For Buyers 5th line: [-/;] in place of comma

Minesweeping 3rd line: doesn't need a comma

Minesweeping 1st para last sentence: (as it affects)?

Minesweeping 2nd para: [Also, make a point of]

Minesweeping 2nd para: no need for comma

Setting Up The Stand 4th line: [just for the space, and the bill]

Reading The Customers end 6th para: how about 'merely/only/simply/etc' in lieu of 'just'?

Reading The Customers last para: (empathising over)? (Wiki on 'Empathy': 'Empathy is often characterized as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes"'

More Bang For The Buck: [colleagues' nine] (later on you refer to colleagues in the plural)

Making A Clean Getaway: 1st comma not needed

I agree with Rudy from 2 posts ago, but I'm not as clever an editor as he, nicely done SWL.

Changes made.

Regarding women's shoes: any women reading this will know instantly what I mean whilst I don't think men will think about it too much. It's more about changing the angle of the foot, the strain on the calves etc. I'm not quite sure how to say it neatly though.

It's not just the legs and feet SWL, it's the whole posture - the spine has a much more pronounced curve in heels, because you have to pull your ass in and push your shoulders back to walk properly in them.

You should try it some weekend.