CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH
Standard Operating Procedures Tradeshow Opportunities Sally Noona/August 2012 August 1, 2012
This overview is intended for the Sales Managers and their Assistants within the Convention Sales, Sports Marketing & Services Unit of the VBCVB and offers SOP’s in attending tradeshow opportunities within the sales process.
Standard Operating Procedures Tradeshow Opportunities Sally Noona/August 2012
1. Purpose _______________________________________________________________________ Attending and managing tradeshows whether on a local, state or national level is a responsibility of the Sales Manager. Tradeshows offer the sales manager the chance to create brand awareness, network with a number of potential prospects and colleagues throughout the country over a highly condensed time frame which hopefully breeds quality use of time and money. However to make this really work, a sales manager and his/her team must plan strategically well in advance to maximize use of time and resources.
2. Scope _______________________________________________________________________ The following SOPs are intended for the Sales Managers and Sales Assistants of the Convention Sales, Sports Marketing Unit. Tradeshow preparation and execution are a team effort in coordination of logistics, sales tools, and sales expertise.
3. Prerequisites _______________________________________________________________________ All Managers should have access to/knowledge of the following: A computer and a telephone Access to USI/EBMS and have knowledge in use of this CRM Access to the Web & Destination Marketing Association International’s Mint data base Knowledge of Excel
4. Responsibilities _______________________________________________________________________ Once again, tradeshows assist in the development of good prospects for future overnight group business in Virginia Beach and so the Sales Manager and his/her Sales Assistant must work in concert to secure this information, place it in the system accurately and deliver to our partners/stakeholders.
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Standard Operating Procedures Tradeshow Opportunities Sally Noona/August 2012
5. Procedure _______________________________________________________________________
SOPs for Tradeshow Opportunities Strategic pre, during and post event sales best practices 5.1
Pre Tradeshow Activity - Prior to attending a show, the sales manager along with the Sales Assistant must be certain to have this reoccurring Sales Activity (Tradeshow) placed in USI correctly so they can track and communicate within our system: 1. Create an Opportunity for this specific Sales Activity who’s type is CSM Tradeshow and label with Year and the Formal Name of the Tradeshow (i.e., 2012 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition – NOTE: unlike Meeting Opportunities, there will be a unique opportunity each year for these types of opportunities); keep diary notes, activities and traces for this sales activity in this opportunity’s diary and folder 2. Develop a pre-show strategy plan that includes our branding, a call to action, direct mail/rich email where appropriate, etc. 3. Seek out pre-show list of attendees – canvas and determine who to target (before, during and after tradeshow hours) set up appointments with targeted clients as soon as possible (breakfast, coffee, on floor, etc.) 4. Work with your Sales Assistant & determine key “action-needed” goals & deadlines for logistical needs and service requests and use Tradeshow Planning & Tradeshow Planning Request for traces and Diary Entries to show Activity entries when planning for a tradeshow and requesting assistance. 5. Work your plan!
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On-site Tradeshow Activity - Sales Manager is now there and doing what he/she does best – networking and selling/working the plan! 6. Use the Tradeshow Prospect Form on the tradeshow floor to determine opportunities and “Next Steps” for follow-up 7. Continue to Work your plan! Post Tradeshow Activity – upon your return home, keep in mind that timing is everything and he who hesitates is lost; therefore, organize your data and request the following: 8. Send a Trace/Tradeshow Follow-up Request - Upon returning, send the trace request to your SA, requesting that she compile collected data in an excel spreadsheet under your direction and place entire spreadsheet in Account Folder and prepare for dissemination to sales managers and partners 9. SM with the assistance of the SA Canvas’s list and determines which sales manager should receive information based on market segment/territory and conferring with accounts already in USI and the Encyclopedia of Associations 2|Page
Standard Operating Procedures Tradeshow Opportunities Sally Noona/August 2012 10. Tradeshow Partner Follow-up – Use this dairy entry once show information has been disseminated to colleagues and partners. Execute in 3-5 business days. 11. Tradeshow Client Follow-up – The Key Sales Manager who attended the show should send a generic thank you and reference that our team will be following up as requested. Each sales manager should then followup with a personal note within a week and refer to the “next step” direction from tradeshow prospect form as your call to action to the client 12. A trace of some sort should be a part of the account or opportunity 13. Tradeshow/Sales Mission Recap Form: Upon completing the tradeshow, fill out this form and update to Account Folder. Sales and management will review at quarterly conversations shortly after event has passed throughout the year so it is fresh in one’s mind and we can discuss perceived ROI (especially since our business take a while to percolate)… 5.2 Tradeshow Giveaways/Grand Prizes
(From Administrative Services) In order to ensure that items purchased for tradeshow drawings by the City of Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau are used for the intended purpose; the following procedures will be completed: 1. 2. 3.
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Prize items will be purchased following the City’s Procurement Guidelines. Diary Entry made by appropriate manager (Services or Sales) in the corresponding USI Account for the appropriate show A Trade Show Prize Winner’s form (copy in the Sales Tool Kit) will be pre-typed before the event with the name of the tradeshow and the event date. The attached form may be used or a form may be completed with the logo desired as long as all of the required information is included: name of event, event date, prize item, signature of winner confirming receipt of named prize, winner’s printed name, email, phone number and signature of CVB representative. Once the prize has been given to the winner, the winner must fill out and sign the Trade Show Prize Winner’s Form. The CVB representative that distributed the prize to the winner must also sign the Trade Show Prize Winner’s Form. The original form will be forwarded to Administrative Services Accounting Office. Include a written explanation of how the item was purchased (purchasing card or invoice), vendor name and date of purchase. Sales Manager MUST create a Diary Entry in CSM Tradeshow Opportunity Account diary documenting Prize Awarded TO or Prize Returned to Services and place a copy of the form in the appropriate Opportunity Folder The Accounting Office will attach the original trade show prize winner’s form to the purchasing card statement or vendor’s invoice.
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Standard Operating Procedures Tradeshow Opportunities Sally Noona/August 2012
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References _______________________________________________________________________
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USI Training Manual – Modification Project 2012 Tradeshow Prospecting Form – X Drive: Convention Sales/Sales Tool Kit/Tradeshow Prospecting Form FY’13 Sales Deployment Sheet - X Drive: Convention Sales/Sales Tool Kit/FY’13 Sales Deployment Trade Show Prize Winner’s Form - X Drive: Convention Sales/Sales Tool Kit/Tradeshow Prospecting Form
Definitions _______________________________________________________________________ Definitions are outlined for the following in the USI Training Manual – Modification Project 2012:
Diary Entry Types, Users, Definitions – Under Diary Entry Types
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