I am just back from CEDIA 2015 – the “future home experience”. It was truly interesting to see how networking and handshakes still prevail even in our highly technological world.
As our lives incorporate more objects connected to the cloud, the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes a reality in our home. Our houses are getting smarter, and new technologies are available. Homeowners appreciate tools that, despite the high tech, simplify the way we interact with these highly sophisticated homes.
I attended the show as part of the WING Energy team (the only lady in the picture above), to present the company’s smart circuit breaker panel. We did extensive work to get ready for this show, and one of main goals for WING Energy was to connect with key members of the home automation business community, to generate interest and excitement previous to the launch of the smart panel.
It’s clear that the sales environment has changed, and the Internet stirred up the sales environment as it was known for decades. For a while, trade shows – a very traditional marketing tool that swallows up tons of time and all kind of resources – struggled to find its place in the mix of the new marketing that arose with the Internet, so shiny, so affordable, so cool.
But the trade shows as we know them clearly still have a place in the sales environment. Trade shows that are niche, well positioned, respected in the industry gather high quality companies, executives and professionals eager to connect with peers.
Companies that work the show floor have two-three days to connect, face-to-face, with companies and people that are, otherwise, truly hard to reach. Trade shows open the door for a real connection and old-school handshakes. The handshakes that open doors and the handshakes that close deals.
The sales environment has changed, yes, but that doesn’t mean that the old tools we had have no value. When considering the marketing mix for your business, start by clearly defining your business goals and see what tools you have around to reach these goals. New tools are cheap and shiny, but many old tools are solid and mature. Today’s sales environment invite us to blend old and new, to strengthen what matters: the real business relationship with real companies and real people.
