For many years, we in "show business", i.e. trade shows, have been surveying, focusing, and questioning visitors in an effort to remain current with people's reasons for visiting shows. Not surprisingly, one common answer keeps popping to the top -- "We come to get information and to see what's new".

We have taken this and other facts to the people who dutifully staff exhibits in the hope that they will use our information to structure their presentations to meet the needs and desires of their audience.

Although this ritual has served us well in the past and provides accurate feedback to exhibitors, I sense that our surveys are only getting partial information -- especially at large ticket consumer events, such as auto, boat, and recreational vehicle shows. I suspect that if we look deeper into the answer, "We come to get information and to see what's new", we would find that dreams play a major part in the incentive to go to these events.

Dreams are a major factor in all of our lives. From the four-year-old's dream of the first two-wheeler to the fifty-something's dream of a retirement home in later life, our dreams shape our plans. Dreams are fantasy rehearsals that lead us to the pleasantries of life.

Exhibitors who understand this process give themselves an edge if they tailor their presentations to tap into this phenomenon and seek to fulfill the dreams of their visitors.

A sales trainer once told me that the easiest way to sell something was to paint a word picture of the prospect using the product. Let's listen as we eavesdrop at a local boat show. We are with a young family of three (Mom, Dad and Child) that has stopped to admire a shiny new boat. We know from the smiles on their faces they are pleased by what they see.

A sales person approaches and asks, "What brought you to the show today?" (open-ended question). "Oh, we're just seeing what's new", Dad replies. "Well, you've come to the right place for that", says the salesman. "This is the newest boat in our line. Its styling and benefits are aimed at young families like yours. Why, I can picture the three of you right now, speeding along a calm lake in the bright sunshine, heading out to meet friends for a day of fun in the sun. I'll bet you've probably dreamed that yourself at one time or another". The staff person has now introduced two key words to his prospects -- \f2dream and \f2picture.

Once the stage is set, the dream suggested, and the picture begun, the rest is easy. It's time to talk about benefits of ownership... freedom to enjoy the waterways, the beaches and the sun; the ability to get away from the stress of daily life; the opportunity to have fun as a family. You've now painted more of the picture. All that's left are the details, which the prospect fills in from their own imagination... the family's faces, the places they'll go... Now you can talk about features, financing, and the other wrap-up items.

It seems to me this approach is more productive than the old "tell'em and sell'em" method.

Next time you have the opportunity to participate in a consumer show, try painting a picture.