Trade Show Sales Specialist Anton Zellman

Anton Zellman’s magic is a showstopper at any trade show floor. The almost songlike cadence of his voice calls to prospects and charms them into dropping their defenses. “My goal is to bring the child out of the adult,” explains Zellman as he concludes his fifteenth performance of the day, a performance that is as fresh and vibrant as the first. What Zellman disguises as play is really a clever ploy to help prospects memorize several key benefits of a new product introduced at the trade show. It is quite a sight to see a distinguished looking crowd of 60 highly trained physicians cheerfully take up Zellman’s challenge to recite, in chorus-like fashion, the main features and corresponding benefits of a new drug developed by Bristol Laboratories.

Anton Zellman’s biggest ego boosts come from the applause of the audience and the record new business leads his client receives from his performance. Zellman, who is a performer in his heart and a salesman in his mind, offers his insights about success in performing and selling at trade shows.

PSP: What is the most important characteristic for success in selling at trade shows?

Zellman: For me, it is confidence that is based on experience.

PSP: Do you mean experience in front of an audience?

Zellman: Yes. Let me give you an example. I once bid on a job for a series of trade show presentations. They wouldn’t accept my fees. I was disappointed, but instead of letting it get me down, I went to the exhibit to see whom they had hired. I stood around and watched the actor they had hired for $ 500 a day in my place. They were getting exactly what they were paying him. He wasn’t able to hold the audience past the opening line.

PSP: The actor did not have enough experience?

Zellman: No, you see, a trade show audience is not like the one you find in a sit down event. It’s really like a big carnival. The audience is fidgety. They want to get on with it. There has to be something to hold their attention every single moment. An actor can deliver dialogue. But that’s a far cry from delivering a captivating pitch.

PSP: What did the actor do wrong?

Zellman: He never built rapport. He looked up and began his canned speech as if they were ready for him. Here they stood around the exhibit that cost thousands of dollars…listening with reluctant attention. He failed to connect with the audience in a way that leads them to participate in the show.

PSP: Are you saying that the magic of the pitchman lies in audience participation?

Zellman: Absolutely.

PSP: Pitchmen have historically been lumped together with con artists and hucksters. How do you see your role?

Zellman: I do so much more than a pitchman ever could. I see myself as an educator and entertainer. You could say that I am an educainer.

PSP: What do you consider the basis of your trade-show talent?

Zellman: It is my voice. That’s my basic talent. All the other things I do like mind reading, magic tricks, storytelling and all the rest are dependent on the proper use of my voice as a tool to attract a crowd.

PSP: So your voice attracts the crowd, your magic gets them involved, your memory techniques take care of the educational part…and you save your mind reading for the close.

Zellman: You’ve got the essence of what I do.

PSP: How did you learn to use voice inflection to get prospects interested?

Zellman: I learned to use cadence from working as a pitchman in New York. Today that cadence works for me like the sound of a pied piper. People stop because they hear the cadence, the clarity; they sense the confidence in my tone of voice.

PSP: You have had a lot of experience as a salesman. What do you consider as the key qualities of a sales professional?

Zellman: The number one quality is to be organized. That encompasses having a plan, understanding the product, and knowing what’s happening in the client’s position. That means doing your research, keeping good records and developing creative and effective strategies.

PSP: You seem to use the techniques of an actor or performer in selling. Can you give us an example of how you have used these techniques in a sales call?

Zellman: When I was a salesman with Bulova, I had New England as my territory. I remember the day when they announced a sales contest on diamond watches. I thought I had the worst chances for winning the contest considering my territory. I knew that there were not many New Englanders interested in a $2500 diamond watch. But I decided to use all my talents and give it my best. As a performer I know that in order to sell yourself to an audience, you first have to get their attention. I decided the best way to sell the diamond watch was through an attention getting promotion. I went to a small jeweler in Portland, Maine. He had never sold a diamond watch before. I remember it was around Mother’s Day. I told my prospect that I had a great idea for him. I reached into my bag and pulled out this big frying pan and placed it in his window. Then I laid a beautiful diamond watch across the top of the frying pan. The diamonds sparkled in the spotlight in sharp contrast to the black finish of the pan. Then I carefully dropped next to the watch a hand lettered sign that said: “Happy Mother’s Day!” The jeweler loved it. And so did nearly every jeweler I visited. By the end of the week I had sold 17 diamond watches.

PSP: Did you win the sales contest?

Zellman: Yes.

PSP: Congratulations.

Zellman: Thank you.