Have you ever been to a trade show? If you're paying attention, it can be a masterclass of marketing, branding, pricing, and merchandising rolled into one. Years ago, I was an exhibitor and a curious observer at a major industry trade show at AmericasMart in Atlanta. If Amazon were a giant showroom, I would imagine this would be it – seven million square feet across three buildings, buzzing with nearly a thousand exhibitors, each hungering for the attention of savvy buyers.

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Same, but vastly different

As I made my way through the maze, I came across two porcelain vendors. They were booth neighbors yet worlds apart in their approach. The first booth was run by Shawn and his company, "Crane Global." It boasted a large 10'x30' booth and a vast array of imported porcelain – plates, bowls, cups, and tableware sets. The quality was good and the pricing was competitive. Brochures and price lists were placed on the tables, and salespeople, equipped with their order sheets, stood at the ready. They even had a sign in the front that read, "Ask About Our Show Special." It checked off all the boxes of typical exhibitor playbook. The problem was few buyers showed interest, walking past without much of a glance.

A few booths down, "Kimberglaze Ceramics" was housed in a smaller 10'x20' space, but it was buzzing with excitement. Kimberly, the owner and creator, was navigating the crowd in her booth like a celebrity. Instead of looking to produce all kinds of wares, she specialized in vases. In a sea of sameness, hers were designed with modern pastels mixed with eye-popping floral motifs set in classic Asian contours. Although the price higher, no buyer questioned its quality and value as evidenced by the crowd. Around her booth, a series of photos mounted on large poster boards told her origin story of her journey through Japan and Korea, hands shaping clay, and of her delicately adding color and patterns to her signature designs. ‍

My takeaways that day

• People Don't Want to Be Sold, Even When They Want to Buy: It's a paradoxical truth. While Shawn's booth screamed 'sale,' Kimberly's whispered a story. Even as more purchases are being made online, the endless re-marketing tactics may be more annoying and counterproductive than you think

• Connect With Emotion: Kimberly used her booth to not just display products. It drew buyers in with a personal journal that resonated deeply.
• Make Things Simple and Easy: Kimberly did one thing and did it well. There were no overwhelming choices, just a clear, compelling offering.

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Kimberly's approach was subtle yet impactful. She wasn't just selling vases; she was sharing a piece of her heart. And as Simon Sinek succinctly put it, "People don't buy what you sell, they buy why you made it."

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"Products are manufactured in a factory, but brands are created in the mind."

Lessons for every business

We live in a digital world directed by algorithms. When a product search comes back as a commoditized product list sorted by the lowest price, it's easy for businesses to get trapped in a race to the bottom, harming profit and reputation. To rise above in this hyper-competitive landscape, companies have to invest in branding and harness the power of story. Walter Landor once said, "Products are manufactured in a factory, but brands are created in the mind." Having a good products is just the entry ticket these days. The real game-changer is to be compelling, so much so, that consumers will make the conscious decision to choose your label over a lower priced competitor. That is when you know you have a strong brand.

So, in a world overcrowded with 'Shawns,' I urge you to be more like 'Kimberly.' A tale well told is a tale that sells.

* The names and companies in this story were changed to protect their privacy, but the story is true.

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