Marketplace Thinking = Relationship Based Sales

If you attended the #BCTECH Summit in 2016 you would likely agree a highlight was the open-air trade show, where all gathered for food, beverage, conversation and deep discussions with the many purveyors and creators of technology in its many forms. Large, established and deeply innovative companies intersected with the entrepreneurs, researchers and developers who are continuing to evolve every sector of the economy and conversations, often with unexpected people led to more conversations, a sparking of ideas, and deals beginning or growing in this open and welcoming forum.

We created this space purposefully by thinking about how business relationships develop. It is rare for a cold call about your new product, which you are so excited about, to elicit a sale. It is rarer still to seriously consider a product or service which requires a larger investment in time or financial resources from a company you don’t have a relationship with. Often, humans being the fickle creatures we are, we want that relationship to be with both a brand we know and a person we trust. Trust as we know is best built in face-to-face connections, and often over a period of time and it is by attending events where this happens, in both planned and serendipitous meetings.

So we created a non-traditional trade show environment with open spaces vs. aisles, in a bright and welcome space with a consideration for how people want to interact, making our own “agora”. The word Agora is Greek for “a place of assembly” and historically where citizens gathered to hear announcements, muster for campaigns, and where traders, merchants and craftsmen gathered with bakers and butchers, where dress-makers and vintners and more were available for viewing, discussion and yes, sales. This was an essentially human space, where society came to laugh, learn, share and sell in the most connected way possible.

As one person said “I was impressed you could have such a huge space and still make everyone feel at home.” At the Summit this year we will again have this amazing mix of organizations, sponsors who understand the importance of showcasing the talent in our ecosystem and the work they are doing here, much created locally and applied globally. We will have even more exhibitors participating and creating even more conversations in a deeply immersive environment.

In BC we have such a strong base in technology across sectors from data to digital media to natural resources and clean tech, health care and agri-tech, transportation from oceans to aerospace, tourism, on-line retailing, fintech and more. I love seeing all the ideas in action and being able to bring them all to life in a meaningful way for the thousands who will join us. Will you be one of them? bctechsummit.ca