3 observations from my time at Bharat Mobility in Greater Noida.
Kaushik and I spent two days at the Bharat Construction Equipment Show. Two of our clients at C4E had set up exhibits, and this was our chance to experience a large-scale, on-ground event and some industry truths in play.
This was important for us because KP, I and most of us are digital natives. We hardly get to experience the dust and grime. And in this case, the Delhi winters! KP is from Nashik and I’m from Chennai; you can put two and two together now.
In no particular order, things I saw and observed:
1/ Digital marketing for construction equipment companies
This was the second auto and construction expo in a span of two months. So the brands at this show didn’t expect a lot of action. Typically, it’s a lot of work, industry-level meetings, showcases of concepts that have been in the works for years, and more.
And that brings me to a question we get asked very often.
Why does a construction equipment company (like JCB for instance) need to market itself on social media? JCB is not a client, but we have worked with them in the past.
So, the short answer – your decision makers AND decision influencers are hanging out on these channels.
As a B2B business, the decision makers are construction companies that purchase in bulk. It’s straightforward.
But it doesn’t stop with marketing to decision-makers. The decision influencers are important too. The people who work at these companies or independently – contractors, operators, traders, the entire ecosystem – build a practice (and purchase machines).
The best example is cars and kids in India. You might be the one driving the vehicle, but your kid is driving the decision.
In the case of these operators, the impact goes beyond the project. It is about employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
This happens to be more common in the hinterlands considering where more infra projects are taking place. Basically, all of India.
And thanks to smartphone ubiquity, these decision influencers have access to Facebook, Instagram, and other such channels.
The next time they need to purchase equipment, your brand is either at the top of their mind or it’s not.
2/ Saw a glimpse of what events can teach you about life
Saurabh always told me that every young person must spend a few years in events. That it teaches you everything you need to know about life.
In fact, C4E was a live entertainment company for a long time. Till COVID forced us into the next phase. And boy, am I glad!
I didn’t spend my teens doing events, but I saw the second-hand lessons in play in Delhi.
This was during a production mishap at one of the booths I was visiting. In three minutes, each lesson about patience, power, and tact flashed in front of my eyes.
– Among a group of stressed people, there was one person who seemed evidently calm. Switching between both groups, standing with shoulders straight. Their world could’ve come crashing down and they would still be okay. It reminded me of Aishwarya Rai from Guru.
I want to be that person. And I am far from that. The ability to be equanimous in the face of disaster and to also get over that disaster fast.
Akshay once said it takes 6 seconds to go through 6 stages of grief. THAT. That is power. And I hope to build that in myself.
– It took 30 seconds for something to go wrong. But it also just took 30 seconds for that individual to find a solution. They had backups. They knew who to call. They knew the next 5 steps.
– I overheard some conversations and there weren’t many apologies. The people in charge were confident about what they were doing and it showed in their dialogue. And my guess is that this confidence is what allows them to build trust with their clients. In that moment, you don’t want everyone to be freaking out.
If I got to see and do that a 100 more times at 100 more events, I’d be unbeatable.
3/ Power play in play
One of the most obvious things at the expo was power dynamics within the teams. If you stood across a booth and observed people, you could easily tell who was running the show and who was there for the first time.
I’ve spent my entire “professional” life at a flat setup (hi C4E). Have seen power play, but from a distance and mostly in my interactions with large mammoths.
However, at this event, I could not imagine the show to work without a chain of command. Without orders. And thus, without power.
And then I thought about it. Some of the world’s most critical, high-performance organisations (think army) survive and scale because of a chain of command. And someone calling the shots. On a more positive note, guiding you as they run the show.
For someone who also hangs out in GenZ and tech bro circles on X, it feels like the real world is on a different tangent. A far cry from what we talk about – equality, balance, and all that.
The point is, a whole different world exists. And I am now beginning to see it. Learning to operate in it. So if you’ve got advice, I am listening.
FINALLY…
One of the other reasons for me to be at the event was sales. Apart from the inherent curiosity, this was a deliberate step for me as I stand with people who have built C4E, and take my own shot at leading it.
Naval says, “Learn to sell. Learn to build. If you can do both, you’d be unstoppable.”
Despite all the reading and theory, I never really had to sell anything to anyone. At C4E too, I would come in once the field had been warmed up. This was the first time I was opening doors, entering new territory, and all that.
I now know what it feels like.
It’s equal parts tough and exhilarating.
That I needed to give myself a 30-second pep talk before EACH conversation.
That it does take some courage to walk up to someone and strike up a no-context conversation.
That it takes tact to read the person fast and make an impression.
What helped? Once I asked myself what’s the worst that could happen? Someone would say they’re not interested. Or turn around and walk away (happened with 1 out of 20). Once I did that, I realised it wasn’t a very big deal.