| What You Should Know about Exhibit Staffing | | | | Impress upon your staff the importance of taking |
| - You have only seconds to engage a prospective | | | | every opportunity to converse with attendees. |
| customer | | | | Trade show attendees expect to be approached. |
| - Conduct a pre-show training session with your | | | | When someone stops by your booth and takes a |
| staffers before every show | | | | brochure or a promotional item, take the time to talk |
| - Arrive early and be prepared | | | | to them about their needs and how your company's |
| - When the show is over, reward your hardworking | | | | products and services address those needs. Your |
| staff for their efforts | | | | goal is not to pitch everyone who visits your booth. |
| When selecting the staff for your trade show booth, | | | | The goal is to engage prospective clients in |
| you will have to decide whether to bring your own | | | | conversation and qualify the clients. Too often, |
| people, hire from a temp agency, or mix and match. | | | | exhibitors brag about the number of leads collected |
| Regardless of which plan you choose, remember that | | | | at the show without recognizing that many of those |
| you have only seconds to engage a prospective | | | | leads are unqualified and worthless. |
| client. Be sure you have a sufficient number people | | | | When possible, take notes and write those notes on |
| to handle prospects and be sure each member of | | | | a preformatted lead form or on an electronic lead |
| your staff understands his or her role. | | | | generation slip. Write your name on the form. Details |
| Pre-show Training | | | | matter and within a day or two, often within hours, |
| Conduct pre-show training session with your staffers | | | | exhibit staffers forget about specific conversations. |
| before EVERY SHOW. It is a good idea to write a list | | | | At a successful show, each staffer may speak to |
| of objectives for your staff. Make sure every | | | | several hundred prospects. No one can be expected |
| member of your staff is aware of his or her role. | | | | to recall every conversation. |
| Be certain your staffers have familiarized themselves | | | | Arrive Early and Be Prepared |
| with the products and services that your company | | | | Impress upon your booth staff the importance of |
| offers and that they can speak intelligently about | | | | arriving at the show early enough to set up for the |
| them. Check in with them as often as possible during | | | | day. Most shows will have a setup day before the |
| the show. You may want to assign several staff | | | | actual day of the event, but every day means |
| members to greet prospects; trade shows can get | | | | restocking literature, promotional items, and general |
| hectic and clients will wander away if no one | | | | housekeeping. Be sure your staff secures literature |
| approaches them within a minute or two. | | | | and promo items if they leave the booth for any |
| Keep It Professional | | | | reason. You should consider using a graphics case or |
| Keep it professional at all times while working the | | | | lockable counter, specifically designed to store and |
| booth. You don't want your staff to ever block the | | | | secure graphics. There may be guards at the doors |
| flow of traffic into and out of your booth or | | | | of the exhibit hall, but those guards are not watching |
| congregate in clusters. Instead, have them spread | | | | your booth. Valuables and promotional items will |
| out through the booth, so they don't appear to be | | | | disappear if you do not secure them, or at the very |
| socializing. Have your staff dress appropriately for the | | | | least, hide them from sticky fingers. |
| venue. Make sure your staffers eat and drink only | | | | Reward Your Staff |
| during their designated break time and never in the | | | | When the show is over, be sure to reward your |
| booth! This extends to chewing gum and munching | | | | hard-working staff for their efforts. You can take |
| on candy. Instruct your booth staff to be well | | | | the team out for lunch or hold an office party. Be |
| groomed and not to wear excessive perfume or | | | | sure to make everyone feel appreciated. You can |
| cologne. | | | | also set up incentives ahead of time by giving away |
| IMPORTANT: Always give your undivided attention | | | | prizes to those who generate the most qualified |
| to customers or potential clients. This means | | | | leads or achieve some other objective. Remember, |
| refraining from answering your cell phone or texting | | | | your staff members are the key to your success at |
| during show hours. | | | | a show, so let them know they are valued. |