Making the Most of Your Exhibit
Opportunity – 10 Do’s and 10 Don’ts in Staffing Your Exhibit Booth
By Corbin
Ball
©2002 Corbin Ball Associates
Tradeshows
and exhibits are great ways to increase company visibility and, ultimately
increase sales. However, the cost of travel, shipping, time away from the
office, booth rental space/supplies can be significant. It is imperative that
you maximize your limited time in the booth to get the best return on
investment.
As
a professional speaker and former meeting planner, I have attended hundreds of
exhibitions and have observed tens of thousands of exhibit staff.
I regularly see glaring examples of what to do and what not to do in
order to maximize exhibit sales. This article will cover some of the key points
to keep in mind as you staff your booth.
Good
moves:
- Invite
your clients to stop by your booth with advance postcard mailings,
personalized email notifications, and web site announcements. Advance
invitations to your clients will, without fail, increase your traffic.
- Hall
placement is important, as parts of an exhibit hall will often get better
traffic than others. Perimeter and front placement are often best so sign up
early to improve your position in the queue.
- Stand
at your booth and greet people warmly - engage them in friendly conversation
before you even think of selling your product. Comment about their name or
where they are from. You need to establish a personal contact before you do
business.
- Ask
about their needs – what are they looking for? Do not assume that you have
the answer before assessing their needs.
- Be
able to state what your unique selling proposition is within ten seconds.
Focus on client benefits (not features).
- Have
an inviting booth that is tasteful, attractive and barrier-free. A table
desk at the front often blocks people from entering. Extra carpet padding is
a subtle way of adding a welcoming quality to your booth. Demos, hands-on
displays, pictures, interactive activities draw people in. You have about
five seconds to capture the visitor’s attention before they are gone.
- Work
out a system for capturing, qualifying and following up on leads. In a large
show, use the lead retrieval system provided by the show manager. In a small
show, it will be worth it to use a business card scanner to easily get the
person into a computerized follow up system.
- Have
sufficient staffing to allow for rest and eating breaks. Your booth should
always be staffed with fresh staff ready to put their best foot forward.
- Make
visitors feel happy that they stopped by. In many industries, it is the
relationship that is the start of the entire sales process. Thank each
visitor for stopping by.
- Maximize
the power of email marketing. People that have given you your contact
information are fare game for helpful, personalized email contact.
What
to avoid:
- Do
not sit at your booth (unless there is absolutely not a potential lead in
sight).
- Do
not eat, read or otherwise be distracted at your booth. Avoid anything that
inhibits your ability to engage the potential client.
- Do
not engage in conversation with your fellow booth sales person whenever
there is a possibility to engage in conversation with a potential client.
The customer should in all cases take precedence with your attention.
- Do
not stand with your arms crossed at the booth (the palace guard position).
This position is unwelcoming and tends to drive potential engagement away.
- Do
not stand with your hands folded low in front of you (the “fig leaf”
position) or behind you (the military “at ease” position) for the same
reasons as above.
- Do
not hand out brochures until you have qualified the lead and they have
expressed an interest. Handing out brochures at initial contact inhibit the
possibilities of deeper conversation. Often, it is a conversation stopper --
the potential lead will say thank you and move on. Instead, wait until you
have engaged and qualified the lead before handing out information as the
last point of contact.
- Do
not fail to assess the client’s needs before providing a solution.
- Do
not fail to be impeccably dressed and groomed. You only have one chance to
make a first impression.
- Do
not leave the booth unattended and do not take your stand down before the
exhibit ends. You have made the commitment for the time. Often attendees
will make a last minute rush of the hall and dismantling the stand shows a
lack of this commitment.
- Do
not fail to follow up on requests for information. It is imperative that you
do what you commit to in the booth.
If you find this article helpful, please let me
know by signing the Guest Book in the Contact
Corbin Section..
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