Trade Show Exhibits from the Pros!

Training Trade Show Staff

Your trade show staff is one of the most important aspects of your trade show exhibit, without a competent staff, even the most engaging exhibit will not generate the leads and sales you expect.  Many exhibitors overlook staff training completely, or just give the staff a rushed, incomplete training session, and a handful of promotional pens right before the event doors open.

It is recommended that staff be trained for at least one full day before the trade show.  It may be beneficial for your trade show staff to talk with engineers and product developers so they know the product from top to bottom.  Staff members that have never participated in a trade show should be told what to expect, how to dress and what type of booth etiquette you expect from them. 

The representatives you choose to staff your trades show booth should be the best and brightest employees you have; they should truly believe in your product, have excellent communication and customer service abilities.  It is important that the booth staff be familiar with all marketing and promotional materials; they should be able to answer any questions a booth visitor may have.  If a booth visitor should ask a question the staff member is unable to answer, they should be instructed to refer the customer to someone who will be able to satisfactorily answer the question.

It may be a good idea to develop a script that describes your product’s features and benefits in about thirty seconds or so.  Have booth staffers practice reciting the speech until they are able to talk about your product with ease.  They should be able to explain to potential customers how your product will help them and why it is superior to similar products on the market.  At the same time, staffers should be taught how to qualify leads and obtain lead information.  They should be taught how to quickly and politely disengage themselves once it has been determined that a visitor is not a qualified lead. 

You should have rules of etiquette for your booth and staff members should be made aware of these before the trade show begins.  They should be aware of when their booth shifts are and what they are expected to wear to present a professional appearance.  They should know that eating, drinking, socializing and phone calls are not permitted in the booth.  Staff members who are not on duty should not congregate inside the booth; only those staff members who are scheduled to work at a particular time should be present in the booth.

Finally, make sure you have a plenty of water and breath mints available for your booth staff, and schedule frequent breaks for staff members; this will keep them fresh and at the top of their game.   A well trained booth staff can be the difference in a successful trade show exhibit and a waste of time and money.  These are the faces that potential customers will remember; and first impressions are the most important so make sure your employees are energetic, friendly, well-educated about the product they are representing and wearing a smile.  After all, the staff is holding the free promotional pencils and will be the individuals face to face with your potential clients.