The representatives you put at your trade show booth is the lifeblood of your exhibit strategy. If not staffed correctly, your exhibit team could have a negative impact on your trade show ROI.
Don’t send just anyone to the trade show floor. Choose your best and brightest employees to represent your brand.
And don’t assume that because they are smart, they will know what to do once they are there. Training the staff before the show is critical for a successful event. Don’t let this important detail fall by the wayside when you get distracted by other pressing tasks for the show.
Your trade show booth’s design will help attract prospects and customers. However, it’s your staff that will make or break the trade show experience. Use this trade show staff checklist to ensure your booth is staffed for maximum success.
Determine Your Staffing Needs
An understaffed booth runs the risk of prospects being left high and dry. Overstaffing, however, leaves visitors feeling crowded and intimidated. Either outcome will impact your ROI and turn away potential customers.
You can derive the correct number of staff required by considering the forecasted number of visitors to your exhibit, as well as the time it should take each staff member to complete the planned interactions around your engagement activities. Remember, some experts might be required for a specific product demo. An important aspect of booth training should be to assign roles and map out positioning, especially if you have a large exhibit.
Full Engagement Required
If your booth representatives are standoffish, bored, or in any way disengaged, your exhibit experience will suffer. Select personnel who are lively, friendly and committed to achieving the company’s goals.
They should smile, make eye contact, and maintain open and inviting body language. Crossed arms, sitting down, looking at their phones and leaning against booth walls will drive prospects elsewhere.
Practice Makes Perfect
The staff working your trade show booth should be knowledgeable about what’s important to convey to attendees. Sales scripts help representatives deliver consistent and effective messaging.
You should anticipate and provide answers for commonly asked questions. There should be one person on staff who’s an authority on what your company provides. That person needs to be easily accessible to attendees and supporting staff members.
Don’t Forget Etiquette
Trade show exhibits make for long days, but manners matter. Food and drink kept in open view is off-putting to those attending the exhibit.
Staff members who stand in front of the booth while eating, drinking or chewing gum look unprofessional. Napkins, food wrappers and bottles take away from the impact of your trade show design. Staff appropriately to allow break opportunities, and ensure these breathers are away from the booth.
Measure What Matters
A friendly and professional booth staff will help create a positive trade show experience. Measuring trade show ROI helps you know how best to use time and financial resources. It can help determine whether to bring more or less staff to the next event, and identify ways to maximize participation.
That’s where Exhibitus comes in. We’re the only custom design house with a dedicated Results Division. If you want a smart trade show design that’s supported with powerful measurement strategies, let’s talk. Contact us or call 800-770-4392 to get started.