Tradeshow Exhibition Tips - Do's and Don'ts

Midland Trade Show Displays Trade Show Tips - How to make the most of your next trade show!

According to Julia O'Connor, Author of The Trade Show Reader, working in an exhibit booth is a sales call, not a social call.  Here are some helpful tips to make the most of your next trade show.

Boothmanship describes the common courtesy and basic skills required for a show of any size, and is for anyone who participates in a trade show.  It goes beyond not being obnoxious, or showing a disdain for being at the show.  These are basic social skills.  They are also known as - The Things Your Mother Taught You But You Don't Do Because You Think You Won't See These People Again.

• Stand up Straight.  Stand - don't sit - and always look attentive.

• Smile.  We want to approach and deal with pleasant people

• Don't Gossip.  What goes around, comes around.  It's better to listen than to speak.

• Don't Drink, Smoke or Eat in the Exhibit.  Booth duty is a sales call, not a social call.

• Don't Chew Gum.  Even if you sell gum, any distraction that breaks the brief concentration of the visitor on your face and the conversation can mean a lost sale.

• Don't Offend.  Don't curse, tell off-color jokes, offend people by race, gender or do anything else which may be culturally offensive.  As business becomes more global, you can no longer assume everyone has your cultural sensitivities (or lack thereof).  Jokes often don't travel well.  Language and dialect have their own nuances.  As the Englishman told the American - "Just because we both speak English, doesn't matter.  We're foreign."

• Wash Your Hands.  This single act may keep you and others alive.

• Know What You're Talking About.  Your company's credibility is on the line, so it behooves you to know what you know, know what you don't know and find out where the answers are in between.

• If You Don't Know?  Say so - and then find out the right answer.  Get it to the visitor in the most expeditious way.

• Look at Me When I'm Talking to You.  Don't look over my shoulder for a better prospect.  Pay attention to me.  Use my name - it's on my name badge!

• Don't use the Cell Phone in the Booth.  The simple matter is you look busy and I won't bother you.

Training is about understanding trade shows.  There are basic courses - online and seminars - which review the basics of Boothmanship, but training provides more than common sense and basic sales skills.  Training builds on the basics of Boothmanship and involves:

• Process of a Trade Show.  Determining the interrelationships of people, departments, all of the contracts and time frames before, during and after the show.

• Psychology of the Environment.  Trade shows are different from any other selling environment.  Understanding your personality preferences, your sales style and the personal dynamics at a show will put you at ease.

• Determine the ROI.  There are many types of return-on-investment of a show.  The most important is the financial return, but departments such as sales, marketing and R & D may have guidelines to determine whether a show is a good investment.

• Purpose of Participating.  Each participant, division head and the corporation as a whole has a rationale for show selection, expectations and returns.  Why are you going is a critical question up and down the corporate line.

• Strengths and Weaknesses of your Staff.  The expectations your firm and the attendees have of the experience changes from show to show.  Being able to select and train your staff for each individual show gives your firm an advantage.  You should select the employees with the strongest skills to match the anticipated attendance and their level of need.

• Training is for Any Person with Responsibility.  Particularly at the managerial level and above, and for those who want to be better educated about this important marketing effort, training gives an overview of the entire process.

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