A quality trade show booth can help you expand brand awareness, build strong networks with key industry players, and generate new sales opportunities. But even the most impressive exhibit design and event strategy aren’t enough to offset the harm an ill-equipped exhibit staff can cause. Is your staff hindering your sales potential with the following bad habits?
Bad Habit #1: Going Into a Show Without Tangible, Identifiable Goals
In just about every business, networking is key to growth—and while trade shows can be fun, entertaining, and personally fulfilling, without having concrete goals established before you and your staff attend the show, you may end up spinning your wheels without anything to show for it.
Schedule a meeting with key staff a few weeks before the show to develop SMART goals and a plan of action to achieve them.
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Timely
The more specific you get when mapping out your business goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. People inherently want to set and achieve goals and by providing your exhibit staff with a clear direction, you give them a broader purpose to work toward.
Bad Habit #2: Being Unrealistic About Team Strengths and Weaknesses
Even your best and most dependable employees in the office may not be the best fit when it comes to staffing your exhibit. Put some thought into your team members’ strengths and weaknesses to determine which role (if any) they’d perform well. A few key traits of successful booth staffers include:
- Approachable
- Professional
- Engaging
- Well-versed on the company and products
- Effective Listeners
Bad Habit #3: Failing to Follow Trade Show Etiquette
Creating the ideal first impression on the show floor heavily relies on how your staff presents themselves. A few ground rules and expectations that should be addressed well before the event doors open include:
- Professional dress and grooming;
- Engaging in personal conversations;
- Eating and drinking guidelines within the booth;
- Ensuring the booth is staffed at all times; and
- Eliminating the use of cell phones within the booth
The recruitment of an effective trade show exhibit staff is vital to the success of any face-to-face marketing event. At Rockway Exhibits + Events, we manage every aspect of our client’s trade show programs. Our services include exhibit design, fabrication, strategy, logistics, and more, so businesses can shift their focus internally on what they do best.
Ready to take the guesswork out of exhibiting? Contact us to learn more about a partnership with our team.