Direct Marketing News

You might have the most interesting booth at the trade show. You might have an exciting product, a great giveaway, and a slick marketing campaign that’s sure to draw attention. But what do you do with that attention once hundreds of trade show attendees are standing at your booth? There’s no doubt about it: if you don’t have the right people manning your booth, you’re setting yourself up for a less-than-successful appearance.

Casting is everything, especially when it comes to trade shows. The right employees can turn even a humdrum booth and a less-than-thrilling giveaway into a success. The wrong ones can sabotage all your best efforts. Here’s what to look for when choosing an employee to run your booth at a trade show.

Good grooming. This one is obvious. The people at your booth are the face of your company. And that face needs to look good. Choose well-groomed employees who know how to dress well-and who wouldn’t dream of showing up for a day of work looking rumpled or messy. If they don’t look good on the big day, your company won’t, either.

Must love people. This is more important than any other quality listed below. Do not, under any circumstances, force an introverted employee to work the trade show booth. He will not go up to people and strike up conversations. He will not deliver a convincing sales pitch. He will shy away from people instead of talking to them, when given a choice. This isn’t his fault-it’s just the way he is.

Don’t think you can transform an introvert into a good salesperson in time for your trade show. Instead, choose an employee whose natural strengths include an extroverted personality. Pick someone who loves to meet new people, and you’ll get a salesperson who initiates conversations, delivers sales pitches naturally and easily, and looks prospects in the eye. It will make a world of difference.

Experience. When you can, choose employees who have successfully worked trade shows before. These guys know the ropes already; you won’t have to do a lot of training, and you’ll be more comfortable letting them run the show. If you’re going to use more than one person at the booth, choose at least one employee with some experience.

Stamina. Being at a trade show requires a lot of energy. Your salespeople will need to be engaged and energetic while standing on their feet for hours. Sitting down at the booth looks bad, and if your employee looks tired, he won’t make a good impression.

Avoid choosing an employee who doesn’t have the energy-not just for yourself, but for the comfort of the employee. Instead, choose a salesperson with stamina-someone who can be energetic on his feet all day.

A knowledge of your product and industry. Can your employees talk at length about your product? Are they enthusiastic? Can they converse easily with industry leaders, potential customers, suppliers, and all the different characters you’ll meet at a trade show?

Some businesses hire good-looking models to staff their booths-even though they know nothing about the product. This is usually not a good idea. Your customers want someone who is knowledgeable about your product or industry, not someone who looks good but can’t answer their questions. Choose people who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about what you’re selling, and you’ll make a good impression.

Charisma. When your best salesperson talks, do people automatically listen? Can he work a crowd? Does he have an authoritative yet approachable persona? A charismatic salesperson can do a lot for your trade show booth, from drawing people in to keeping the interest of potential customers.

Yes, your salespeople should be extroverted. But for the best fit, look for employees who have that special something. Choose people with charisma.

Connections. Does your top salesperson know the movers and shakers in your industry? Is she on friendly terms with people who might put in a huge order with your business? It can be a huge help to have an employee on your side who knows the players in your industry personally-or who has met them before. These folks may stop by your booth to say a quick hello, and then be convinced to stay and find out more about your product.

The most important part of your trade show presentation isn’t the booth, the giveaway, or the literature. It’s the people you choose to work at your booth. Choose the wrong ones, and even the best presentation can flop. But pick the right ones, and you’re sure to see success at your next trade show.

G Green is director at Just Displays a supplier of exhibition stands and banners. For a wide range of products including contour banner stands visit http://www.justdisplays.co.uk/contourbannerstands.asp