Well, sitting here at the end of a long day of meeting planning thinking about some different things. Mainly, tradeshows today. We have a number of clients that participate in both industry and consumer shows, for these clients, we provide a number of services Booth Design, Show Management, Training, Staffing, Etc.
It never fails to amaze me that some companies spend a bazillion dollars to build a booth, ship it and their product, send their staff, etc to a show halfway around the world–Yet once everything is set up and the show is in full swing, all of their staff is sitting at a desk, eating a sandwich, chewing gum or standing there with their arms crossed looking like they would love to be anywhere but the show. Then they pack up, go home, and wonder why they got only 2 leads from a 3 day show.
It seems like a simple premise, but if you are going to make the effort to make the show, act like you have the most wonderful product, the best service, the new “wheel” if you will. Jump up and down, smile, talk to people in the aisles, and for heaven’s sake, act like being there is the most fun you have ever had– even if it isn’t. Before you get on the plane, have the staff know your elevator pitch inside and out, this way when a prospect walks into the booth they can learn about your product or service in 30 seconds. The turnaround in lead generation and closed sales will be almost instant.
Also, get new graphics for your booth. It can make the difference between someone approaching your booth or walking in the other direction. If you have an existing display–upgrade it. Low cost, high impact results. You are spending $3500.00 on the space, $500.00 on the internet, a few hundred for electricity, and who knows how much getting the staff there, keeping their tummies full, and putting a roof over their head. Help them generate leads by having a booth that is representative of your company’s image. After all of this, what is a few thousand on graphics that are well designed and produced professionally?
Uh oh, here comes the ramble…………
One more thing, do not wear a suit when you are in the booth. We have a Fortune 100 client that hired us to represent their new hip consumer electronic product. Our staff were expertly trained and doing a great job. They were looking quite smashing in their khakis and polo shirts. A senior VP of Sales came to the show (consumer show, everyone in attendance was in jeans and shorts) and wanted to show us the what-for and how well he could sell. He was in a suit, wing tips and all, trying to sell a fun product. Needless to say, he got nada. He had just come from a big corporate meeting where he got the product placed in every one of the major retailer’s stores, but could not get a sale on the show floor. Not because he could not sell, but because the suit made him stuffy and unapproachable.
Suit………good for corporate meetings, Bad for tradeshows.
