Most successful companies recognize that their people can make or break the success of their organization. This is most apparent at industry trade show events, where the staff at your exhibit can have a huge impact on the success of your experience. Great staff will engage with customers to learn what they need first, and create that connection to earn a new lead. Bad exhibitors will fail to bring and retain new customers to the trade show exhibit. Terrible staff can even do long term damage to the brand, if they interact with the wrong people. Here are a few key tips for exhibitors to make the most of the trade show.
1. Be Aware of Your Personal Appearance
You want to look approachable and professional and there a few simple things you can do. By having good posture and keeping your hands out your pockets, you show that you are alert and ready to engage in conversation. It is important that you avoid using your cell phone, even if you don’t have people in your booth. It makes you look uninterested and like you would rather be somewhere else. If you have more than one person working with you in your booth, spread out. It’s much easier for people to approach one person and engage in conversation.
Your personal appearance is the first thing visitors notice, besides your wonderful booth display. Exhibitors that spend thousands of dollars on the trade show displays should also pay attention to the appearance of the staff.
2. Teach Visitors Something New
You can spend money and time making your booth stand out. Your promotional pamphlets and trinkets can be the best at the show. But you must remember why people are at the show in the first place – to learn about new products. They want to learn about your product, see it in action and have any of their questions about it answered. While people love giveaways, your priority should be teaching them something new. Engage them in conversation, use dynamic presentations or slideshows, quizzes and discussions, and give product demonstrations.
Every interaction doesn’t have to be a hard sell. Many potential customers require multiple touch points before they are ready to commit to a sale. If this is the first time they are aware of your brand, the best thing might be to educate them first and give them everything they need to move them in the sales process faster – but don’t force the sale if they’re not ready.
3. Give Away Something Unique
Many people choose to approach a booth just based on what they may be giving away. You don’t always have to be giving away pens and t-shirts, especially since the visitors will be getting that all day from other companies.
Give them something to make them happy right then and there. After a long day at the trade show, people may want to have a place to sit for a moment. You can create a space where people want to spend more of their time. Charging stations for phones will be a big crowd pleaser, especially if you offer a place to sit while they wait for their device to charge. Offer coffee for a late afternoon boost. You can also offer a foot massage service if you really want to get in the trade show goer’s good favor. This makes you valuable not only because of your product, but because of what you can immediately offer them.
4. Prep on Social Media
You can use your social media accounts before, during and after the trade show for great interactions. In the weeks leading up to the show, invite your followers and those that use your product to the show. You can incentivize a visit to your booth but offer a giveaway if they RSVP. Blog, tweet, post to Facebook and Linkedin about what your booth will feature and its location on the trade show floor. Interact with people while they’re at the event on social media. Think about what you can do for them and remember to incentivize interactions.
Social media is not a silver bullet, and one social media platform is usually not all you need. Take a look at your customers and find them wherever they interact. If they only use LinkedIn, go there and write posts that they will see. If your customers are using Instagram or Twitter, meet them there and spread your message across as many social platforms as reasonable.
5. Follow Up After the Trade Show
Business cards are dropped left and right, social media accounts and email addresses are exchanged and phone numbers are scribbled on brochure corners. Let it not be in vain. You don’t want to just be memorable, you want to continue the interaction after the trade show floor clears. Compile the email addresses into mailing lists. Make follow-up phone calls. Mention someone in a tweet and ask them what they thought of the show. Connect on Linkedin. Long lasting business and consumer relationships are you went there for in the first place. In your follow up conversations, be sure to thank them for their time and invite them connect on various platforms.
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