Day 3: Booth Staff
Marlys Arnold
Focused on #YourExhibitSuccess | Exhibit Marketing Consultant & Award-winning Author of Build a Better Trade Show Image & Exhibit Design That Works | Trade Show Insights Blog/Podcast Host
We’ve made it to Day 3 of Build a Better Trade Show Image Week!
We’ve been focusing on a different stage of #YourExhibitSuccess each day. And nothing is more critical to your success than today’s topic – the people who staff your booth.
Whether you’re a brand-new exhibitor or a long-time veteran, there’s a good chance your staff could use a few tips on how to best engage and qualify attendees in the booth.
What Makes a Good Booth Staffer?
When it comes time to choose which employees will staff the booth at your next trade show, do you automatically call the sales department?
If so, maybe you’d better think again. Just because someone is good at sales doesn’t mean they’ll be a natural in the trade show environment. (I actually did an entire blog post on “The Challenge of Using Salespeople as Booth Staff” – you can read that here.)
So what qualities should you look for? Listen to this episode of Trade Show Insights for tips: (Or read it on the blog here.)
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Be Staffing Your Booth?
Granted, there may be times when you’re told who will be working the booth and you don’t have any say in the decision. But if you do have the opportunity to influence or select who will represent your company on the show floor, listen to this episode for guidelines on who to consider. (Or read it on the Trade Show Insights blog.)
The Importance of Exhibitor Education
If a company is willing to spend thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) to have an exhibit, why wouldn’t they?want their staff to be educated on how to get the best return on that investment?
It’s a known fact that better educated exhibitors are more effective and successful. So why do so few exhibitors invest in this key piece?
After seeing a study that revealed how little pre-show training most companies provide, I compiled the Exhibitor Education Manifesto to explain what exhibitor education is (and isn’t) and why it matters.?You can download a copy of that PDF here.
What will you do to help your booth staff be more successful? ?Please share in the comments!
And if you'd like help with specific ideas for your next trade show, please reach out to me. Whether you're a show organizer or exhibitor, I have a range of exhibitor education tools for every budget.