Things to Consider when Working a Tradeshow Exhibit
August 24, 2005 - By Rachele Carl

Tradeshows are a great way to market your company to a large number of prospective clients. The way you run your exhibit booth is a major factor in determining the success of your show. Here are a few things to consider:

This is a sales call, not a social gathering.
Have plenty of business cards, brochures or other materials to hand out to your visitors.
If at all possible, don’t stand behind a table. Be out in front to eliminate that barrier.
Don’t overlook the importance of that first impression!
- Appearance: are you dressed in a professional way? Remember – this is a sales call!
- Posture: stand up straight, don’t sit.
- Body language: are you letting people know that you are approachable, friendly and confident?
- Be outgoing, but don’t be overbearing.
Each person you come in contact with is a potential customer. Greet him/her with a smile, eye contact and a firm handshake.
Know your products and services – their capabilities and limitations. No one wants to listen to someone who just “talks it big”.
On the other hand, don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know”. You can’t know everything and people respect when you are willing to admit it; however, always back it up with, “but I will find out and get back with you”.
Treat each person who visits your exhibit as if he/she is the best potential customer you could have.
- Listen.
- Maintain eye contact. Don’t look over his/her shoulder giving the appearance that he/she is not worth your time.
- Use his/her name.
- Ask questions about his/her company. You won’t know how to serve a potential client if you don’t know what their needs are.
Don’t chew gum or eat at your booth. You don’t want to be distracting. You only have a brief time with each visitor.
Don’t be offensive. Keep your language clean. Be sensitive to race, gender and culture.
Meet and/or acknowledge everyone who passes by your booth. Not everyone will be in the market for what you have to offer, but you never know when someone will pass your information on to someone else because you made the effort to be friendly.
Get business cards from everyone you meet. If he/she doesn’t have a business card, have some means of gathering this information.
Have “Give-Away's”. Everyone loves to get things. I will discuss how to choose good “Give-Away's” in a future article.
Contact or follow up with everyone who visited your exhibit booth, preferably within one week after the show. Not everyone will require the same follow up. Some may be leads that require a phone call; others may need additional information mailed to them; some may just need a “thank you for stopping by” note. Remember that everyone is important, even if the products and services you offer were not what a particular company needed. Your follow-up with a simple thank you may result in a referral to one of their clients or contacts.

Simply taking these basic points into consideration during a show can result in a dramatic increase of leads. In addition to that, people will remember you for your respectful and friendly demeanor.

Rachele Carl is the owner of C4 Creations, which sells products and services that help you keep your name in front of your customers. You've worked hard to build a good name for your company... ...don't let them forget it! C4 Creations can be reached at info@c4creations.com, (586) 949-6029 or via the website at www.c4creations.com.