Exhibiting With Trade Show Booths? Two Dos And A Don’t
Exhibiting with trade show exhibits is stressful, whether you’re brand new to these events or you’re a marketing veteran. Before you attend any event, make sure that you understand some of the most common dos and don’ts regarding exhibiting, including how to make sure that everyone who visits your exhibit gets greeted, why it’s important to follow the rules of the trade show event, and how to make it easy for visitors to find you once the event is over.
Do: Make Sure That Staff Members Greet Everyone Who Visits Your Trade Show Exhibits
This might seem like a no-brainer, especially for staff members who have ever worked in retail, but it’s worth repeating: your staff should make an effort to greet every single person who visits your trade show booth. If you’re short-staffed for any reason or you have some members who are at lunch, this can seem like a difficult task, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead, make sure that everyone understands that they can acknowledge a newcomer with a wave, a nod or just a smile if they’re occupied with another visitor. Many attendees will understand that they need to wait if you’re busy with another visitor. Take the time with each visitor, however, and try not to rush a current conversation. This can make current visitors feel less important that others. It’s possible to wrap up a conversation with a visitor who just wants to make small talk in a tactful way and this skill is often quite valuable at marketing events.
Don’t: Ignore The Importance Of Marketing Materials
If you’re having marketing materials or promotional giveaways created (and you should!), it’s important that you consider how your visitors will receive these items. Instead of giving away a pen with just your logo, make sure that includes your phone number or website address. The same is true for any printed materials like brochures. Make sure that your contact information is on every single item that you give away. This mistake is easy to make, but it’s also easy to avoid as long as you take a critical look at your giveaways.
Do: Understand And Follow The Event’s Rules!
Nearly every trade show is full of rules and regulations that must be followed. Exhibitors who don’t follow these rules can face hefty fines, whether they broke a rule intentionally or not. When you first signed up for the event, it’s likely that you received a large document full of the show’s rules and regulations. While it might be tempting to just have one person read through the document (after all, it’s unlikely that anyone really wants to read the whole thing!), you should have every person attending read it. This can help ensure that there’s someone who understands all the rules, including things like who is authorized to plug in your electrical components, who can install and dismantle your display, as well as where the shipping boxes containing your trade show exhibits need to go. Having more than one person on staff that understands the rules can also come in handy in case someone is suddenly unable to attend because of a last minute emergency.
These dos and the don’t aren’t difficult to follow, but they’re not the only things companies need to think about before taking their trade show exhibits to an event. Before you attend, take some time to work with your staff members to see if there are any other trade show dos and don’ts that you can think of.
By: Jill Amerie –
