Trade Show Booth Staff Planning

The value of an idea is judged by how it is presented. The value of your company is judged by how it is represented. Make sure your staff represents your company at the level to which you aspire.

Advance planning is critical. Whether you are a one-man operation or have a staff of support personnel, you need to follow a planning process, from your selling message, to display design and production to at-show strategy thru follow up. There is no substitute for pre-show meetings to develop and practice your sales message so everyone knows their role and everyone is on message. This applies to a team of two or ten booth staffers. In your planning meetings, discuss the issues, possible visitor questions and your answers and solutions. This is a good opportunity to have staffers role play to practice, develop, and feel comfortable with their own face-to-face style.

Quick! What’s Your Story?
You’ve Got 30 to 60 seconds!

Practice your presentation (Pitch). Give the visitor the elevator pitch, i.e., describe your unique selling proposition in 30 to 60 seconds. Keep your delivery short and succinct to hold the visitor’s interest.

Make your presentation into a short conversation leading into a demonstration of your product or service, using the product, a bound presentation, your sales literature and/or your on-site computer or tablet. This presentation should begin with a comment about or discussion of industry problems followed by what you can do to solve these problems. In developing your message consider what service or benefit at which you excel. The objective is to lead the visitor into interaction that will reveal the visitors need and identify the areas in which you can provide solutions. Get Key Man contact information. If the visitor is not the “key man,” get the name(s) of other company or department managers. Again, make personal notes regarding the needs of the company.

Promise to send additional information based on the visitor’s expressed interest, or even better, request a follow-up call to his/her location for a follow-up visit.

If you have a video presentation, don’t deliver the same verbal message word for word in your conversation. But rather present a variation of your USP based on the feedback you are getting from your visitor. This interaction and feedback should be a call to action for you to provide additional information tailored to the visitor’s needs. Wait for feedback then hone in on the visitor’s specific needs. Listen to the visitor and don’t oversell by talking over the prospect.

Keep it fresh. Booth staffing is hard work and you need to keep your pitch fresh. You must always appear interested in the visitor’s needs. Practice your sales pitch. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel as you develop your own style.

Trade Show Planning

In a casual staff atmosphere, plan your message and practice your presentation to develop your own comfortable style.

Trade Show Elevator Pitch

Give your visitor the elevator pitch; describe your unique selling proposition in 30 to 60 seconds.

Trade Show USP Pitch

Make your USP pitch into a short conversation. If the visitor doesn’t show interest, don’t waste your time, move on to another visitor.

Next > At the Show

Ready for your next trade show?

Contact us to schedule a consultation with a trade show expert or browse our products