Make the most of your exhibition staff
Good, professional, well trained exhibition staff can prove vital to your exhibition success. The way they present your brand and communicate it to visitors can lead to or deter sales. Here’s a few tips to make sure you have the best possible exhibition staff in place.
Pick your team
Make sure you have enough people available. You cannot manage to staff a stand through an entire show on your own. You need other people to cover for you when you are talking to a client; people who can cope with simple enquiries, take down contact details, provide demonstrations or hand out samples and literature. A small event may only require two or three extra staff whereas a larger could need five or more.
It is better to have too many than not enough. You can always send them off to do some research or promotion elsewhere in the exhibition.
Preparation
Prepare your team and give them a detailed briefing. They need to know what they are promoting, what they are doing, what you are aiming to achieve during the show. Ensure they are familiar with any technology being used on the stand.
Dress to impress
Your staff reflect your brand image. They need to look professional and smart. Don’t feel you have to invest in uniforms, just offer brand coloured shirts and accessories.
Body language
Body language is very important. Blocking an entrance way onto the stand, chatting to other staff members can be very off putting to visitors. Make sure they greet visitors in a friendly way, and encourage people to explore the product ranges. Eye contact is very important, even when sitting down. Above all, smile!
Training
Ensure your event staff are fully trained beforehand. Don’t leave it to one hour before the exhibition starts. Give them time to ask any questions they may have, time to explore the product ranges and services you are offering. Make sure they know what you expect throughout the show. Have a clear schedule and timetable for breaks to ensure the stand is never left unattended.
Quiet times can leave you with too many staff doing nothing
A stand filled only with your staff can appear discouraging towards visitors. There are going to be unexpected quiet times especially towards the end of a show. If you feel you have too many staff doing nothing, send them off to find out what competitors are doing or to hand out information to potential customers elsewhere in the exhibition hall
Keep promotional staff motivated
Make it fun and pleasant to work on your stand. Always thank staff for their work, show that you have valued their contribution. Reward them for good performance. Give them time to explore the exhibition for themselves and follow their own interests.
