And while some people who staff booths pride themselves on their ability to spot a live prospect and avoid everyone else, staying focused only on revenue often damages their brand.
Event planners are sometimes asked to manage a trade show booth, and they can help enhance the investment by sharing some trade show etiquette rules:
1. Greetings and Body Language
(c) 2007 Rob Hard, RH Communications, Inc.
- Stand up and greet attendees – in front of the booth.
- If seats are needed, use tall stools that create contact at standing eye level.
- Smile and make eye contact with attendees from all directions.
- Speak with trade show attendees, not colleagues.
- Sit down only if you are with a client who also wants to sit.
- Do not cross arms or legs.
- Be mindful of other people in the booth and near your space.
- Do not enter the space of another exhibitor.
- Thank attendees for spending time at your booth when they arrive and leave.
2. No Food or Beverages for Staff in the Booth
(c) 2007 Rob Hard, RH Communications, Inc.
It is easy to spot napkins, wrappers, plastic bottles and other items that are not part of the booth. It may sound elementary, but do remind booth staff to avoid eating, drinking and chewing gum within the booth.
3. Staff Hours
Trade show staff is usually responsible for booth setup, and they should arrive early enough to make sure that all materials are properly displayed and ready for show attendees. Staff adequately to allow attendees easy access to staff, and to consider needs for lunch and/or other breaks.It is important to highlight the show hours, and make sure that representation remains in the booth through the completion of the scheduled hours. It is amazing the number of booths where staff will disappear 15, 30, even 45 minutes before the end of a show.
4. Engage Attendees
People attend trade shows for a reason, so it is important for booth staff to quickly introduce themselves and ask attendees questions quickly to find out if they can help them in any way.Most of the people attending a trade show have some relevant reason to learn more about your products and services, so offer them a brief overview from the script and continue the conversation from there.
5. Script
Trade show booth staff should be assigned a specific area of the exhibit to cover, and should have the expertise to convey important company information to attendees.Representatives in a trade show booth should be prepared to answer questions or understand where to obtain more information. The booth should be managed by one person who has that expertise and/or authority, and that person should be accessible at all times.
6. Dress Code
Attire is something that differs from organization to organization. Some companies have corporate apparel (e.g., polo shirts, sport coats, dress shirts, etc.) while others give employees some direction on personal attire with colors and clothing style.Attire helps to reinforce trade show booth themes, and should also be perceived as respectful of the organizers and attendees of the show itself.
7. Booth Setup and Maintenance
Event managers typically direct trade show booth staff to store the unattractive boxes and supplies in such spots as behind a trade show wall, under a fully skirted table, or in a location outside the exhibit area where additional supplies are stored.It is important that the space appear well maintained at all times (including the floor), and trash should not be anywhere within view. Trade show etiquette requests that workers be mindful of this rule throughout the entire day.
