Having good trade show booth etiquette is all about the appearance, behaviour, and the overall performance of your booth staff. Many exhibitors underestimate the value of etiquette training and fail to attract customers and prospects as a result.
Irrespective of how impressive your design, lighting, banners, giveaways, and exhibits are, your staff plays the biggest role when it comes to representing your brand. Attendees may forget the design of your booth, but they will remember their experience and the hospitality shown.
Here are some trade show booth etiquette rules and tips for your staff to rock the event.
1) Dress Neatly
It’s a well-known fact that people notice your attire first. If your staff is neatly dressed, then it gives off a professional look. Create a dress code (corporate or business casual) or uniform for your staff and direct them to follow an appropriate clothing style. You can customize the uniform to incorporate the trade show booth theme and add name tags to distinguish the staff.
2) Greet People Warmly and Use Positive Body Language
Your trade show exhibits are the reason why attendees come to your booth, but your staff is the reason why they stay. Instruct your staff to follow these rules-
- Greet the attendees with a smile while making eye contact
- Stand up while greeting and ask the attendees to sit first
- Listen attentively to them first, rather than talking about your brand
- Don’t lean forward, cross your legs or keep your hands in pocket
- Show graciousness and empathy
- Be energetic and polite
- Don’t yell; keep your volume at an audible level
- Say thank you for their time when they leave
3) Don’t Eat Within the Booth Area
Eating and drinking within the booth area is a strict no-no. A separate area must be assigned to keep food items and beverages for the staff’s personal consumption. If the staffs consume food inside the booth, then the attendees can easily spot plastic bottles, napkins and other disposables. It will create an unprofessional and cluttered look. To avoid this, schedule a fixed time for refreshments and put refillable water bottles in the area for your staff to drink.
4) Be Helpful
Be it a trade show or a real life situation, everyone remembers a helpful person. Offer your help to the visitors and volunteer to guide them if they need directions. Don’t force your product on them or push them to visit your booth. If they are looking for another trade show booth, then assist them in finding it. This will work in your favour and give a positive impression that you treat visitors as humans rather than just a sales opportunity.
Train your booth staff and give them direction to follow proper etiquette. These small behavioural changes make a big impact on generating leads and attracting prospects. For more information regarding trade shows, contact Exhibit Express.
