The Do’s and Don’ts of Every Trade Show

When it comes time to present your company, startup, or idea to people from around the world, you want to be prepared in the best way possible. Sometimes, all you get is 30-seconds to convince someone to either invest in you, partner up with you, buy from you, or franchise one of your businesses. And, so, there are definitely some trade show do’s and don’ts you need to know before you show up for the big day.

Ready to master trade show management? Here’s how to get started…

The Do’s

1) Listen More

When people make an effort to stop at your exhibit booth, chances are, something piqued their interest. They’ll start to tell you about this interest. Therefore, our rule of thumb is as follows:

Listen 80% of the time; talk 20% of the time

Make sure to let people feel like they are part of the conversation. They will like you more for it and, therefore, be more likely to invest in you by the time it’s all said and done.

2) Stay in Touch

Make qualified leads out of people who are generally interested in your business. Take time to really listen to every person and identify what it is they are looking for. Once you make connections with exhibit hall attendees, be sure to stay in touch. Craft a great follow-up email that lets them know you haven’t forgotten about them and are looking forward to working together with them.

3) Provide Giveaways

People love free things. That’s why giveaways do so well. Just be sure they are somehow related to your business – if you hand out coasters and you are trying to promote a shoestring business, what’s the relation? Make it easy for people to remember.

The Don’ts

1) Don’t Be Negative

Do not talk negatively about the competition, even if you want to. It immediately shows people that you feel threatened for some reason; could it be because your product is not good enough? Instead, talk to show attendees about your services in an educational manner.

2) Don’t Be Unfriendly

Do not stack your exhibition team with negative and unfriendly people. Your booth staff should be energetic, engaging, and moving at all times. Do not allow staff to sit in chairs and stare at their phones. You want to ensure your trade show booth is as approachable as possible.

3) Don’t Be Unprofessional

Do not have food sitting around (like snacks and lunches). Nothing looks more unprofessional than the sight of half-eaten sandwiches and French-fries littering your nicely assembled exhibition space. Also, try not to eat around lunch time, and if you do, bring gum so your breath stays minty fresh.

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