The question around every exhibit space for the last umpteen years has always circled around show attendance. How many people? That was the number everyone looked for. That was then. Now, let’s move on to the new millennium question? How many show attendees did your booth staff connect with? This is critical.
I am not writing about how many giveaways you gave away. Or how many cards are in the fish bowl at the end of the day. How many qualified show attendees stopped at your exhibit and interacted with one of your staff in regard to your product? And, as a side note, could everyone tell what you were selling – take a look at your exhibit pictures – is it there, can you see it? Back to the point – all staffers need to be trained to engage with anyone with one foot in your exhibit booth or even in the aisle space outside your exhibit. Making people comfortable is the first step in getting attendees to become clients.
There is a quantity/quality axiom here. First you must engage as many attendees on the outskirts of your exhibit as possible. Then you must invite in the quality attendees to sample your wares, choose a giveaway, enter your private areas within your exhibit space. To do this every one of your staff must learn to interact immediately – a tradeshow should be an exhausting and exhilarating experience based on working the crowd and not on staying out too late the night before!
