David Mammano At Inc.:
Have you ever been an attendee at a conference and gone to the exhibit area? You know, where all those trade show booths are and the vendors are standing behind them, ready to espouse their company’s benefits to you?
I have been to many and sat on both sides of the table.
What baffles me is that when I’m an attendee and walk the exhibit aisles, I see so much aloofness. Many of the vendors don’t even look up because they are talking to their co-worker, checking their Blackberry or gazing deeply into their laptop monitor.
Vendors have to be very proactive. Odds are, the folks walking by don’t know much about your company. If you give a smile and say good morning, they’ll probably do the same. After that, a simple, “Have you heard of what our company can do for you?” will probably buy a minute of their time.
Here are some good trade show tips anyone can use to get the most out a trade show:
1) Don’t sit.
2) Avoid chatting with other your staff or co-workers.
3) Live by the 80/20 rule.
4) Train your trade show team.
5) Call them while they’re hot.
6) Offer some booth love.
7) Always be on.
Photo by stotz.us.