5 Important Points for Your Staff at the Trade Show Stand

The staff at the trade show stand are a crucial factor for success. If they are not engaged and inviting, how else will the company generate new leads? In this article, we provide tips on everything from the number of staff and which employees should be at the stand, to training and how to keep their motivation high!

1: How many staff do you need at the trade show stand?

As you may have noticed, the number of staff varies from one trade show stand to another. There can be several reasons for this, but the smartest approach is to think strategically based on the type of stand you will have.

You should consider the purpose of the stand and the roles you need to fill. For example, if there are various activities on the stand that require additional resources. Have specific roles defined so that you don’t show up with an overstaffed stand. It costs unnecessary money and also doesn’t leave a good impression on passersby if employees are standing around bored.

Another thing to consider is basing the number of staff on how many leads each staff member can generate. For example, if an employee can typically secure 4 leads per hour, that would quickly add up to 20 leads in five hours. By understanding your employees and where they stand in terms of lead generation, you can get a rough estimate of how many leads you’ll be able to generate at the stand.

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2: Which employees should be present at the stand?

Once you've figured out how many employees you need at the stand, the next question is about who should be there. Both enthusiasm and expertise are crucial factors. Not all employees are suitable for working at the stand. You won’t get far if you choose a senior employee in the field who isn’t interested in standing at the booth.

The same applies in the opposite case: don’t choose someone who is eager but lacks the necessary expertise. Select your representatives carefully, being mindful of those who are at the forefront of the field and bring high enthusiasm. It’s obvious when someone is passionate about what they do – and it’s contagious!

Have you organized a stand before? If something works well, there’s no need to change it. If employees who participated last time did a great job and enjoyed themselves at the stand, they should definitely be at the front of the line when selecting representatives for this round.

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3: Prioritize good training

Make sure to prepare your employees well before sending them to the trade show. They need an introduction to everything from the purpose of the event and the activities taking place, to a refresher on the technical aspects and techniques for generating leads. Training will vary depending on the experience level of the representatives. Some may need more thorough training than others, especially if they have not participated in a trade show before. The most important thing is to give them a comprehensive understanding of how the company should be presented and what you offer. Clarify expectations and goals for the event in advance – this will also provide a good indicator of motivation.

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4: How should employees behave at the trade show stand?

To ensure that visitors who interact with your employees at the trade show stand are greeted as you intend, it's a good idea to review this with your team before the event. Establish a common understanding of the impression you want potential customers to have of your business.

If the purpose is for visitors to learn something, it may be beneficial to drill the representatives on the various activities related to the theme and ensure they have the necessary information to explain a concept, for example. If the trade show stand is more about general promotion, where the goal is to showcase the company and what it offers, make sure all employees have the product knowledge needed to communicate this effectively.

The employees representing the company's trade show stand should reflect who you are and the message you wish to convey. At the stand, your employees are essentially the face of the company. Therefore, it is very important to keep them motivated by making the planning process interesting and engaging!

If you are organizing a conference, it may also be useful to read this article with 10 helpful tips on how to organize a conference.
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5: Establish Good Routines

Document Experiences and Allocate Time for Post-Evaluation. Things to review could include:

- Did we achieve what we wanted?

- Was it the right venue for us, or would it be better to try something different next year?

- What did we do well, and what can we improve for next time?

It is important to prepare employees to report the number of leads after the trade show so they know what is expected of them. Additionally, these leads should be followed up on – it is advisable to do this quickly after the event while it is still fresh in the visitors' minds. Assign responsibility for who follows up on what and set deadlines for this.

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Good luck, and have a great trade show!

See more tips and advice on trade show stands. 

Maybe you're also wondering what else needs to be taken care of before a trade show stand? You can read more about this here, where we share our 8 best tips!

Compass Fairs rents out all the equipment you may need for your trade show stand, and to make it easier for you, we have created a clear overview of our small and large packages.

Feel free to contact us here if you have any questions!

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