What's New In Marketing

Exhibiting - Part V
The Do's and Don'ts of Exhibition Manning

So you've been chosen to man the exhibition stand and you probably have mixed feelings about the prospect. Sure it's a few days off the road or out of the office but standing around all day on an exhibition stand may sound to you like a waste of your valuable time.

Well we hope that in the next few minutes you will recognise that manning an exhibition stand can be extremely rewarding and the returns for your company immense, providing it is done properly and in the right frame of mind.

Your employees have invested a great deal of money and time into preparing, designing and constructing the stand for this exhibition and whether that investment is rewarded at the end of the day is very much down to you. They have provided the stage, and you are the act, so it is up to you to put on your best performance.

The visitors to your stand will form their opinion on your company and it's products more by their perception of you than on the stand or it's contents.

The way in which you conduct yourself on the stand will determine whether people feel comfortable to approach it or decide to stay away. The way in which you approach visitors will determine whether they will take the time to listen to what you have to say or quickly walk away. The way you describe the company's products and services will determine their level of interest. The way in which you qualify them will determine whether the leads recorded are worth chasing or a waste of your representative's time and finally the accuracy and level of detail that you record will determine the effectiveness of the follow up and the likelihood of a sale.

Yes, you are probably the most important piece in the exhibition jigsaw and your best performance is key to your company's success.

Preparation

A day on an exhibition stand is physically and mentally demanding so it is important that you are as rested as possible before the event. Try and get to bed early the night before your day on the stand and avoid the consumption of alcohol. It is also a good idea not to eat any spicy or smelly foods that could linger on your breath the following day, so no curries and garlic!

Make sure that your shoes are comfortable, on an average day at an exhibition you will walk the equivalent of several miles and your feet could easily swell up a size! It is often therefore a good idea to wear shoes with laces that can be loosened off or use shoes that have had time to stretch and mould themselves to your feet. Ladies, always wear flat soles in preference to heels.

It has been said that talcum powder in your shoes stops blistering. This may be the case but if you overdo it you will end of with shoes full of mush and white, ghostly footprints all over the exhibition stand. This is especially true of men wearing brogues!

Discuss with the stand manager exactly what would and would not be appropriate to wear. They may wish you all to wear the same colour or style. Light colours reflect light better and can keep you cooler at a busy exhibition, but they will also make you look larger.

Leave plenty of time to get to the exhibition. You should arrive at least half an hour before the visitors are allowed in, but the stand manager may require you even earlier. Arriving early ensures that you can be properly briefed, groomed and relaxed before the show begins.

There is nothing worse than exhibition staff arriving at the last minute, half dressed, with their hair in a mess, their faces bright red and sweat dripping down from their foreheads after a run from the train station!

Ensuring all the necessary items are on the exhibition stand is normally the responsibility of the contractors or stand manager, unless you have been given specific assignments to the contrary. There are are however a few items that we would suggest you take personal responsibility for, we call it the Exhibitors Toolkit.

It consists of:

Several pens, as they have a habit of disappearing over the course of an
exhibition).
A means to record leads (This may be a notepad, lead pad or
questionnaires depending on the preferences of your employees)
A folder or clipboard for you or your prospects to rest on when writing.
Your business cards (if you have any)
A presenter (if you use one)
Your Diary (so that you are in a position to make appointments)
Your Exhibitors Pass and Badge so that you can get into the show.

Your badge is very important. It is there for the benefit of the show visitors so they know who you are and how to relate to you.

Some exhibitors also carry pocket tape recorders. This is useful if you come across an interested prospect who is free with information. You can quickly record the gist of the conversation on the tape as soon as they have left the stand without the need to write copious notes. It is also useful to quickly and conveniently record a prospects details if they do not have a business card or swipeable badge.

Next Issue: What you should never do on an exhibition stand