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Trade Show Etiquette - Free Mints and First Impressions
by Lydia Ramsey
More Etiquette Articles
Published on this site: April 14th, 2009 - See
more articles from this month
Trade shows are big business today and you probably already have
a number of invitations from upcoming conferences asking if you
would be interested in renting space to hawk your wares.
Over the years I have resisted these invitations. They require
money and manpower and the return on investment may or may not
be there. In these difficult times vendors are looking at their
budgets and struggling with that decision. Obviously, you can't
grow your business unless you are in front of potential
customers in person or online.
This past year I decided to participate in three vendor shows.
All were exercises in salesmanship and people watching. I must
confess that I enjoyed the latter most. I made a number of
observations which I promised to share with you before the
holidays. Here is a sampling of what I learned about trade shows
from vendors to attendees.
- Start off on the right foot by setting up your booth on time.
What kind of impression will you make with the trade show host
and the attendees if you are still putting products and
promotions out when the show opens?
- Avoid eating and drinking in your booth. The message you send
when you are munching on lunch is, "Oops, I don't have time for
you now. I'm busy."
- Stand up during the event no matter how bad your feet hurt
and your back aches. A vendor sitting down appears lazy,
disinterested and unapproachable.
- Save your idle chatter with your booth mates until after the
show. No one passing by will care enough to interrupt your
conversation for a sales pitch.
- Be considerate of the other vendors by saving your sound and
light presentation for another occasion. During one trade show,
the fellow in the next booth had so much audio and video going
that it felt like half-time at the Super Bowl.
- Draw passersby to your booth through your professional
appearance and positive attitude. Wear your most professional
attire and greet everyone with eye contact, a smile and a
greeting. "Hi, how are you?" as a greeting will generate the
classic response, "Fine." There goes your prospect. Be original.
- Pay attention to your body language and maintain open
posture-no crossed arms. Stand forward in your booth with hands
relaxed and at your sides.
- Remember the 80/20 rule - listen 80% of the time and talk 20%
of the time. Otherwise, you will never learn what your prospect
wants, needs or thinks.
- Wear your name tag, the one that everyone can read without
having to squint.
- Use the name of your prospect in conversation so they know
that they are the focus of your attention.
- Be consistent. You are your company. If you are selling a
clown act, be funny no matter how grumpy you may feel at the end
of the day. If you are promoting business etiquette, be gracious
regardless of other people's inconsiderate behavior.
- And finally, stay out of other companies' booths. Wandering
into other people's exhibit area is disruptive and gives them
permission to barge in on you when they get bored.
When the show is over, the dust has settled and the aches and
pains are subsiding, follow up with your prospects so that all
that effort is not wasted. Turn your contacts into clients.
Lydia Ramsey: Is a business etiquette expert, professional
speaker, corporate trainer and author. Learn from Lydia by using
her four LIVE business etiquette broadcasts on DVD or by reading
the latest edition of her widely acclaimed book, "Manners That
Sell." Visit http://www.mannersthatsell.com/tms/index.html to
purchase your copy today.
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