Trade shows are a great way for businesses, big and small, to engage with a larger audience. Most attendees come to these trade shows to interact with the industry experts and check out any new technology or products on display. It is important to know the Dos and Don’ts of engaging trade show attendees to make a decent return on your investment.

 

The Do’s and Don’ts

Do: Know the type of people that will be attending the trade show and prepare accordingly. It is always better to engage an attendee with an engaging question, stimulate their mind and get them interested by asking them about their interests and what they are liking about the trade show the most.

Don’t: Avoid typical ‘Can I Help You?’ and ‘How you doing?’ statements.

Don’t: NEVER cross your arms! This screams ‘don’t bother me’ to the attendees; you do not want to send that message.

Do: This may sound obvious but always have a smile ready for the attendee. Stand up straight; you must look helpful and interested so the booth visitor can feel comfortable when approaching you.

Do: Stand facing the aisle so that when an attendee approaches your booth you will be ready to engage them in a conversation.

Don’t: Never turn your back to the aisle; it will give your booth a ‘not interested’ vibe and repel any potential customers.

Do: Make sure that your style of communication is personable, informative and entertaining. If an attendee is wearing a name tag then address them accordingly in a respectful manner.

Don’t: Don’t converse in a ‘sales pitchy’ manner nor come on too strong as it will drive the attendees away from you.

Do: When engaging an attendee, always hand them something to remember you by, such as a brochure or business card. If they leave empty-handed chances are they will forget you soon.

Don’t: Don’t think that trade show attendees will call you ASAP. Following up with those who showed interest in your product or services is your job.

Trade shows require a lot of time, energy and resources, so you need to make sure that your efforts pay off. Knowing the important aspects of engaging trade show attendees is the key to a successful trade show.