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Prepping For Tradeshow Season
By: Tama Swan, Associate Editor
Issue: 2009nov

Prepping For Tradeshow Season
Marc and Mim Goldberg, owners of Marketech, a consultancy specializing in exhibit marketing and training, answer common questions about training sales staff to effectively work a booth.
Q: I’m planning to attend at least three shows next year and it’s crucial that I return with new leads. I’ve brought in new salespeople to help, but how do I make sure they will perform well?

A: Evaluate staff during pre-show planning to ensure the best staffers are selected to work the events. To accomplish this, create a checklist of the skills needed and use it as a guide during selection. It could include items such as a positive attitude, ability to handle rejection, confidence and listening skills. Then evaluate the staff against your checklist while working the show to determine areas of needed improvement.

The best way to gauge your staff’s training needs is to look at their performance vs. show objectives. Consistently unmet objectives are a key indicator that something is missing. For example, if your objective was to generate 125 qualified leads but you only captured 50, you first must evaluate show attendance. If attendance is on track, then staffers may need skill development in areas of engagement, qualification and lead capture.

Training needs can also be evaluated through a visual audit. Here, a third-party expert in exhibit-based marketing critiques staff effectiveness in acknowledgement and communication with show visitors.


Q: My company is young and has little to invest in tradeshow training. How can I prep my staff for upcoming shows on a small budget?

A: If inviting a coach to conduct in-office training or traveling to a seminar or conference isn’t feasible, look for online webinars or programs on CD that can be bought and used anytime. Another option is to subscribe to industry magazines, such as Exhibitor or Event Marketer.

You may also try compiling information from industry and association websites, such as the Tradeshow Exhibitors Association (TSEA), and using it as a guide. Also check the internal HR or sales training resources your company already has for relevant information. Another option is to check with tradeshow organizers, which sometimes offer exhibitor programs.
Q: I’d like to train my sales staff for an upcoming tradeshow, but there isn’t enough time for an organized program. What are some of the biggest things I can advise them about?

A: First, express the benefits a tradeshow offers your company. It can be easy for sales teams to “blow off” tradeshows. Quantify the role each tradeshow plays in your marketing mix so that staff understand the importance of the work they’re doing.

Most attendees are strangers to your staff, which can cause major discomfort when a salesperson engages booth visitors in dialogue. Train your staff never to ignore visitors and teach them methods for engaging with people they don’t know.

Sales staff also must know that every booth visitor is important, even if he or she is not in the salesperson’s territory. Establish a routine for serving these visitors and ensuring commissions are handled fairly.

Also, stress listening skills to your reps. Advising them to acknowledge each attendee’s objective or agenda, rather than performing an information dump of the company’s products and services, will make a big difference come show time.


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