Break up the Huddle in Your Exhibit

Keep Your Team Talking to the Attendee…Not to Each Other!

A trade show’s main objective is to facilitate the sales/marketing strategy, whether meeting with clients or securing leads.  However, by uniting the marketing and sales departments together in one place several secondary objectives are often achieved.  Sales reps coming out of the field can see and be trained on new products and marketing messages, and colleagues can network and share experiences to better their individual goals.

These secondary goals are not meant for show hours and can quickly be a deterrent to passing by attendees.  Is your sales staff too busy catching up that they stop engaging with attendees and pulling them off the aisles?  Is your team meeting throughout the exhibit with one another instead of meeting with attendees?  They have lost sight of their objectives at the show.

It is difficult to argue that having each other in the same city isn’t valuable, so help them achieve their networking and internal meeting goals without sacrificing your exhibit objectives:

* Welcome Reception/Dinner. 

Host a reception the evening or day before the show allowing the sales team to say their hellos before they step on the show floor.  Let them get their excitement for each other out of the way so they are excited for your attendees the next day.

* Training Session. 

Plan a training meeting before the show where you clearly communicate staffing schedules and objectives, including lead or meeting goals.  Make sure each sales rep understands their role so they don’t need to be trained on the show floor while attendees watch.  This is also a good time to get familiar new products and marketing messages.

* Stationing. 

Assign sales reps locations throughout the exhibit, either at workstations or at aisles.  If they are clear with the exhibit location they are responsible for, the less likely they will navigate towards the center huddled in conversation.

* Two-member Rule.

Consider sharing the two-team member rule in training.  Ask them to avoid any conversations that include more than two company team members.  Conversations with attendees and each other should be able to be accomplished with two people and not in groups.

 

 

While we are a friendly group, we aren’t fans of the huddle. Exhibitors Connection specializes in creating an on-site, event team that will best represent your brand, your company and be a natural extension of your team. Let us know if we can help you pick the right staff your next event, 773.631.9465.