So…who’s staffing your booth? Did you give it much thought? You should, because next to your exhibit, your booth staff are the most important aspect of the trade show experience. After all, these are the faces of your company. Part of your brand. And ultimately the bridge to whether your time at the trade show was really a waste of time or a resounding success.

A good trade show marketing company should know all the little details to help you with your strategic in-booth staffing. It really does matter.

There’s more of course, but here are a few pointers to help get you started.

  • Let’s begin with a simple one. You’ll need a professional, friendly, and eminently approachable in-booth staff. Sounds obvious, but many companies just don’t put much thought into who they send to their shows if they don’t have a specific events team. Let your trade show exhibit company help you identify the right staff so your trade show goes the right way.
  • Look the part. Establish a dress code that’s ultimately appropriate for your industry. In the sports industry? Have your staff don something more active. In the medical industry? Then something more professional would be in order. If you are at a more generalized show, branded uniforms with a common theme will work best, and help your overall company’s brand identity in the long the run. But whatever universal uniforms you choose, the key is to not look disjointed (or sloppy and wrinkled). A branded tie, or similar color jackets, pants, skirts, and other accessories can set your booth staff apart from others on the floor and show your company is together in their mission.
  • Know your stuff. Your in-booth staff should know what they are talking about. Hiring booth models may not always be the best option. Consider training your booth staff on every product you are trying to promote. Most attendees won’t be familiar with your product and will ask many questions. And if they know your product, they may want to discuss in-depth, complex technical issues and problems that your staff should be able to answer on the spot. If such is the case, sometimes having a technical expert in your booth to answer the more difficult questions is the smart and strategic way to go.
  • Put the phones away. A booth staff that constantly has their heads down looking at their phones is a big turnoff for potential clients. Booth time is important sales time. And if your staff looks disinterested, you can bet the audience walking by will be too.
  • Know your role. Having distinct positions throughout the booth is critical. Your exhibit company can help you define where each person should be. So often we see the entire staff hovering around the greeting podium, and this can be quite intimidating to show attendees. They may just want to inquire about your product, not be swarmed by a sea of sales sharks looking to close a deal. However, the host is equally important. They should understand body language, the attendee’s request, and then direct them to the right person in your booth so they can get the customized information they need. And should anyone have to step away from the booth for some reason, make sure you properly identify a logical replacement. And never leave the greeting station empty.

Follow these simple steps, ask your trade show booth company if there’s anything else you should be doing specific to your event, and you’ll be well on your way to trade show success.