One of my clients emailed me last week to ask if I have any tips for manning an exhibition stand.
Manning an exhibition stand effectively needs a combination of strategy, engagement, and presentation.
Here are out top 10 tips:
- Train Your Staff: Your team needs to know the product or service inside out. They need to understand your exhibition goals, and be skilled in engaging with visitors. Training should cover product knowledge, effective communication, and handling objections.
- Engage with Passersby: Don’t wait for visitors to come to you; actively engage with them. Smile, make eye contact, and greet people as they pass by. Ask open questions to encourage conversation. So rather than asking “how are you today”, try asking “what are you hoping to get from today?”
- Have An Elevator Pitch – this gives you the means of quickly and effectively introducing your product or service in a way that hopefully triggers some interest in wanting to learn more.
- Provide Value: Offer something of value to visitors, whether it’s information, demonstrations, samples, or exclusive offers. This encourages people to spend time at your stand.
- Collect Contact Information: Have a system in place for collecting contact information from visitors who show interest. This could be through a simple sign-up form, a digital lead capture system, or a business card raffle.
- Follow Up: After the exhibition, follow up with the contacts you’ve made promptly. Send personalised emails or make phone calls to continue the conversation and convert leads into customers.
- Be Approachable: Approachability is key. Avoid being too pushy or aggressive. Instead, be friendly, approachable, and genuinely interested in helping visitors.
- Stay Energised: Exhibiting can be tiring, but it’s important to maintain energy and enthusiasm throughout the event. This helps to attract and retain visitors.
- Network: Take advantage of the networking opportunities at the exhibition. Connect with other exhibitors, industry professionals, and potential partners.
- Evaluate and Learn: After the exhibition, evaluate your performance. What worked well? What could be improved? Use this feedback to refine your approach for future exhibitions.
By implementing these strategies, you can effectively man your exhibition stand and maximise your results.
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