Fun at a trade show booth? Is that a thing? Anyone who has worked a trade show knows its long hours on your feet, bad food, and saying the same spiel over and over again. Is that anyone’s idea of fun?
More often than not trade show booth staffers tolerate a show—they don’t work it. They tolerate it by sitting in the back of the booth on their tablet or phone ignoring attendees. How to Engage Prospects at a Trade Show.
Any manager in charge of staffing a show can dramatically improve show results by making it fun for the staff. Here’s how.
Staff the Show with the Right People
The best show staff is comprised of people who want to be there. Forcing or convincing someone to work a show is counterproductive. Do you really think anyone who doesn’t want to be there will do a good job? Who Should Work Trade Shows?
Foster Fun
Helping your staff have fun working a trade show begins with leadership. While working a trade show, one of the staff asked if she could channel her inner Oprah. We had a $500 in merchandise give away. She began approaching attendees having fun asking them to sign up. If you view this video at the 37 mark, you’ll see her in action, NACS Trade Show. If you roll the video to the end, you’ll see a couple of teammates singing a call and response in the booth. Tell me that’s not fun? But does it impact the show? Yes, it does because the staff was smiling, enthusiastic, and friendly with attendees.
Give Away Fun SWAG
People like promotional products, but fun promotional products do more—they draw people to your booth. Fun promotional products can take on a life of their own. They not only can draw a crowd, but people will start looking for them. You know you’ve struck gold when an attendee walks into your booth and asks, “Is this the place with the fun pens?” Promotional Products that Draw a Crowd.
Host a Game
Another great way to generate fun is to host a game. Whether you use a spinning wheel, drawing, or copy a famous game show, games are fun.
Interact and Engage
If you have the right show staff who are outgoing and extroverted, who like to talk to people, they’ll interact with attendees. However, they need training. Teach your staff how to engage with attendees. How to speak and not speak with Trade Show Prospects.
Create a Fun Competition
Creating a fun competition can make the hours fly by, and add leads to the top of the funnel. It can be as simple as whoever gets the most sign-ups goes to dinner with the boss. Or it can be bonus based. Have fun with it.
And We’ll Have Fun, Fun, Fun, at out Next Trade Show Booth
You can decide to have fun at your next trade show or be like 75 % of the booths you see when you walk a show—filled with staff that doesn’t want to be there, ignoring prospects, and more concerned about their next ping.
If you want to take advantage of the lead generation opportunities at your next show, then set up your booth and staff to have fun. People who have fun are more engaged, and more engaged staffers translate to more leads. If you find this post interesting, you’ll find more like this at, Trade Shows and Events.
Photo credit: collision.conf via Foter.com / CC BY
