How To Train Staff To Man Your Exhibition Stand

So, you are about to pitch a display stand at a major trade show or exhibition space and you want to attract as many new customers as you can. You’ve already got the displays looking exactly as you want them, with eye-catching posters, elegant brochures and a prime spot on the floor.

Before you can get to work pitching your wares and services, however, you have to ensure you have another crucial factor up-to-speed: your exhibition team. Even the most striking stands at trade shows will fail unless the people manning them are well-trained, professional and confident.

Here are a few tips on shaping your team into a crack display stand squad.

Ensure you have enough staff

Working a trade show is both physically and mentally exhausting on busy days. Whatever you do, don’t try to save money by under-manning your stand. You run the risk of either leaving your stand empty when team members take breaks or fatiguing your staff to the point they can no longer do their job professionally.

Make body language rules

In a packed, loud trade show, people pay a lot more attention to how people look than what they are saying, at least initially. Be sure every member of your team understands what confident, welcoming body language looks like: big smile, arms open, back straight and with plenty of distance between them and other staff members. Texting, talking on phones, folding arms, eating or banding together in one part of the stand are absolute no-nos.

Create a dress code

For the same reasons mentioned above, a strict dress code must be enforced. Depending on your product, you might go casual, smart or formal. Whatever it is, be sure every staff member is instantly identifiable as part of your team.

Write a script

Though you don’t want your team to talk like robots, you also don’t want them getting flustered should they be dealing with a large number of customers. Write up a script that they can use when under pressure, ensuring that they get across the key points about your product or service to everybody they speak with.

Designate a cleaner or cleaners

Though all staff should be keeping things tidy, it is smart to designate one or two of the team to be in charge of ensuring it stays clean no matter how busy things get. This stops silly arguments about who is responsible for what cleaning job that can distract your team on the day.

If you want to make sure your display stand really makes a big impact at trade shows, train your staff well, keeping these key tips in mind.