5 Bad Habits of Experienced Exhibitors

Posted by Cat Virca in Tips, Trends

It’s not uncommon for experienced trade show exhibitors to develop bad habits over time.  Susan Ratliff, an experienced trade show exhibitor, provides a list of great reminders for avoiding bad habits in her article, “5 Bad Habits of Experienced Exhibitors.”

1. Professionalism. Don’t cut corners. You shouldn’t use the venue provided sign for your booth. Hanging the generic sign will demonstrate poor planning and show a disregard for professionalism. This common occurrence at trade shows should be avoided completely. There are better ways for saving money.
2. Etiquette. Trade shows can be extremely grueling and very demanding – long hours, sore feet, and sleep deprivation. It’s imperative that all team members maintain a high energy level throughout the trade show. If your booth staff struggles to remain standing at all times, remove chairs from your booth space to ensure your staff stays engaged. Greet and engage every visitor that passes by to maintain your energy level. Be as approachable and friendly as possible.
3. Branding. Keep text in promotional materials short and to the point. You should be able to catch the reader’s attention in 10 seconds or less. Remember that content should only be about what you can do for customers. Don’t include unnecessary and distracting information.
4. Incentives. Promotional items and giveaways can be an inexpensive way to help engage your visitors. It’s also a great way to leave attendees with a friendly reminder of your company. Remember, some attendees are just in it for the freebies. Promotional items should be appropriate and relevant to your brand or product. Less expensive promotional items can be displayed visually at your booth. You should not require someone to ‘do something’ for a giveaway item that they can get for free at another booth. Use premium giveaways as a reward for watching a video, playing a game, or listening to your sales pitch.
5. Impatience. Don’t pack up and break down your trade show booth too early. Packing up too soon can create a domino effect for other exhibitors and can ruin the flow on the trade show floor. Typically, an announcement will be made at the end of the day signaling the end of the trade show. Be sure to read your contract for early booth breakdown information and potential financial and rebooking penalties.

Read the full article.