Greetings Readers,

Welcome to the May issue of Trade Show Tips.  This month we introduce a new book in the Skyline library of trade show and event marketing resources.  We have collected essential knowledge and best practices from several exhibit industry experts to help you get the most from your staff.

We also bring you more details on your responses to our annual Readers’ Survey – specifically, what you gave us to share with your colleagues.  We received 381 trade show tips from you and we report on what categories got the most attention.

Read on to get the inside story on booth staffing and your favorite tips.

Sincerely,

Marc Phibbs - Vice President, Marketing

It’s an oft-repeated truism that 85% of your trade show success depends on your booth staff’s performance.  Yet some exhibitors, because of lack of time, money, or understanding of the difference between selling at trade shows vs. field selling, still skip the critical steps of properly selecting and preparing their booth staffers.  That’s pennywise and pound foolish.

To help you multiply the results you get from your booth staffers, Skyline has just published the Booth Staffing Guidebook, a 48-page book filled with insightful articles, worksheets, and checklists.

When you’ve read this book, you’ll know the answers to important questions like these:

Staff Selection

1. Who makes the best booth staffers?
2. How do you make booth staffers feel honored to staff?
3. How do you staff a small exhibit?
4. What duties does a Booth Staff Captain do?

Training Methods

5. How do you create staff training from scratch?
6. How do you improve your booth staffers’ performance?
7. How do you prepare for a pre-show briefing?
8. How can you train staff spread across the globe?
9. How do you conduct a pre-show meeting?
10. How do you get Sales and Marketing to work together at trade shows?
11. How do you justify training your exhibit staff?

Booth Operations

12. How do you manage a rookie exhibit staff?
13. What are good opening lines to engage attendees?
14. How aggressive should your staffers be?
15. How do you handle unqualified visitors?
16. How can you get a prospect to commit?
17. What makes a live presentation more than just entertainment?
18. How do you improve demonstrations in the booth?
19. How do you prepare your exhibit staff for overseas events?

Invest the time to train your staff with the resources in the Booth Staffing Guidebook and you’ll reap the rewards of a greater lead counts, a higher trade show ROI, improved staffer morale, and a better image for your company.  Click here to request your complimentary copy.

After receiving 381 of your tips, we assigned each contribution to one of our categories.  To view the categories we use, click here.

The top four categories, in order of popularity, are Pre-Show and At-Show Promotions (29% of tips submitted), Booth Staff (23%), Logistics (18%) and Exhibit Design (14%).  Your tips varied from simple, common-sense suggestions all the way to detailed tactical explanations of your favorite aspect of exhibiting.  Look for more reader’s tips in the months ahead.  Here are samples from each of the top categories.

Create A Memorable At-Show Promotion
You might try badge stick-ons for attendees. This is not always easy but I can cite an effective example: well-made, woven stick-on shamrocks that were offered and put on attendees' badges as they passed or entered the booth. In repeat years many would come to the booth first for their badge before touring the show. Some carried their shamrock from prior years in wallets, handbags, etc. The company was Shamrock Technologies, Inc. This may be difficult to duplicate but the message is - search for a hook that makes your name memorable. - Name withheld by request

Selecting The Right Booth Staffers
Remember to choose staff to work a trade show who are outgoing, pleasant and charismatic. At a trade show they are the face of your company! They need to assert themselves (in a sometimes overwhelming environment) to make contact and smile and draw out information. At GSCU we have a friendly and personable staff who truly enjoy working these shows.

Lisa Luciani – Granite State Credit Union

Front-End Planning Saves Headaches Later
Spend quality time mapping all your shows for the year including target and ship dates using a day planner, colored highlighters and a software-based calendar program. A little time spent once will save you hours of frustration later. Also, use entrance and exit surveys for booth staff to help avoid downtime for repairs. Have your staff fax the survey back at the end of the show and you'll be ready to attend to broken lights, damaged samples or torn graphics before the booth arrives. Cynthia Brow – White River Hardwoods

High Impact Graphics Will Tell Your Story
Graphics on trade show booths should be simple but intriguing, use short copy, and give a sense of the product/service you offer. Detailed information can be dispensed via brochures/booth staff. Jennifer Wagner – The Verdi Group, Inc.

Skyline Exhibits
3355 Discovery Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55121
Phone: 800-328-2725
www.skyline.com

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	More Trade Show Tips
	Seminar Schedule
	New Success Stories
	Show Budget Workbook
	Critical Worksheets, Checklists and Forms

NEW!
Skyline Industry White Paper links:

	Manufacturing & Industrial
	Medical & Health Care
	Information Technology
	Professional & Business Services

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click here to visit our Design Portfolio.