Several of Sinclair & Co.’s clients attend trade shows during the year. We often go along and provide support so that the show attendees can do their jobs – selling and networking on behalf of their company.
While the shows are important, employees who work their company’s booths often dread them. And for good reason. The shows are long, often tedious, and for anyone who is not a people-person it can be downright scary to talk to all those strangers. Here are a few tips to make the show floor a bit easier to handle:
• Set up a schedule for people working the booth so that everyone is not there at the same time. This gives people a break and keeps your booth from being overcrowded.
• Memorize three or four icebreaker questions to help you start conversations. What brings you to this show? What company do you work with? Have you visited the [insert local tourist destination]? If you can get people talking, it’s all smooth sailing from here.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Have some bottled water and a snack or two stored at the booth just in case.
• Get to know your neighbors on the show floor. There’s no sense ignoring each other for three days. Learn more about them and offer to help them out. Who knows, they might prove to be one of your best contacts, and they might be able to help you out in a pinch.
Finally, remember that you were chosen to represent your company. So put on your best smile, walk the walk and talk the talk. Your next contact may be the best lead of the year!