From square metres to meeting place

In a little more than two months time TUR 2009 will open its doors. The targets have been set and the invitations are on their way. And it’s all systems go when it comes to pre-booking stand meetings with your most important customers.

Now is the time to focus on the stand staff; the people who will be manning your stand and will have to prove that what you say in your marketing is consistent with reality. And although you may have planned your trade fair perfectly, the results will not be satisfactory if your stand conduct is poor. Because inappropriate behaviour can quickly put a stop to a purchasing process that has just been initiated.

Manning a stand is a hard, tough job

You and your sales people have only a few seconds to capture a visitor’s interest and get him or her to stay and listen to what you have to say. So it is important that your people know what to say and the best way to say it. Decide what you want a visitor to remember after visiting your stand. And ensure that you exceed the visitor’s expectations with the right information and a positive aftertaste.

A unique selling situation

It is not possible to employ normal selling tactics at an exhibition; the selling situation is unique. Although the sales staff will meet people they know, they will also come into contact with people that they have not done business with before. There is also stiff competition for the visitor’s time, which creates enormous pressure. The average conversation at an exhibition stand is about five minutes long. Whereas with a normal sales call, it will probably take at least five minutes before your salesperson will even have sat down. In other words, many sales people are completely unaccustomed to selling at an exhibition. So your people will have to learn new skills, including the ability to describe your company in an interesting way in barely a minute.

Prepare your staff

Prepare your stand staff with all necessary information, but make sure to give them the information in three different steps to make it easier to remember.

1. Basic facts - about four weeks before the fair
Information on the practical details, e.g. flight/train times, hotel accommodation, work schedules (when to be present on the stand, when to take breaks), stand conduct, stand clothing, etc.

2. Exhibition goals, messages - about two weeks before the fair
All your stand personnel should know your goals and your message off pat, and work accordingly. Avoid lecturing them. Instead make it enjoyable as you establish your goals and message in their minds. You might like to do this as a quiz, like Jeopardy, on subjects like ‘our goals’ and ‘our strongest selling points’.

3. Team building - just before the fair
Designed to unite your stand personnel. To inspire them and get them raring to go before the upcoming TUR fair.

And keep on top of the situation

Don’t wait until after the fair to start analysing the situation. Instead, continuously take stock of what your people have experienced: what has worked well on the stand and what has not worked so well. Take the opportunity to make a brief evaluation at the end of each day so that you can make changes for the next day. Start each new day with a quick meeting on the stand to talk things through and pep one another for the day’s work. Also encourage your staff by offering them a reward, something to look forward to. And since every team needs a leader, do make sure there is always a stand manager present on the stand.

Ensure that your staff are certain about their role

If your staff know exactly what to say and are fully aware of your goals and your message, then their time at the exhibition will be much more enjoyable and, above all, much more rewarding for your company. It also pays to see to it that your staff are happy and dedicated, professional, open, contact-seeking and in their psychological comfort zone.

Last but not least, manning a stand is tough physical work - it saps your energy and it is hard on the feet and back. So it is doubly important to be well prepared and wear comfortable shoes.

Good luck in creating worthwhile meetings - meetings that make a difference!