HEATHER BURDETTE- Trade Show/Marketing Strategist & Presenter

Following a 12-year career as a full-time theatrical performer in everything from premiere Las Vegas shows to commercials and correspondent roles for national media, Ms. Burdette has spent several years as a full-time trade show presenter, spokes model and lead generator. In late 2010, she began consulting with trade show clients, advising on show strategy, staffing, booth design and more and is now a Certified Trade Show Marketer candidate.

Heather’s interest and experience in the industry led her to developing expertise in the why’s and how’s of exhibitor success on the show floor as well as how to continuously increase and contribute to that success.

Hill & Partners asked Heather to share with us some insight when it comes to staff etiquette at trade shows:

1.) Could you offer some tips on best practices for booth staff (both temporary or company employees)?

I could list Best Trade Show Practices tips at length, but I think the most important (and most basic) are these:

Actually think of it as a show. All the elements are there, the limited time frame, the captive audience who wants what you’re offering (or at least wants to see what it is), the heightened energy level, even the “stage” setting of the booth.

When you’re in the booth, treat it as if you were on stage in the performance of your life–your starring moment. Smile, be present and engaged (or ready to be) at all times, and most of all, be excited about it. Those people walking by the booth are not scenery–they are the reason you’re there. You have this one-time opportunity to meet with a mass volume of customers and potential customers in those incredibly valuable face-to-face interactions that lead to better sales relationships year-round.

The intensity of a trade show depletes the body AND mind in more ways than you think, so eat wholesome, nutritious food whenever possible, stay hydrated, and get some SLEEP here and there.
The host cities in which many shows are held offer so many distractions that it’s easy to become overloaded in one sense or another. My home city of Las Vegas is particularly notorious for creating zombie-like staffers on Day 2 or 3, and a zombie staffer, whether full time company salesman or temp-hire, is money down the drain. Trade show-scale money, at that!

Take notes at every opportunity.
You will NOT remember that conversation or that little detail once you get home, almost regardless of your normal recall ability. The trade show environment can be extremely over-stimulating, even for the most experienced salesman–but particularly so for those accustomed to working with clients by phone or one-on-one onsite. Keep a small notepad in your pocket and write it down. Not only will the physical act of pen-to-paper instead of typing into a device help with later recall, you won’t look like you’re standing around playing Words with Friends in the booth.

2.) What do you think are some common mistakes unprepared booth staffers make?

Aside from the aforementioned tendency to show up as zombie versions of themselves from too much indulging as the days go by, the biggest mistake I typically see among company salespeople, and sometimes the marketing director and CEO for that matter, is not being clear on the goals for the show, and how to plug both company and temporary staff into those goals; i.e. motivating sales staff participation in a way that speaks to that type of personality (incentives/penalties).

3.) What should be the key priority booth staff should keep in mind during the show?

If the goal is anything more than simply making an appearance (which it usually is, with rare exceptions), everyone from the top down needs to know what the goals are, and where they as individuals fit into the picture. If a primary goal is to collect leads and get new customers, know what qualifies those leads, and rank and make notes as you’re recording them.

I’ve also heard trade show managers complaining that they have trouble getting the company sales people to be engaged and active on the show floor, and I’ve noticed myself that this seems particularly true if those salesmen are having to field, demo for, and record leads that are perhaps out of their personal territory.

4.) When it comes to interacting with and gathering leads, what advice do you have for booth staff?

Keep in mind that bottom-level leads are not throw-aways, so take at least a moment for everyone, or use booth hostesses to scan them in while the sales people are reserved for the higher-ranking conversations. That bottom level represents brand awareness at very least, and probably fit into your company’s sales funnel somewhere. No matter how large and well-known your company is, less-important attendees at a show are still an opportunity to mar your brand’s image. You should still put your best face forward and be ready to engage your brand’s fans, even if you’re not there with any particular agenda. 

Contact Heather Burdette

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