THE ROSTER
Ensure availability of as many of the sales force as necessary, and plan their duty roster. A roster is essential-ad hoc attendances can leave the stand critically short of personnel at some periods and woefully overstaffed at others. Make sure that all personnel have adequate rest periods off the stand-exhibition manning is hard work!
BRIEFING YOUR STAFF
Plan a briefing session a week or so before the show, so that all staff are in the picture about the exhibition, understand the sales objectives, and can find their way around, and to, the venue. It is also a good idea to reinforce the message that selling on an exhibition stand is not easy, and that it requires a different technique to the normal planned face-to-face sales interview. Many professional training companies now run specific courses and seminars for exhibition stand staff, and video films demonstrating how to get it right are readily available.
CONTRACT STAFF
Arrange contract staff such as receptionists or waitresses in good time. The Exhibitors' Manual will usually give information on recommended contract staff agencies; if not, DMG Business Media will be able to advise. Do remember, however, that there is no substitute for your own staff when discussing the company or products with a visitor. In a sales situation, contract staff need to be briefed very carefully indeed.
Plan the briefing of contract staff, particularly receptionists, and if possible arrange for them to visit you, so that they gain an overall impression of the company, as well as absorb the technical information that they may need.
STAFF IDENTIFICATION
If resources permit, consider a uniform for stand staff; matching blazers and trousers or skirts enhance the visual appeal of the stand, and give a professional image. Name badges should be worn at all times, as they help identify your staff to a hesitant visitor. Badges can usually be obtained free of charge, or at reasonable cost, from the organisers.
Salesmen, more accustomed to planned one-to-one negotiations than to facing the large number of visitors at an exhibition, sometimes tend to be a little shy.
It is important to remember that visitors can be shy as well!
Many a potential order has been lost by a hesitant visitor fearing to approach a salesman who is lurking at the back of the stand hoping not to be noticed! On these occasions, salesmen must take the initiative; A good morning/afternoon will often bring the indecisive on to the stand, which opens up the opportunity for conversation. If not, then no face has been lost on either side. But do not go to the other extreme!. Nothing is more guaranteed to make the hesitant prospect go to the stand next door! than an over eager sales person who is too pushy.
The happy medium is a salesman who greets a visitor politely, and with a smile, allows him to browse for a brief period without hovering or pouncing, and then engages him in sensible conversation about his requirements.
The operative word is coversation-never open with a question which invites only a yes or no answer-and above all-never say 'Can I help you?'-What do you do if the reply is NO?
Once a visitor shows interest in the products on display, always make a careful note of his name, company, area of interest etc.
Modern visitor registration systems produce machine readable badges, and offer the use of a light pen or other recording device-these work well and save much work, as your leads can often be provided to you on disk, ready for your database.
If completion of a form in the visitor's presence is not appropriate, do obtain his business card, and complete the form once he has left. Remember-your prime reason for being at the exhibition is to make new sales contacts-without documentation, these new contacts are as good as lost.
Ensure that you have already put in place a system for following up your new leads, and monitoring how well they convert into new orders. It is important to check on the progress of your contacts, in order to judge how well the exhibition has performed in generating new business for your company. It can also be helpful to provide a diary system for your sales force, so that no follow-up visits or phone calls are overlooked.
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