A successful trade fair presentation depends not only on an impressive exhibition booth, but also to a large extent on the competence and friendliness of the stand staff. But how do you best prepare your stand personnel for the exhibition? What do you need to consider when selecting suitable staff?
The role of stand staff
Your stand staff are the face of your company during the exhibition. Your exhibition team welcomes potential customers, answers questions and informs stand visitors about your products or services. It is therefore essential that your stand personnel are well trained, motivated and competent. Friendliness and sound knowledge are the be-all and end-all.
Thorough preparation and targeted trade fair training
The biggest and most spectacular exhibition stand can fail to make an impact if the exhibition team is not well prepared. Here are some reasons why targeted trade fair training is essential:
- Specialist knowledge and product knowledge: Your stand staff must be able to answer detailed questions competently and comprehensibly. Therefore, brief your employees carefully on the subject matter.
- Communication skills: First impressions count. Communication training helps you to address stand visitors effectively and conduct qualified discussions.
- Dealing with difficult situations: Unexpected challenges can arise at exhibitions. With targeted training, you can prepare your staff to react professionally and calmly in any situation.
- Motivation and team spirit: Well-trained employees feel more confident and motivated, which has a positive effect on team spirit and the atmosphere at the exhibition stand.
- Behavior at the exhibition stand: Your exhibition team is in the public eye from the first to the last second and represents your company qualitatively.
Etiquette for stand staff: DOs and DON’Ts
Necessary DOs at the exhibition stand:
- Active posture: Standing and an upright posture signal commitment.
- Appear individually: Group formation prevents interested parties from entering your exhibition stand.
- Friendliness and attentiveness: A smile and genuine interest make it easier to get in contact.
- Address them in a targeted manner: Approach visitors to your exhibition stand at the right moment. Clarify their needs and wishes quickly. Don’t focus on features and technical product characteristics, but on the individual benefits for the customer.
- Professional conversation: Your stand employees should open the conversation confidently and close it in a friendly manner. If possible, the end result should be a concrete, binding agreement.
Absolute Dont’s:
- Ignoring visitors: Preferring to talk to colleagues or turning your back on visitors is a no-go.
- Self-occupation: Reading, eating or drinking signal disinterest.
- Inappropriate behavior: Using exhibits or parts of the exhibition stand as a resting place, avoiding consumption of garlic and alcohol on the day of the exhibition.
- Company outing mentality: The focus must be on the visitors.
Composition of the trade fair team
Service staff: When it comes to pure hospitality at the exhibition stand, professional exhibition hostesses are best suited. Here you should contact the trade fair organizer with its service partners or professional hostess agencies. Pay attention to recommendations to avoid unpleasant surprises. Customer approach and advice: You should give preference to employees from your company for customer approach, advice and staffing the information desk. Thorough training in advance is essential so that they can master the special requirements of a trade fair presentation.
Determining the need for stand staff
The basic rule here is: as little as possible, as much as necessary. Criteria for determining personnel requirements include
- Size of the exhibition stand
- Requirements for optimal teamwork
- Corporate and trade fair objectives
- Number and need for explanation of the exhibits
- Analysis of expected trade fair visitors
Preparation of stand staff for the exhibition
Provide sufficient time and personnel capacities for this. Compared to the total costs of participating in a trade fair, the costs of staff training and the time required from employees are comparatively low. Investing in good preparation always pays off.
- Preparation meeting: Information on company and trade fair objectives from the sales or management team.
- Product training: Trade fair-specific product and innovation training
- Exhibition training: Should take place close to the exhibition and sensitize employees to their importance for the success of the exhibition. Contents of the trade fair training:
- Professional communication
- Behavior at the exhibition booth
- Dealing with difficult situations
- Team-building measures: Joint evening before the exhibition, joint closing or similar events that convey appreciation to your employees
Conclusion: Good stand staff is the key to trade fair success
A well-designed exhibition stand is only half the battle. Well-trained and motivated stand personnel are the key to fully exploiting the potential of your trade fair presence. Through targeted training programs, you can ensure that your employees are optimally prepared for their deployment at the exhibition stand in order to represent your company competently and convincingly. Externe Messeabteilung not only offers you customized exhibition stands, but also professional exhibition training for your stand personnel. Contact us to find out more about how we can help you get the most out of your trade fair presence.
