Getting the Attention of the Attendee (Through the Eyes of an Attendee and an Exhibitor)

Thomas A. Sorovetz - The Attendee

• Show off your Product - Obviously, the vendor needs to have a product or service I require, or at the least, have some interest in—a difficult task since many attendees are interested in different things. But the product or service needs to "stand out" amongst anything that the vendor is selling. The suggestion I would make is to have pictures, parts or products and testimonials from actual customers. With today's computer technologies, having several short PowerPoint presentations and/or videos (four to six minutes each) is also a major benefit. These PowerPoint presentations can run in a shuffled type of format, which would have the perspective customer stop by the booth several more times to see the various presentations. This will allow for additional dialog between the sales person and the perspective customer.
• Presentation counts - Booth presentation and the attire of the sales people are key. The booth needs to have an appealing look that highlights the company's products and/or services. If the booth is bare, it tells me that the company didn't think that the show attendees were worth their time and effort. At the same time, don't overcrowd a booth with pictures and parts to the extent of looking like a flea market. Focus on your main objective or products - you do not need to be everything to everyone. The sales person also needs to be dressed in business attire. Many studies show a relationship of how people are dressed in relation to the respect they receive. Subconsciously we give those who are dressed more professionally more respect and time. I know this sounds like common sense, but I see it at every trade show. Next time you attend a trade show and walk by a booth ask yourself why you didn't stop.
• Who are the attendees and who are you trying to appeal to? - An example would be an exhibit in Detroit that warrants a focus on the automotive industry. To gain the interest of the automotive attendee I would suggest that if you are a supplier to OEMs or their tier one suppliers, promote yourself by displaying your vendor code. As an employee of an automotive company, we are not adding additional vendors. With this in mind, we can only deal with existing vendors. Therefore, if our vendor code is visible that is my "green light" to discuss potential business. If I see something that interests me from someone who does not have a vendor code, I need to discuss the purchase of goods and/or services using a "third part" who has the vendor code.
• Man your booth - Last but definitely not the least is the approach. Are you standing in or near the isle or are you behind your table? Greeting someone while walking in the isle shows initiative and positive energy, which tells me you probably go "above and beyond" to help your customer. Those who have a tendency to stand behind the table seem to be more (subconsciously) unapproachable. This tends to give me a negative feeling of "I don't want to talk to anyone." So if you find yourself standing behind your table without a lot of traffic, try standing close to the isle to see if it improves.

While many different shows and conferences exist, most target a specific audience. Some shows focus strictly towards attendees walking to a show floor to see different vendors or service providers, while others may be in conjunction with a conference; each attracts a different type of audience. Shows may attract attendees looking to gather information about where to get products and services, while conferences typically attract leading edge technologists, which does not suggest that one type of attendee would not be found at both types of shows

To gain the attention of a show-only attendee, the target may be to display a collection of services and products in hopes of having one the prospect can relate to and has interest in. Follow the suggestions above for how they may be displayed. An exhibitor must also understand that these prospects may have their interest peaked for only a few seconds - and if there is no one to notice to address them, the attendee will surely change focus towards the next exhibitor.

Attendees of a conference may be indistinguishable in appearance from show-only attendees, but their interest may be completely different. Understanding that these prospects have focused interests, being able to get their attention may be much more difficult. If these attendees are your focus, your exhibit needs to be specifically tailored to catch their attention. This can be done by displaying a vendor code, setting up repeating auto play presentations or displaying specific parts that relate to these potential customers. It is worth noting that these attendees may have a greater level of interest and ask many in-depth questions. Being able to provide a comfortable setting for this type of discussion could greatly help with building the foundation of a long lasting relationship.

Some of these suggestions and ideas may help improve your return on investment when exhibiting. However, knowing your targets for a show or conference may help even more. How your exhibit is displayed and how your sales force interact may be the only thing a new prospect will have to determine if they want to do work with you or not.