How to Effectively Work a Trade Show Booth

Working a trade show booth effectively can be the difference between attracting new customers or scaring them away. There’s no point in spending the money on a booth if you aren’t willing to put any work in to it. There are some simple things you can do to help attract potential clients.

Effectively working a trade show booth means you have to be personable and energetic. It’s similar to a day at the office. If you skimp you could actually send the wrong message to people, and end up driving business away.

• Make sure you have enough staff with you to always have someone in the booth the entire time the trade show is open. It’s a good idea to have at least two people. That way when one person needs a break they will have someone to cover the booth.


• Be open and friendly to everyone who stops at the booth. You want to engage people in conversation, but cautiously. If you feel that they would rather be left alone, back off and just be available to answer questions. If you open up and try to engage people you’ll end up much better off.


• Stay alert. This one sounds like it should go without saying, but you’d be surprised  how many people will start to feel tired and drained and allow it to show. This can come across as rude and standoffish to others. If you start to feel tired you should get up and walk around. Sometimes a quick break and a cup of coffee is all you need to feel more like yourself.


• Ensure that the people helping you with the booth understand your products and services. A lot of people will employ the help of friends for a trade show booth. There is nothing wrong with this, but you need to make sure they are educated enough about your product or service that they can answer questions if asked.