Ten Great Ways To Prevent A PR Brand Crisis
It seems simple enough. You hire a team of sales people, or have your marketing staff man your booth at the Major Industry Trade Show. They have the personalities and the trainability factor to be quick studies.
Yet sales never meet expectations and management never quite understands why.
The trade show floor is always filled with enthusiasm and excitement—abuzz with potential business and large orders to be written and influence to be gained.
Many of these opportunities slip away though, because the experience often feels like an afternoon at Best Buy, with myriad selections and options and no one to answer a question.
That’s because selling is one thing, understanding the products and company well enough to answer thoughtful, relationship building questions is something else entirely. When people walk away dissatisfied and confused, you have a potential PR Brand Crisis in the making.
Keep in mind that word of mouth is no longer only spoken. In a 24-hour social media whirl, negative press can be anyone’s making.
Here are Ten Tips for a Winning Booth Strategy that averts a potential PR nightmare:
1- Select Booth staff early and based upon capability and courtesy—not cost.
2- Look for high energy people who won’t wilt over the rigors of the day and become impatient.
3- Begin training well in advance and make certain to provide the booth team with written product materials to study. Make them easy to understand so they can be easily translated to potential buyers.
4- Have plenty of bullet point information to distribute to prospects that the booth staff is trained to answer.
5- Make signage pertinent so that you draw the right traffic to your booth for optimal experience.
6- Keep the booth neat and clutter free so visitors won’t feel distracted and confused.
7- Provide booth personnel with break time and make absolutely certain the booth is competently staffed at all times.
8- Discretely placed healthy energy snacks will keep staff nearby and enthusiasm high.
9- Remind them frequently, and in advance, that good business manners are imperative.
10- Impress on your booth team that they are not only salespeople, but extensions of the PR staff.
Have any Booth gaffes to share?
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February 3rd, 2008 at 5:25 am
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February 26th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
This is great advice. I’ve learned too that what goes down in planning
for your trade show experience, is just as important as how your company
behaves on the trade show floor. Figure how much you spent to exhibit:
Your booth space, travel, lodging, staffing, giveaways, etc.. If this is
your shot to get in front of some potential clients, how do you want to be
perceived? Giveaways: Do not have to be expensive, but should tie into
your brand or message and be clever. Ask yourself questions, Do I want to
get them in my booth? Do I want to keep my company top of mind when they
get home from the show? Do I want to reward people for answering my
invitation to my booth? or do I want to end up in their kids toy box?
Approachable: Smiling not in-your-face buggy, definitely not a time be
sitting down checking your Blackberry or eating. Attire: Is your brand a
bank? An art company? Dress in a way that will reflect your client’s
style; though always neat, ironed, up-to-date And of course timely
follow-up that isn’t in a bulk mailing format. There are inexpensive ways
to not just “blend” at the trade shows, to be a real stand out.
Chris
www.AbsolutePromo.com