1. TRADESHOW SURVIVAL TIPS 1. Wear a name badge! Yeah, they aren’t cool or sexy, but they do help break the ice. Be sure to wear it on the right hand side so that it can be seen by your potential client when shaking hands! If you forgot one, we have included a couple in our Survival Pack. 2. Smile! Most people will smile back at you if you smile at them first. 3. Keep it neat! Your booth is an office away from the office. Visitors will make a judgment as to whether or not they want to do business with you partially based on your exhibit environment. Does your booth reflect how business-like and professional your company is? 4. Don’t eat or drink in your booth! Spilling coffee all over your marketing materials, or down the front of your shirt, doesn’t impress clients. Neither does spitting crumbs at them. If you are hungry or thirsty, ask one of your coworkers to watch the booth and take a break! 5. Don’t sit! Especially don’t sit behind a desk! It puts you at a height disadvantage with people looking down at you. A desk puts a barrier between you and your customers and is not welcoming. If you are physically unable to stand for long periods of time, bring a tall stool so you can remain as close to eye-to-eye as possible. 6. Know your objectives! What, exactly, did you want to get out of the tradefair? If it is new contacts, how many? If it is actual sales, how much? Set your goals before the show and measure your success afterward. 7. Listen more than talk! Have a few good questions prepared – ones that cannot be answered with yes or no – and then listen to the response. For instance, instead of asking “Have you ever heard of our company?” try “How familiar are you with our company/product/service?”