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Avoid tradeshow booths looking like snack stands

Posted on 18. Feb, 2009 by p syrek in Tradeshow tips and tiffs

Working a show is not easy.  On your feet all day, with a smile and constantly talking to clients and prospects (if your booth is busy).  With that, booth staff needs water and snacks etc, etc.  A must to keep staff going, but suddenly your booth looks like a snack stand.

You spent hours upon hours to ensure your booth looks professional, classy, inviting, but after a half a day at the show, all your efforts are down the drain.  Why?  The reason why is because your booth staff has decorated your booth with water bottles and wrappers.  One person alone does not create an epidemic, but when a bunch of booth staffers all have water bottles out on the booth counters, and food from the free lunch given by the show, your booth looks like hell.

The solution:  NO FOOD OR DRINK AT THE BOOTH SITE.  Yes, booth staff will riot at first, but once you explain your reasoning, they should be on board and if not… they should not be at the show.  Give staffers frequent but quick break times to get away from the booth and replenish and ensure you inform them of these breaks.

What about ROGUE staffers?  Have a “throw away” policy.  If any type of snack or garbage is at the booth, it is immediately thrown away.  No questions, no apologies… you set the policy at the beginning of the show and carry it through.  After a staffer spends $3 for a water bottle and it gets thrown out at the booth, he/she will get the idea.

Tags: appearance, breaks, conferences, neat, professional, staff, tips, tradeshows