049 - Defining and Executing Your Booth's Purpose

Ask an exhibitor what their booth's job is. You'll often get a blank look.

"It's our booth. We're supposed to have one."

That's not a job. That's a line item. In this episode 049 clip, Chris and Khalil dig into what it really means for a booth to have a purpose, and how to make the whole team work toward it.

A Booth Can Have Lots of Jobs

Chris says you can get much more specific. Is the booth's job to:

• Stop people in the aisle, without leaning on staff to do it?
• Launch a new product in a mini showroom?
• Teach visitors something through hands-on stations?

Whatever it is, name it.

Chris has seen the same problem for decades. People love to jump right into the fun part, which is designing the booth. But if you haven't picked your shows or set goals, what exactly are you designing for?

Khalil calls it "monkey see, monkey do." Teams copy what the booth next door is doing. It's an easy way to spend a lot of money for nothing.

Step One: Know Who Will Be There

It starts with picking the right show. Then ask who you'll be in front of.

Each group wants something different:

• Purchasing agents may want to talk pricing.
• Engineers may want to see features and specs.
• Owners and C-level execs care more about results and solutions.

Your message has to fit that audience. Then the booth gets built around the message.

Chris gives an example. In a 20x20 (400 square feet), you might need:

1. A private meeting room
2. A couple of open discussion tables
3. A reception station to check people in and pre-qualify them
4. A few kiosks that each present one offering

In a 10x10, you won't have room for all that. The burden falls on your staff to tell the story without many visual aids.

One more tip. That 27-minute corporate sizzle reel? It's not a presentation tool.

A short, fast, high-energy loop can hold a curious visitor for 30 to 60 seconds. It won't hold them for 10 minutes.

Step Two: Pick and Prep Your Staff

Once the message is set, staff the booth to match it. Chris suggests thinking in roles:

• At least one technical expert
• Two people who are great at getting visitors stopped and talking
• Someone at the greeting station who can qualify and buy time

That greeter can use a short list of questions as a prompt. "Glad you have a few minutes. Khalil will be right with you.

What did you come to the show looking for?" It keeps the visitor engaged until the expert steps in.

Everyone should know their job. And the booth itself should support each step: engage, qualify, present, and close in the meeting room.

Every Booth Needs a Captain

Chris used to hear this role called the "booth mom." Today, call it the booth captain.

This person sets the rules. Say 4,500 people will walk the show today. You can't talk to all of them, so don't try.

Have a couple of quick questions that tell you if a visitor is a fit. If not, let them go politely.

"Enjoy the show. There's lots of great free stuff."

Expect a lot of no's. Chris says you might hear 19 "no thank you" answers before one "yes, let's talk."

That's normal. Don't be afraid to disengage.

The captain also runs the schedule:

• If you're not on shift, don't hang around the booth. Walk the show or catch a session.
• If your shift starts at 12:01, show up 15 minutes early for a quick handoff.

End Every Day With a Wrap-Up

This is the part most teams skip. Chris says to hold a 15 to 20 minute meeting at the end of each day while everything is fresh.

Did someone talk to the buyer planning to order 32 machines in six months? Write that down. Can you get them back in the booth?

When Chris was booth captain, he would upload notes from his hotel room each night. The office team built follow-up packets right away. If the show ran Monday to Thursday, packets went out Friday.

Compare that to the team that wondered why they only got 17 good conversations out of 4,500 attendees. They needed a strategy.

Rehearse Like It's Opening Night

Chris is a big fan of a dress rehearsal. Would you enjoy a play if the actors never learned their lines?

The same goes for product demos. Ever watched someone at a home show fumble with the product they're selling? If they can't make it work, why would you buy it?

Your Booth Purpose Checklist

• What is our booth's one main job?
• Who is our audience at this show?
• Does our layout support the message?
• Does every staffer know their role?
• Who is our booth captain?
• When is our daily wrap-up?
• Have we rehearsed?

Want to see a booth that hit every one of these? Chris shares one in designing a trade show booth that attracts. For more on picking the right event first, read how to choose the right trade shows.