Trade Show Coordination Tips

Earlier this week, I had a conversation with a prospective exhibitor client that made me do a double take: “We don’t need your booth staff, our team knows our products inside out.” And there it is… one of the most common misconceptions about using professional booth staff - that they can't replicate the product knowledge of internal staffers. Yes that maybe true but here is the thing... 📌 Booth staff aren’t there to replace your internal team. They’re there to support them, by starting conversations, engaging attendees, facilitating interactive experiences and filtering the real leads from the swag collectors. So a great opportunity to bust a few of the most common booth staffing misconceptions we often hear: ❌ Misconception 1: “We've got our sales team - they know the product inside out.” ✅ Reality: Knowing your product ≠ knowing how to draw in and qualify strangers in a high-pressure show environment. ❌ Misconception 2: “Booth staff are just there to hand out swag and look good.” ✅ Reality: Nope! it’s not 1970's and we don’t do ‘booth babes'. Modern booth pros are engagement ninjas. They’re there to qualify leads, manage the crowd, and stop your team from wasting time on people like Dave from Procurement who just came for the free tote bag. ❌ Misconception 3: “They won’t know our business well enough to help.” ✅ Reality: They don’t need to be technical experts. They just need to ask the right questions and hand leads off to your team at the right time. ❌ Misconception 4: “We’ve already got plenty of people on the stand.” ✅ Reality: Are they engaging attendees? Or scrolling LinkedIn and hiding behind the pop-up? ❌ Misconception 5: “We will never find good staff overseas.” ✅ Reality: Hiring local talent abroad isn’t just budget-friendly, it’s smart. They’re great at engaging, know the local culture inside out, and help you stay green by cutting down on travel. It’s also a win for your ROI and your sustainability goals. Bottom line: Booth staff can help you bridge the gap between your booth and your audience, so your team can have deeper focused conversations, not just more of them. Want to see how hiring professional booth staff could work for your next trade show? DM Me. #TradeShowEngagement #BoothStaffing #ExhibitingTips #EventMarketing #Exhibitions #tradeshows

is the traditional B2B roadshow dead? no, but it needs life support. over the past decade, I've watched companies pour millions into events with diminishing returns. the problem isn't face-to-face connection. it's using yesterday's playbook in today's multi-channel world. the highest-performing B2B companies follow this three-phase framework: before: build momentum through strategic targeting and multi-channel outreach before anyone walks through the door. during: create experiences that extend far beyond the physical venue through hybrid design and real-time content. after: convert momentum into revenue with sophisticated follow-up systems that actually drive pipeline. our clients implementing this approach have transformed their results. with one single campaign: ↳ pilot generated 100+ high-quality leads and saw 132% LinkedIn engagement surge ↳ elation lighting achieved 500% increase in impressions and won a prestigious industry award all in one trade show ↳ aeroflow healthcare achieved 47% higher acquisition at 34% lower cost bottom line: the companies gaining market share are treating roadshows as integrated campaigns rather than isolated moments. remember: face-to-face still matters, but only when it's part of a seamless journey that matches how today's B2B buyers actually make decisions. #b2bmarketing #b2bpr #gtm #eventmarketing #roadshow #cmoinsights

I’ve changed my mind about trade shows. 6 months ago, I talked about how ineffective they were as a marketing tactic. - Booths cost £1000s - No one gets new business. - You get ignored by attendees. - Everyone is just pitching at you. - There are 100s of competitors there. - You get drowned out by other vendors. They’re a massive waste of time. Or at least that’s what I thought… Then I got sent the photos (below) from one of our clients’ booths at a recent trade show. That’s when I realised trade shows aren’t the issue. ↳ It’s how companies approach them that’s broken. The key: Create a campaign around your booth. Here’s the playbook for getting noticed at trade shows: 1/ Don’t Make Yourself The Attraction Our client hired Kaleb from Clarkson’s Farm to be at their booth. Crowds flocked for a chat, photo, or simply to see what all the fuss was about. They came for Kaleb. ↳ But then they’d chat to our client. —— 2/ Turning a Booth Into an Experience They ditched the usual trade show freebies and brought in a VR welding setup. Kaleb set a time. ↳ People tried to beat it. ↳ If they did they won a prize. This meant visitors weren’t just walking by—they were staying, engaging, and talking about it. —— 3/ Force Them To Remember You Here’s where it got clever: Our client offered a hefty reward for the person who won the VR welding game. But they wouldn’t find out if they won until the end of the day. That meant the last booth people went to was there. ↳ Keeping them top of mind on the way home. —— Don’t get me wrong, most trade shows are a waste of money. But if you go into them: - With a clear strategy. - An approach to get noticed. - A campaign around your booth. They can really make an impact. Definitely going to be doing more of this with clients. P.S. Follow me to learn how to get your company noticed Niall Ratcliffe 📚

I’ve been having lots of conversations about LinkedIn for events from organisers wanting to drive visibility and engagement, to exhibitors heading to upcoming tradeshows, and everyone in between. Whether you’re hosting, exhibiting, or attending LinkedIn can help you get more out of every event: ✨ More visibility 🤝 More connections 📈 More business outcomes Yet LinkedIn is often underused in the event space. A one-and-done post. A quick thank you. A flurry of activity... then silence. But here’s the thing: the event isn’t the beginning and it shouldn’t be the end. To get the most value, LinkedIn should be part of your strategy before, during and after the event. Here’s how to make the most of it: 🌠 1. Be LinkedIn Event Ready Your profile and company page shape your first impression often before anyone meets you. They should tell a clear, credible story that aligns with your event involvement. Organiser Tip: Create a LinkedIn Brand Kit for your speakers, exhibitors, and team – banners, hashtags, talking points, and example posts. Exhibitor Tip: Use an event-themed banner to show your stand details or branding. 🌠 2. Build Relationships Before the Event The most valuable connections rarely start cold on event day. The lead-up to the event is prime time to increase visibility, build familiarity, and position yourself as someone worth connecting with or visiting at the stand. Organiser Tip: Spotlight speakers, exhibitors, and sessions early and use tags to amplify. Exhibitor Tip: Shortlist people you want to meet - clients, prospects, collaborators, media and start connecting early. 🌠 3. Maximise the Event Experience Use LinkedIn to take people behind the scenes, amplify moments as they happen, and make your presence visible to those who couldn’t attend. Organiser Tip: Have someone live post from the floor, tagging participants and sharing session soundbites. Exhibitor Tip: Make it easy for people to connect with you it creates immediate pathways to keep the conversation going. 🌠 4. Keep the Momentum Going This is the stage where most people go quiet, but this is when the real relationship-building begins. Use LinkedIn to keep the conversation going. Share your takeaways. Follow up with new connections. Repurpose content into future posts. Organiser Tip: Share a highlight post and set the stage for what’s next even a “Save the Date” works. Exhibitor Tip: Send a personalised follow-up message referencing your chat. 🌟 Key Takeaways LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools you have to extend your event beyond the room. It allows you to build relationships before the first handshake, stay visible throughout the event and strengthen credibility and connection long after the banners are packed away. And if you'd like support to develop your own LinkedIn event strategy that's more than one and done, I’d love to help. Because showing up is just the beginning. #linkedin #events #eventmarketing

Here’s a mistake I see a lot of companies make before a trade show.  They try to be everything to everyone. They walk into a show with a generic elevator pitch.  They hope people will just “get” what they do.  They use broad language to sound more flexible.  And then they wonder why no one remembers them. Let me tell you what works instead.  Pick one clear ICP for that show.  One message.  One problem you solve that matters most to that audience. If your ideal client at this event is operations leaders at mid-market manufacturers,  everything you say should speak directly to what keeps them up at night.  If your target is packaging decision-makers, your talk track should make them feel like you’ve been sitting in on their team meetings. The goal is not to prove you can help anyone.  It’s to become unforgettable to the right ones. You want someone to leave your booth and say,  “That’s the team that gets us. That’s who we need to talk to.” Not,  “What did they do again?” This is how you move from being seen… to being remembered.  From talking… to converting. Start with your ICP.  Then shape your message.  Then train your team to deliver it with clarity and confidence. That’s how you make a trade show worth it. If your team is prepping for a fall show and the messaging still feels fuzzy, this is something I help sales leaders tighten.    Getting crystal clear on who you’re speaking to and what you’re saying can change everything. 

I do dozens of interviews with top CMOs every year. I always ask what the best performing marketing channel is. And right now everyone is saying events. Post COVID events are back, but also now in an AI world, I think there's a stronger appetite to get out and connect with real people vs. just getting answers from ChatGPT. But: like anything in marketing, running events just because everyone else is doing them is a great way to set money on fire (and still not drive any incremental business). Whether it's a booth at a trade show. A VIP dinner. A 500-person conference. They can all work. They can all flop. The difference: having a real plan and strategy for that event going in. Why do it in the first place? (which continues to be the most important lesson in marketing - what's in it for me? what's the hook? why should people come to our thing?) We talked to two event experts on the Exit Five pod recently Stephanie Christensen and Kristina DeBrito — and here are 5 keys they shared for B2B event success: 1. Pick the right format. Not all events do the same job. Big splash? Go flagship. Want pipeline? Try VIP roundtables. Tiny budget? Host micro-events around existing conferences. Set real goals. 2. “Leads” are not enough anymore. Are you driving awareness? Accelerating deals? Generating pipeline? Define this upfront—or you’ll waste time measuring the wrong stuff. There are more metrics than just "did we get leads from this event" and in today's world leads are tablestalkes. 3. Align your team, bro. Sales and marketing must move in lockstep. Slack alerts for registrations. Sales meeting updates. Leaderboards. It all matters. This is a team effort. 4. Make it memorable. People forget panels. They remember custom pancakes and great venues. Was the food good? Did the WiFi work? Did Oprah show up? Just kidding. Making sure you'r reading. But think surprise and delight, not branded frisbees. 5. Put the work in on the follow up. Events don't close deals - follow-up does. Segment attendees. Create custom offers. Babysit the handoff to sales like your job depends on it. Because it does. You just went shopping and got all these fresh groceries - dont let them spoil. B2B buyers want real connection again. Events can create that. Are you feeling this desire for events? Are you doing events in your business right now? Let me know...

When Dell acquired a company called Compellent back in 2013, I learned a cool new way to look at trade shows. They called it The Zone Offensive. It was a process they used to staff their booths and move prospects through the experience. The center was for the meaty conversations and heavy technical demos led by SMEs. The next “ring” out was for the quick demo stations and touch-and-go conversations led by product marketing. And the “outer” ring is where the marketing messages and happy, chatty booth staff, led by the SDRs. The idea was simple: The SDRs were the crowd-gatherers, saying hi to passers-by, asking qualifying questions, and generally engaging people in conversation to understand what problem they were trying to solve at the show. Once a conversation turned up a problem that could be solved with a Compellent solution, the SDR would introduce them to a product marketer by one of the relevant products for the badge scan and first conversation. If the conversation went well and the prospect wanted to have a deeper look at the opportunities, they could schedule time later in the day with one of the SMEs at the center of the booth! They had figured out how to use the booth space to effectively move people through the marketing funnel in one fell swoop. Friggin’ brilliant. How do you move prospects through your booth to ensure the qualified conversations are getting the attention they deserve?

The $70K trade show trap nobody talks about (and how to fix it) Your booth visitor's decision is made in under 10 seconds. Not in your pitch. Not in your demos. But in how your team shows up. Here's the real cost breakdown: 💰 $30K on prime booth space 💰 $15K on marketing 💰 $20k on salaries and travel 💰 $5K on branded swag The real cost? The Fortune 500 prospects who walked by because your team was: 🪑 Sitting down ☎️ Staring at phones 👋 Looking too eager 🌊 Creating a wall of staff Don't let your next trade show investment evaporate in 10 seconds. 💡Here’s the marketing and sales success formula: 1️⃣ Plan the Welcome ↳ First 5 seconds matter ↳ Design your approach flow ↳ No ambush marketing 2️⃣ Care Don't Scare ↳ Listen more than you talk ↳ Take a genuine interest ↳ Skip the sales pressure 3️⃣ Hot Coffee Opens Doors ↳ Create comfort zones ↳ Make it inviting ↳ Small talk = big wins 4️⃣ Demo Collaborations ↳ Interactive > presentation ↳ Let them drive ↳ Partner with other brands 5️⃣ Give Before You Ask ↳ Value first mindset ↳ Share insights freely ↳ Build trust naturally 6️⃣ Bring People Together ↳ Foster connections ↳ Network multiplier ↳ Community > sales 7️⃣ The Golden Egg of Generosity ↳ Unexpected extras ↳ Memorable moments ↳ Stand out by giving 8️⃣ The End is Just the Beginning ↳ Follow-up strategy ready ↳ Keep the warmth going ↳ Turn leads into relationships What's your best trade show tip? 👇 _______________ ♻️ Share this with your trade show team, they'll thank you later ➕ Follow for Jennelle McGrath more marketing insights

An achilles heel of good tradeshow booth execution is a lack of alignment among booth staff and company team members... Several years ago, I had a friend 👨💼 come in town for a conference. He is a Sr sales rep for a big software company. This company was exhibiting and between space, booth, travel, etc, probably spent around $200,000. I took him to dinner and asked how the show was going. He essentially told me he didn't really know what was going on, and they just flew him in to be on the floor. $200,000 seems like a lot of money to me, as well as a lot of effort, to have a Sr sales rep have zero clue what is going on. He was 1 of 4 reps there and none of the reps were briefed. As a team, its hard to run a successful play without the players knowing the play. My point. Booth staff and team staff alignment is KEY to tradeshow success. Knowing the basics, like the schedule of events and process for leads is a must. But if you are looking to dominate a tradeshow and capitalize on the investment, here is what alignment looks like... Keep in mind, this can all be put into a 1-2 page document for all to review and study. Event team should be developing this with sales and MKG input. 1️⃣ Everyone involved has a clear understanding of WHY you are there and what the specific goals and target objectives are. 2️⃣ Customer, everyone has to have a clear picture of the customer profile that is there. Who is here? Who do we want to talk to? What role do they play in our pipeline development and relationship with customer? 3️⃣ What is the weeks strategy? Examples are, do you have a theme and why that theme? How does it tie into the pitch or offering? What is the plan to produce results at this show and what is everyone's part in it? 4️⃣ Engagements and offerings. What kind of engagements, offerings, activities and offsite activations is your company running, and why should people attend them? How does the raffle work? How do they participate? All staff needs to know this, and be armed with the ability to invite, set appts, and clearly explain what's going on to someone. 5️⃣ I highly suggest morning huddles before the day starts and evening huddles as the day ends. Talk, share, brief each other, and get ready for what's next. Stay in tune and on the same page for the entire show. 6️⃣ What is the narrative and story you are telling and promoting? Everyone should know this and be able to talk on it. Have scripts, develop talking points that everyone can use. 7️⃣ Everyone in your booth should know how to explore and qualify someone in conversation. Give them questions 8️⃣ What does life look like after this 3-4 day whirlwind? Have a follow up process with goals outlined so everyone knows what's next. Knowing what's next gives confidence to what you are doing currently. 💡 Have a why, have goals, create a plan, craft a strategy. Make sure everyone understands all of the above and how they contribute to success.

Every conference, I build a booth shift schedule. It’s one of those tasks that sounds simple - but quickly turns into calendar conflicts, last-minute swaps, and endless back-and-forth. So I automated it. I built a conference booth scheduling agent that pulls from reps’ Google Calendars (via WRITER's Google Calendar connector), accounts for travel, availability, and conflicting meetings, and outputs a ready-to-use booth schedule. Instead of manual coordination, I now just fill out a short playbook: 📌 Event name & time zone 📌 Conference expo hours 📌 Booth staff names & emails 📌 Scheduling constraints & preferences From there, the agent generates: 📌 A booth staffing grid I can drop straight into our Know Before You Go guide 📌 A confirmation message ready to paste into Slack 📌 A complete booth staffing schedule After running the playbook, all deliverables live in the agent’s deliverables tab. What was once reactive, manual, and chaotic is now structured and repeatable.  This results in fewer gaps, less back-and-forth, and a more seamless on-site experience!