As we enter trade show season, is there anything we can do to help improve levels of productivity at conferences when presented with a multitude of distractions? I posed this question to an industry veteran who has advised very large organizations on this particular challenge. As a Council Vice President and faculty member for ASIS International, Howard Belfor, CPP, reflects on the best advice he’s pooled from his nearly four decades of industry conference experiences as an attendee, exhibitor, presenter and judge.
1. Have a Plan: Based on your company’s strategic initiatives, the first step is to create a tactical plan for each attendee pre-show. Each person should have a clear strategy as to who they are meeting, when meetings will take place and the ultimate take-away or end-goal of each encounter. Scheduling set appointments weeks in advance of the event is critical.
Belfor recommends reviewing the layout of the exhibit floor (usually available online) to plan a daily route to better manage your time. Many conferences are now offering mobile apps that make planning your stops around the exhibit floor even easier.
You should also create a solid follow-up plan prior to attending. Have an idea in mind as to what next steps should be for each of your meetings and strive to leave the show with these actions established, documented and agreed upon, including dates and deliverables.
2. Establish a Captain: For exhibitors, establishing a “booth captain” role can help keep staff and customer interactions in check. Captains can provide access to onsite staff schedules, coordinate impromptu meetings, and help manage lead retrieval. For instance, a captain can make sure that business cards are recorded in the lead retrieval device so that all contact information is not only in the hand of the rep that captured it, but documented in the company CRM for post-event disposition and follow-up.
3. Collect Data: Marketing and sales departments can join forces in assigning specific reporting and data collection duties to individuals from your company to improve the quality of take-away information. Have attending staff film informal “on the show floor” interviews with key vendors and share them with employees who did not attend. Take notes on new products and educational seminars for blog and newsletter content. Be sure to schedule vendor interviews well in advance, and practice with the recording device to ensure the video and audio is acceptable.
4. Go all-in: Attending as an exhibits-only participant is akin to “eating the crust and not enjoying the pie” Belfor says. Educational sessions are worth attending to discover trends, best practices, and new field applications and solutions shared by industry experts. Vendors are often exposed to ideas being considered by their prospects, and trusted advisors are counted on to make connections between solution providers and end-users.
5. Take Care of Yourself: Like an athlete, you must prepare for large shows like a type of sporting event, Belfor says. Consider the hours you will be required to spend on your feet — likely walking and standing on concrete covered by thin carpet. Proper rest and decent footwear are essential. You can’t do your best work if you are out of energy. Forego the temptation to overindulge at the bar or hospitality suites. The days are long and nights are short. Good nutrition, hourly hydration and some quiet time to clear your head will boost your energy and enhance your productivity.
Barbara Shaw, CPLP, is Director of Education for PSA Security Network. To request more info about PSA, please visit www.securityinfowatch.com/10214742.
