Top  10 Tips For Exhibitors!

As we are all busy preparing for the show, we thought we would share our personal thoughts on how you can omprove your Vancouver Home + Interior Design Show experience, and make the most if it. So here they are! Please feel free to share this list with your staff and those who will be working your booth!

1. Greet every customer that walks past or into your booth! It is staggering how many consumers do not receive acknowledgement or a greeting when they enter a business or store. A smile and simple "hello" could be the start of your next sale!

2. Define your goals and objectives before doing the show. What is it that you would like to accomplish? Would you like to obtain leads? Are you looking to re-brand your company? Are you implementing a new process or product that you would like to make your customers aware of? By clearly defining your vision, you can better measure your success after the show, as well as set your team goals to achieve during the event!

3. Carefully select the staff that will be working your booth. Many people spend countless hours designing the look of their booth, and only mere minutes selecting the staff. The people manning your booth will be the voice of your company. They will be representing your business, your product and your values. Ensure that all staff are fully trained in product and company knowledge, create excitement for the opportunity to work at the show, and most of all, make sure their customer service skills are top notch! Ensure they wear comfortable shoes, have plenty of water and healthy snacks to keep their energy up, and receive the appropriate rest periods to rejuvinate throughout the show!

4. Find a way to drive people back to your showroom! Some companies in the past have offered amazing deals on site at the show, but the only way the consumers can take advantage of the deal is to visit their showroom. This way, the consumers are able to see the entire product line and not just a small portion of it, and learn more about the company and location!

5. Don't block entry to your booth!  You've paid for the space, so make the most of it! By setting up tables at the front of the booth, you are wasting valuable space towards the rear and blocking entry of your customers! This may cause an uninviting feeling. The aisles may become very crowded during a show, and what better way to offer some crowd cluster relief to your customers! Moving a table and some seating towards the back of the booth will allow for people to relax and escape and speak with you in peace.

6. Have a place for your customers to sit! Walking around the show floor on hard concrete can be tiring at the best of times. Give your customers a place to sit down; relax; take a load off. If your customers are comfortable while they are speaking with you, chances are higher that they will stay longer!

7. Make your booth look like more than a table and chairs! Placing greenery or a mirror (people LOVE to stop and look at themselves!) will add to the welcoming atmosphere of your space. Be creative; be eye catching. Find something to draw people in to the space visually!

8. Have a cash and carry item! A large percentage of our consumers plan on spending money at the show. They pay money to come to the show and be sold to! If your company has a smaller item, usually in the $20 to $100 range, SELL IT AT THE SHOW! How often do you see the mops and shammy's walking around the show? All the time!

9. Sell benefits, not just products! Personalizing your sales pitch to the customer helps them see why they NEED your product or service! Showing them why they should no longer live without the benefits of your company is key!

10. Send invites to current and lukewarm prospects! Do you have a sale that is near closing, but needs that extra little push? Have a prospect that you would like to schmooze on the show floor? Send out a letter to your current customer database and hot prospects and let them know you will be at the show and would love the opportunity to meet with them! If you include a free pass to the show, your customers will see that you value their relationship and sincerely want their business! Surely anyone who receives a complimentary ticket from your company will stop by to say thank you. And what a perfect way to initiate conversation!