Some of the biggest and most obvious exhibiting mistakes are made in the area of staffing. Companies will often send top executives to conventions instead of sales personnel or marketing specialists. The trip to the trade show is often presented as an executive perk instead of an important job.

When staffing your trade show display booth, you need to consider who will have the greatest impact on your ROI. Not only does it cost you more to send a top executive to a distant trade show, but top executives usually lack the skill set needed to broker deals and handle problem clients on the trade show floor. Trade shows should be viewed as an investment of time and money in the hopes of producing results, not as a pleasure ride for executives.

Choose young, athletic, energetic people to staff your exhibit booth. Trade shows are physically demanding, and you need people who can stand on their feet for eight hours or more in one day and not be exhausted. Choose motivated people that are excited about the products and/or services you are promoting at your trade show. Choose wisely, and your bottom line will thank you for it…