Have you ever wondered what to wear when you exhibit at a trade show? When you step out on to the trade show floor, you’ll see a wide variety of theories on this subject manifest themselves. It will be immediately apparent that some exhibitors put no thought at all into how they present themselves at a trade show, and those exhibitors are inevitably less successful. So what can you do to make a good impression on visitors?

Start by thinking carefully about the types of products you sell. If you sell children’s toys, wearing a suit and tie might not attract the type of visitors you are looking for. You appearance will reflect what you think about the company you work for, so put yourself in the shoes of your attendee and think about how they might expect you to dress based on the products and/or services you sell.

It is also important that all of your booth staffers dress uniformly. This does not mean that you necessarily need to wear a uniform (personally I think that wearing matching polo shirts is a horrible idea for trade shows), but it does need to be readily apparent that you all work for the same company. Your trade show booth staffers need to be an extension of your display, and the consistent marketing theme you have created for your booth should flow through them as well.

Typically I recommend that exhibitors dress professionally, but not formally. A suit and tie can scare off potential clients, but you want to be as close to that as you can possibly be in order to legitimize your company.