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How to Choose the Right Team to Manage Your Trade Show Booth

Writer's picture: Alison FrenchAlison French

The design of your trade show booth may turn heads, but it’s the people inside that turn those glances into real connections. Your staff’s energy, expertise, and ability to engage will be the real determining factors in whether attendees stop for a conversation—or keep walking. Even with the best booth on the floor, a lackluster team can mean missed opportunities.




So how do you ensure you're choosing the right people to represent your brand and make the most of your trade show investment? Here's a guide to assembling a team that will stand out, engage attendees, and deliver results.


Prioritize Motivation and Energy


Selecting the right employees for your booth isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about choosing individuals who are enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and ready to represent your company in the best possible light.


Experience Matters, But It’s Not Everything: While experienced employees often know how to navigate the fast-paced world of trade shows, don’t overlook those with less experience but high potential. Yes, seasoned staffers will know how to handle tough questions, manage booth traffic, and communicate key messages. But sometimes, fresh energy from a team member who’s passionate about learning and driven to succeed can make a world of difference. In fact, 85% of exhibitors saw that the staff brought to the trade show significantly influenced the company's success. The key is balancing experience with potential.


Make sure all staff members, regardless of their experience level, understand the specific goals of your trade show participation—whether it's lead generation, product launches, or brand awareness. Providing them with clear objectives will help them align their efforts with your larger strategy.


Enthusiasm is Everything: Attendees can sense when someone is checked out or unenthusiastic, and nothing is more off-putting. Choosing a team that actually wants to be at the trade show is crucial. These employees will bring the energy that draws in attendees, keeps them engaged, and makes conversations flow naturally. 92% of attendees come to trade shows to discover something new—whether it’s a solution to their problem or an exciting innovation. And according to 74% of attendees, engaging with exhibitors increases their likelihood of buying. Your team’s enthusiasm should match that excitement, helping foster real interest and genuine connections.


Build a Cross-Functional Team


It’s tempting to assume that salespeople should be the primary staff members running your booth, but trade shows present an opportunity to showcase a 360-degree view of your company. The most successful booths are staffed by people from across your organization who can offer unique perspectives.


Sales and Support Teams Together: While your sales team is essential for answering detailed product questions and converting leads, don’t underestimate the value of including employees from other departments. Engineers or product developers can speak to the technical side of your offerings, providing insights that can impress prospects with deep technical knowledge. Similarly, bringing in someone from marketing or customer success ensures you have team members who understand your brand messaging, can navigate attendee concerns, and provide insights into how your product or service is used in the real world.


Including Non-Sales Staff Expands Your Reach: For example, having someone from R&D or quality control on the floor can provide authenticity that pure sales pitches sometimes lack. Attendees are often looking for transparency, and a more well-rounded team can offer that. Different departments bring different angles to the conversation, creating a more holistic and engaging experience for attendees. This diversity in perspectives can deepen connections and strengthen your brand’s credibility.


Invest in Comprehensive Training


No matter how experienced or motivated your team is, training is critical to ensure that everyone is on the same page and ready to handle the fast-paced environment of a trade show. The best trade show teams don’t just “wing it”—they practice and prepare extensively before stepping onto the floor.


Rehearsing Conversations and Strategies: Your staff should be well-versed in how to approach visitors, handle common questions, and guide conversations naturally toward your booth’s goals. Role-playing different scenarios is a great way to build confidence and refine their approach. This can be especially helpful for less experienced team members who may need practice navigating the high-energy, often unpredictable nature of trade shows.


Consider bringing in external trainers who specialize in trade show presentations or live event engagement. These professionals can coach your team on balancing the "hard pitch" with a more conversational tone, ensuring your booth interactions don’t feel too pushy or overly scripted. The goal is to strike the right balance between informing and engaging attendees while keeping the conversation natural and inviting.


Training to Adapt: In addition to product knowledge, your team needs to be trained on reading body language and adapting their pitch based on the attendee's interest level. Not every visitor will be ready for a sales conversation, and forcing it can lead to negative experiences. Having your staff trained to pick up on verbal and non-verbal cues can help them adjust their approach on the fly, leading to better interactions and stronger lead generation.


Clearly Define Expectations and Metrics


A team without direction will drift, especially in the hustle and bustle of a trade show. To ensure your team is working toward your company’s goals, clearly outline your expectations before the event begins.


Set Concrete Goals: Is your primary focus lead generation? Product demos? Building brand awareness? Each of these goals requires a slightly different approach, so it’s essential that your team knows exactly what metrics define success. Do you want them to gather contact information from 100 new leads? Or perhaps book 20 follow-up meetings with high-potential prospects? Being specific about expectations will help guide your team’s behavior throughout the event.


Lead Management is Critical: Another key to trade show success is developing a system for lead capture and follow-up. Many companies walk away from trade shows with stacks of business cards or digital contacts, but without a clear plan for next steps, these leads can quickly lose value. Ensure your team knows how to gather and record lead information and create a process for timely follow-ups after the show. 40% of exhibitors wait between 3–5 days after a trade show ends to follow up with their leads. In order to see the highest lead conversion rates, don't wait this long. This follow-through is what ultimately converts trade show conversations into sales.


 

Your trade show booth is an extension of your brand, and the people running it are its most critical ambassadors. By choosing a motivated, well-rounded team, providing comprehensive training, and setting clear expectations, you’ll ensure your trade show presence is not only professional but also impactful. With the right team behind you, your booth will stand out on the floor—and in the minds of attendees long after the show ends.


[Source: Trade Show Labs: 150+ Trade Show Stats That Reveal All (2024)]

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