Trade Show Season: How to Present the Best Image Possible

The image you present at a trade show goes beyond how your booth looks. Chances are after the show your current and potential customers will not remember your flashy booth graphics or new display…what they will remember is your staff. Their level of knowledge, enthusiasm and how they presented themselves. Few people appreciate that your team is a walking, talking representation of your company’s brand, which means how they present themselves and what they wear is a direct reflection, and one that is remembered long after the event is over.

So how do you present a professional, fresh look that goes beyond the typical polos and khakis a la a Target or Best Buy employees? We’ve got some tips that will help…

COORDINATE TRADE SHOW OUTFITS BY COLOR, NOT STYLE

Pick a color for each day and build your outfit around that, one that coordinates or compliments your logo is ideal.  For example, have everyone wear a blue shirt- but let them pick the style.  Building an outfit with a common color scheme creates a corporate identity and helps your staff look like a cohesive unit of company representatives… without the big box retailer same shirt appearance.

ADD ONE ITEM OF COMPANY BRANDING TO THE OUTFIT

No matter where your team is in the exhibit hall you want attendees to be able to easily identify who works for your company. Shirts or ties that have the logo subtly embroidered, either tone on tone or perhaps on the collar, cuff, or lapel do the trick in a classic and classy way. The key is to choose logo placement that adds flair to your outfit but does not completely dominate it.

AIM FOR A BALANCE BETWEEN LOOKING PROFESSIONAL AND LOOKING APPROACHABLE

You don’t need to wear a full suit, but your team should be slightly more dressed up than show attendees.  You want to look approachable, but you don’t want to be wearing a t-shirt and ripped jeans.  A jacket, but not a full suit balances the casual and professional look nicely.

DROP THE STRESS BALLS AND CHEAP PENS

Giveaways should be well-thought out and express the quality of your brand. There are plenty of ways to re-think giveaways that go beyond the “bag stuffers” looking for cheap tchotchkes. Giving away fewer items that are of a quality to important prospects makes a better impression. Consider keeping a stash of quality items behind the counter for quality vetted prospects or good customers that stop by. Shirts, jackets, and hats are items that are appreciated and go a long way to further your relationships and brand perception, rather than the plastic click pens laid out on the table for just anyone to grab. Make sure to discuss with your team on how to give these special items out discreetly.

Trade shows are a large investment for any company. In order to make sure they pay off putting your best company image forward and showing quality in your brand through your team’s appearance and giveaways is key to getting the most out of your tradeshow investment.