If you’re exhibiting at a trade show, one of the most important things to think about is how to make a good first impression on attendees and attract them to your stand. You only have a few seconds to make an impression on passersby, and you want it to land correctly.
There are a range of factors that contribute to the impression you give off at a trade show, such as the type of stand you use and its design, your team’s body language and demeanour, and even how professionally they are dressed. These factors all come together to create an environment that either attracts visitors or deters them from approaching your stand.
In this guide, we will focus on body language, a crucial yet often overlooked factor in your presentation at trade shows.
The Importance of Body Language
Body language is a critical, non-verbal way of communicating, and it says a lot about how you’re feeling.
Many people do not realise how nervousness can impact their body language, as much of it operates on a subconscious level. When individuals feel uncomfortable, they stiffen up, hunch their shoulders, and take more defensive stances, all of which signal that they do not want to interact, even when they say otherwise.
When you have a very confident visitor, this may inconvenience, but not entirely put them off talking with you. When you have visitors who are also apprehensive about initiating a conversation, this can introduce a threshold barrier.
The Ideal Trade Show Body Language
Conquering the trade show floor is about creating a welcoming environment, removing barriers to entry, and encouraging visitors to visit your stand. To achieve this goal, exhibition staff should appear self-assured, friendly and approachable, through open and welcoming body language.
Open Body Language & Stance
When working at trade shows, it is important to maintain open and friendly body language.
Many people don’t even notice how much they tighten up when they’re in a new environment, and the result can be looking stiff, tense and unapproachable.
In hospitality, they refer to the Meerkat Strategy, where staff are always positioned, alert and ready to engage with and assist guests. This strategy also works well in exhibitions. Staff should focus on appearing friendly and approachable, keeping their shoulders back, chins up, alert and ready to engage.
Eye Contact
A big part of approachability is eye contact. When people feel nervous, they often look down and avert their gaze, which can be a significant barrier to conversations. Eye contact is the first signal that people want to start a conversation, so if your head is down, you’re introducing a significant blocker.
While it can feel unnatural at first, trade shows are much more comfortable when you look ready to engage! Keep your chin up, and don’t be afraid to connect with people in the hall!
Appearing Friendly & Approachable
This ties into maintaining open body language, but it is important to appear friendly and approachable while working the exhibition stand. Smiling as guests walk past and making an effort to appear warm and friendly can make guests much more likely to engage.
How to Improve Body Language
Since body language is so closely tied to how we are feeling, it can be hard to improve without some practice. In order to improve closed body language, you have to understand what is causing it.
Trade shows are unlike typical workspaces, and they often push staff out of their natural comfort zones. Unless your employees have worked in customer-facing roles like hospitality or in-person sales, they will likely feel some discomfort. Even with this type of experience, there is an additional pressure that comes with representing your company, which can make some staff nervous.
With this in mind, there are a few ways to improve body language on a stand:
- Strategically selecting your team
- Team-building
- Gaining Exposure
Strategically Select the Team
One of the best ways to ensure a strong exhibiting team is to select individuals based on their existing skill sets. Exhibiting teams are usually most effective when they include seasoned sales reps, marketing teams and other friendly and approachable team members to help engage passersby and signpost them to relevant staff.
Select team members who are already knowledgeable about the company, products and services, as this will add confidence on the show floor.
Team-building
Team-building can help boost confidence and comfort within your team, which can translate to more positive and approachable language on the trade show floor.
Often, exhibiting teams combine staff from different departments, who haven’t yet built trust and confidence working together. Team-building is valuable in these circumstances, as it helps staff members to feel more comfortable and confident within the team and understand their strengths and weaknesses.
Gaining Exposure
A lot of the skills needed to succeed in trade shows can be learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes, staff just need to work a few shows to build the confidence needed to succeed!
Team-Training
Finally, many people invest in team-training to help develop the people-facing skills that are so often used in trade show environments. Many companies offer some form of training ahead of their trade shows to help prepare staff and build confidence!
Making an Impression at Trade Shows
Body language plays a crucial role in forming impressions at trade shows, significantly affecting lead generation and return on investment. However, visitors base their impressions not only on body language but also on the design and quality of the exhibition stand, its location in the hall, and even how professionally the team are dressed.
At Quadrant2Design, we specialise in creating exhibition stands that capture attention and engage visitors. If you’re looking for a stand that visitors remember long after the show, we’re here to help. Contact our design team for a free, no-obligation proposal at design@quadrant2design.com or call 01202 723 500.
