Staff
What NOT to do
Once the staff is selected, what should they do? How can you best use them to get the maximum benefit from your participation?
The best way is to start with a list of what not to do. Such a list follows - and the horrifying thing is
that everything on this list is done - and often - by staff at exhibitions, thus doing serious damage not only to the company's participation but also to their public image.
DO NOT
- drink on the stand. For a visitor to have alcohol fumes breathed all over him, or - worse - to be greeted by an obviously half-drunk salesman, will probably mean that he will never deal with your company. And by the way, include eating heavily spiced food (particularly garlic) either the night before or on the day, in this prohibition
- block entrances to the stand, or look like guards on sentry duty
- eat your lunch on the stand
- stand in groups chatting
- sit down and read the paper - or even
just sit down. Staff should be on their
feet all of the time. The time for sitting
down is during breaks which should be
taken away from the stand
- pounce on every approaching visitor
like a hungry cat
- hover uncertainly near the prospect
- chase the prospect. Always approach
head-on
- be long-winded in your sales talk
- use high-pressure or "hard sell" sales
techniques
- ignore or neglect visitors.