1. Always Look Your Best: You are a representation of your company. Looking your best not only boosts confidence, but will also enhance your overall booth presentation. Your clothing should be business appropriate, practical and comfortable.This should be a time to put your best foot forward.
2. Be Prepared: Prepare for each trade show by knowing facts and information about the company, possible questions that may be asked regarding that field and questions that you can ask to learn more about the companies represented there. A Good thing to do is research companies that will also be attending as guests.
3. Remember Your Business Cards: Bring plenty, have a place to put them to display and also a designated place to store the cards you receive so you don't lose them.
4. Know Where You're Going: Don’t wait until the last minute to GPS the venue and realize that traffic is heavier than you thought. Figure out where you're going to park beforehand.
5. Know the Purpose of Going: There is a saying if you don’t know where you are going, you won’t get there. What is the real purpose behind you attending this trade show? This allows you to put things in order by level of importance and execute your plan with the bigger goal in mind.
6. Tell People you are Going to Be There: Getting some attention before the event can be extremely helpful. Simply find out what companies will likely be at the event, prepare a list of targets to connect with through email, calling or social media. Connect and ask to set up plans to meet before or during the event.
7. Set Up Your Appointments: Setting up appointments assures that you will be busy with the right targets at the event. These are pre-qualified people who will benefit from the product or service you have. It also gives you a chance to customize your offer and networking style to better serve the companies on your calendar.
8. Be Prepared to Fill in any Gaps: There may be times where you have down time. Know when the down times will take place so you can make the most of your experience.
9. Have an Itinerary: Plan how your day will go, what your spin on things will be and print out your itinerary for the day.
8. Charge your Phone: These days our phones are a necessity. Someone may try to call to see where you are, you may need access to your calendar to send a quick invite. You may see something cool that needs a picture or video to document. But most of all, you want to take plenty of pictures of your day with the people you have met.
Charity Hutchison is Automation Alley's administrative specialist, responsible for assisting the business development team with membership acquisition, engagement and trade show endeavors. Before coming Automation Alley, Charity held positions at DIRECTV and At&t, which later led to a promotion leading the top sales team in her local area. Her duties expanded when her main responsibility became training and developing high powered sales teams across the country. Her main strength was developing training programs for easy implementation and fast results.