You cannot underestimate the importance of the way your staff look and how they conduct themselves. Not only is the first impression they convey a very powerful one, but there is never a second chance to make that first impression.

First impressions are created by What People See!

At an exhibition, it is the visual impression that creates the first impact. The visual impression is made up of a number of elements in addition to the physical exhibition stand:  Your staff are part of that visual impression – these include:

  • Facial expression
  • Smile
  • Eye contact
  • Posture
  • Body language
  • Clothing
  • Grooming

The appearance of your staff must convey the intended impression:

  • An open, alert and interested expression conveys eagerness, enthusiasm and a positive attitude.
  • Your stand staff must concentrate on smiling, no matter what the circumstances or the time of day. If they can establish eye contact, they will have a greater chance of securing a conversation. Maintaining eye contact 60% – 70% during any exchange demonstrates that there is a good rapport
  • The way people carry themselves also conveys a message. If their posture is upright, their shoulders are back, and they are not slouching they will look positive and confident which in turn inspires confidence in others.

Clothing

Nothing more effectively delivers a message about us than the clothes we wear. Wearing traditional, fairly conservative business dress normally conveys an image of professional, knowledgeable and confident business people.

However, you have to decide what is appropriate for your show and your business.   Even themed dress can provide impact! If your organisation is selling a more relaxed product or service, then the clothing can reflect that. For instance, if you are involved in sports goods the team could wear tracksuits and trainers. These too could display the company logo.

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Basic Rules to Observe

There are also some basic rules you will want your team to observe:

  • Never create clutter. Do not leave outdoor wear, bags or even rubbish lying around
  • The team should not chat at length to each other. They won’t spot opportunities if they are busy talking to each other
  • The team must spread out and cover the whole area of the stand, not huddle in groups. Visitors can be intimidated by groups of staff and will be put off from approaching them
  • Never eat on the stand
  • Avoid mobile phone use on the stand – ask staff to make calls away from the stand.

When you have engaged it’s important to make successful conversations – You may find our blog on How to engage and start conversations useful to share with your team!

At all times, your team has to be aware of how they look and the impression they are creating. Getting the team presentation right is just one part of what makes for a successful show.