SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE

Consider the scenario of the typical corporate exhibitor – specifically that of the corporate marketing manager. You know the sort; marketing trained, intelligent, qualified and understaffed. They have booked their company into an event and now realise they need bodies to populate their stand. All marketing personnel are readily enlisted, then a quick call to sales and ops, possibly one to logistics and technical and, “Hey Presto!” the stand manning problem solved.

Well no, actually. Problem created rather than solved. As can be seen on the latest AEO DVD; ‘Make a Stand – The Secrets of Successful Exhibiting’ some people are just not cut out to man the stand. One of the pre-requisites of an effective stand person is the desire to be there in the first place. What you have essentially is a three way split between Knowledge, Skill and Attitude. Knowledge can be imparted and skills can be practiced and learned, but attitude is considerably harder to influence.

There are typically two models of ineffective stand personnel. The first, at face value at least, appears to have the right attitude – i.e. they ‘want’ to be there. Their problem is that they want to be at the show for the wrong reasons – because it’s fun, so they get a night or two away from home, to look for a new job and a whole raft of other possible reasons. Sometimes their eagerness is less contrived – they just do not know better. This is usually fixable through training. The other model is the person that doesn’t want to be there, and would rather, to quote Jack Dee, “cover their tongue in paper cuts and suck lemons” than be interacting with strangers.

Our marketing manager would be well advised to remember that there are four categories of staff: Contributors, Commuters, Complainants and Captives.

Contributors are your best recruit for manning the stand. They want to be there and they will behave appropriately to ensure you achieve your objectives. They will smile; and look genuinely pleased to meet new prospects and clients alike. They are well versed and knowledgeable – in other words professional.

Commuters, as their collective name suggests, are just along for the ride. They are there for the crack and not too serious about objectives and all things considered, it is better than a day stuck in their office.

Complainants are harder to identify. They are glad to be at the show but often have a hidden agenda. They potentially could sabotage the best laid plans in the quest of their own objectives.

Finally the Captives – they are there under duress and do not mind who knows it and are indiscriminate in whether it is the company or the visitor who bears the brunt of their inappropriate behaviour.

I am a realist and understand that at times we have to work with resources that are available. I also believe that rather than populate your stand with Complainants or Captives it is more cost effective to hire in, albeit on a temporary basis, agency staff who can work with your best people to make a success of your participation at an event.