CONFERENCE & EVENT BOOTH TIPS

Wear comfortable, yet dressy shoes and dress in layers (a jacket is perfect to dress up your look and provide warmth in case it is too cool in the venue).
Take along plenty of working pens, pencils, note paper, and business cards.
If selling: make sure you have sufficient change, receipts, tax information, etc.
Take more flyers, brochures, etc. than you will need.
Utilize images – have 1-3 dynamic, colorful photos blown up and attach to foam board (enlarge at Kinko’s for about 30.00 each). Attach Velcro and use the curtain as a ready made display area.
Be approachable. Look up as people approach, smile, and be ready to engage in light banter or a full-blown “sales moment”.
Create a checklist of “talking points” explaining what is unusual or unique about your product (i.e., why should I buy?). Slant it to the audience of the event. Storytellers might have sheets for “Storytelling & Literacy”, “Storytelling & Oral Language Development”, “Best Books for Storytelling”, “Storytelling in Business”, etc.
Use the space: most rented tables have color schemes of white, burgundy, black or blue. Develop promotional materials that will work with those colors and not be lost or jarring.
Always stand when customers approach: if traffic is heavy remain standing, or have a stool ready to lean on during lulls.
Have freebies (candy, mints, pens, posters, bookmarks, flyers)
Dress for success: casual business sends a very different message from faded jeans and a t-shirt.
Keep breath mints handy.
Pre-promote your booth. Have a “conference special” to entice customers to visit your booth before the event.
Invest in professionally prepared flyers, brochures, posters, etc. It pays off in the long run.
Provide information: brainstorm all the possible people who might be interested in what you have to offer and created targeted information just for them
Generate “buzz”: have a book signing, door prize, raffle, photo opportunity at the booth
If sharing a booth, be willing to move and condense to share a table, but then use the new feature to connect with new customers
Arrange for photographs to be taken at the booth for future publicity. It adds to your portfolio and helps to generate a little interest on the floor. Have a permission form handy and take photos with interested people for publication or promotional use.
Consider providing some level of support for the event so that your name appears with donors and increases your overall exposure.
Have a signup sheet ready to send people more information.
Save on paper costs by putting resources and information on a website and then invest in one or two good quality free items to lead people there: magnets, key chains, etc.