Raise your badge if you have attended or are planning to go to an in-person trade show or big meeting event this year? You’re not alone. A recent study published by Insight Partners says the event management platform market, which includes everything from concerts to conventions is growing fast – again! In six years, the market size will increase from $31B to $60B.
After two-years of virtual trade shows wearing yoga pants, pajamas and shorts, in-person attendees may be a little rusty on their conference skills — let alone re-learning how to pack for business trips and deciding which clothes now fit. Success in a convention or trade show can be enhanced by refreshing best practice communications skills:
Stay on Message:
From the exhibit booth to dinner meetings, the entire team needs to be consistent in what they say about the company or product launch. It’s a good idea to create a cheat sheet for everybody containing the main messages about the organization or product. Repetition creates retention.
Make the Messages Media-Ready:
What is the compelling story behind the numbers? If you’re launching a new product or service, it’s likely you will have to cut through the clutter to compete with your competitors for share of voice. Tell visual stories that go beyond the product specs. Say the words “for example” which describes customer or patient benefit.
Nail the Q&A:
No product or service is perfect. You’ll need an FAQ document with recommended answers to the tough questions that competitors will raise. Don’t just read it or even memorize it, practice out lout with colleagues with variations on all the questions and follow-ups.
Trade shows also mean opportunities to moderate or be a panelist in your area of expertise.
A few suggestions — whether you are the moderator or panelist. It’s not a TED talk, and a panel leader is not the star. The goal is to make it interesting and worthwhile to the audience.
As the moderator, get to know your panel participants with a short pre-interview checklist:
- Download their LinkedIn Profile.
- Collaborate with the panelists on the questions that will be asked to make the presentation more interesting for their nugget – experience, book, whitepaper, etc.
- Develop an introduction that puts the panel in perspective and frames up the discussion.
If you are the panelist, be sure to have a succinct narrative or presentation so that you don’t take up all of the time allotted. And, be prepared to handle questions from the audience. You never know what they might ask.
One final caution – If you’re on a flight headed to an upcoming convention, be careful with laptop screens and conversations about confidential information. There’s a good chance that competitors and reporters are likely sitting nearby.