Event teams may be the most under-utilized resource at important trade show events. For opportunities like the upcoming SelectUSA Summit, where and how your team members present themselves will be a major predictor of ROI.
Train to divide and conquer
It happens quite often that we see events teams huddled together—whether it’s behind the booth, around a workshop table, or during a networking event. At a high-value opportunity like SelectUSA, your goal is to leverage every minute. Step one is to spread out your event team.
The tendency to huddle is typically a sign of feeling shy and lacking confidence. You want to build your team’s confidence to deliver your value proposition and your (or their) self-introduction. They should also be able to deliver your opportunity one-sheet and articulate your call-to-action.
Achieving these results requires training. As a manager, you can’t be everywhere at once. You also can’t achieve great results if everyone isn’t pulling their weight.
As a leader, you need to make sure that your event team is prepared to expand their comfort zone, fly the coop and create value and connections on their own.
Delivering clear assignments
The trick to implementing an effective divide and conquer strategy is to give each of your team members a clear assignment—who they’re aiming to connect with, how and why.
Whether it’s through attending workshops, visiting other booths or walking the floor, every team member should have a clear picture of the outcome they’re aiming to achieve and how they will be accountable.
Holding your event team accountable through regular check-ins not only provides a more complete picture of our event ROI, it establishes a mechanism for acknowledging effective work and improving your team’s results over time. At a minimum, we recommend convening your team for 10-minutes first thing in the morning, and again at lunchtime to rally, assess and edit where necessary.
The importance of a first impression
Anyone you meet at a high-value event like SelectUSA, whether it’s an investor or a potential partner, will leave with an impression of your company. That impression will 100% be influenced by the competence and confidence of the team members they come into contact with.
Demonstrating that your event team is well trained, independent, and high achieving sends a message to future investors and partners that their resources will be used effectively and that your company as a whole is methodical and goal-oriented.
Practice makes perfect
Anyone who is an athlete knows that there’s more time spent practicing than competing if one wants to be successful in any sport. The same is true with any professional endeavor. The best way to guarantee that you are representing yourself and your organization as intended is to practice well and frequently.
And remember, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Behave how you want to be perceived. We recommend role-playing as a training tool. Training yourself and your event team to deliver with confidence and clarity is critically important anywhere and anytime you leave the office.
Help your event team help you by utilizing their skills and their capacity to the fullest.
About
MEET (meetroi.com) helps international B2B growth companies soft land and scale in the U.S. through trade shows and in-person events. MEET’s processes help its clients ramp-up sales quickly and maintain a steady stream of high-quality prospects going forward. Contact Bill Kenney for a no obligation conversation bill@meetroi.com or +1 (860) 573-4821.
