Being Approachable At Networking Events: A Quick Guide For Exhibitors

Are you about to put up a booth at a local trade show, event fair, or business conference? Then you’re going to want to stand out from the crowd in a way that lets other businesses know you’re a serious player. 

But what should you aim to be, when you’re at a show like this? Confident and clear, yes. But above all, you need to be approachable. And to manage that, you’re going to want to check out our quick guide below. 

Greet Anyone Who Comes Over to Your Booth

You don’t want to just smile and try to make eye contact with anyone who stops to peruse the branding you’ve put up, or the product samples you’ve got for people to try out. You want them to actively engage with your brand, and you as the people behind it. And that means you need to take the initiative here. 

You don’t even need an elevator pitch to do so. You just need to be polite and friendly like you would in any other conversation. And that means greeting those who come by, saying hello and asking how they’re doing, etc. 

Without these few kind words, you could miss out on a great opportunity, and all because you didn’t say ‘hi’! 

Open Up Your Booth on All Sides

Known as an ‘island booth’, it’s possible to put up a display stand where you can welcome passers-by on all four sides. And when your booth has this four dimensional approachability, you’re likely to pull in at least twice as many visitors as you would with either a two or three sided stand. 

Of course, it can be hard to come up with a good look for a stand that has no backdrop or corners, but there are ways around these details. Check out some island booth design ideas while you’re in the planning stages, and take some inspiration from what people have achieved with them before. 

Make it Easy to Find Out More About You

You don’t want someone who comes up to your booth to not know who you are, what you do, or why. You also don’t want to make them have to expend any extra effort to find out these details! They need to be obvious from the moment your booth catches someone’s eye. 

You’ll have your name up in lights, for sure. But you should also focus on providing a bit more information about your brand, your product, and your mission using digital screens or print materials. 

If someone can read all about you from a distance, they’re going to be able to make a decision about whether you’re the kind of business for them before you’ve even had to say anything to them! 

When you’re networking at a business event, you want to be as approachable as possible. You want to make it easy to find out more. And you want your brand to stand out based on these interpersonal principles alone!