Today’s Scenario: While working in your company’s trade show booth, you are speaking with an attendee who asks you a question to which you do not know the answer. The person who does know the answer is in your booth, but is currently talking to another staff member or an attendee.
What do you do?
(B) Tell the attendee that you aren’t sure but can find out. Make a note in your lead retrieval system and plan to follow up later.
(C) Point out the proper contact at your company and let the attendee decide whether or not she’d like to wait for an answer.
(D) Walk over to your colleague and stand awkwardly close to him until he asks what you need.
(E) Interrupt your colleague (as politely as possible) and request that he come to speak to the attendee or tell you the answer right away.
This scenario is our toughest one yet because the most appropriate solution could be different from one encounter to the next. You will have to weigh the importance of the attendee and urgency of her question against the availability of your colleague (who he’s talking to and how important that conversation might be). Let’s consider your options.
First, we can quickly eliminate option (A). Although, it’s not uncommon for some booth staffers to take this easy way out, I would not recommend it. Depending on the answer you provide, it could cause serious problems for your company (especially if you promise something you cannot deliver).
Option (B) is a good start to helping the attendee because you should document any encounter on-site anyway. If your booth is busy or you can’t justify interrupting your colleague (assuming your company has a plan in place and will actually follow up in a timely manner), this is your best option. The attendee may choose to take a quick walk and come back later, during which you can obtain the information. If the attendee plans on waiting, you may choose to provide any relevant and available literature as well as a business card for the company representative who can help, if it makes sense to do so.
On the other hand, if you aren’t quite sure whether or not your attendee’s question is important/urgent enough to interrupt your colleague (perhaps, you aren’t sure who he’s talking to or aren’t completely confident your follow up team will return an answer later), you may consider option (C). Although I wouldn’t recommend being awkward about it, standing close to your colleague can be helpful in making your decision. If your colleague’s conversation can be interrupted, he is likely to notice you and ask how he can help. If your colleague is just making small talk, you may be able to find a brief opening to politely ask for the information you need. However, just remember that, while you are waiting, your attendee is not only waiting but also watching you wait; this can be awkward too.
Finally, option (D) is a great fit for anytime you are confident that your attendee’s question is more important/urgent than the conversation your colleague is having (for example, perhaps your attendee is a hot lead or your colleague is chatting with one of your company’s other representatives). When employing this option, be sure to listen to the answer your colleague provides so that you won’t be dependent on him next time that question is asked… and don’t forget your manners (not only is it the right thing to do, but also remember that your attendee is watching the interaction).
In each of the scenarios we have discussed over the past few weeks, one of the most important considerations should be your reaction in the moment. In order to ensure that you will choose to react appropriately and to enable your team to do the same, I would strongly encourage you to facilitate a similar discussion during your training before the event.
Can you think of any other scenarios in which you may encounter an interruption while exhibiting? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Robyn Davis - Owner, When I Need Help (WINH)
Robyn helps exhibitors improve their results at conventions and trade shows by providing on-site sales and marketing support, pre-/post-event consulting services, and convenient products. Contact Robyn to discuss your situation today!
