Plan on meeting lots of new people during this extended holiday break? Think the question “Eh, so what do you do for a living?” is bound to come up? This might be a perfect time to test, practice or hone your elevator pitch in a low pressure situation. Not sure what an elevator pitch is? Watch on:

Not everyone that comes to a trade show is there to do business. People that attend a trade shows could be anyone from venture capitalists, anxious to find another Microsoft, out of work sales people looking for a new job, competitors looking to find problems with your products or services and people just wanting to collect literature and any and all of the give-a-ways that you have at your booth.

The exhibitor has to be prepared for any and all types of people that will stop by the booth. While you don’t want to be mean spirited, you must also realize how much it is costing to have you standing booth duty, and how important it is to generate real opportunities for your company.

If you have someone come to your booth and wants to talk about your management, give that person over to your company’s booth manager and let he or she deal with that person. Trade show are expensive, and attendees, and people interested in getting information so they can make a purchase decision, are in a hurry to see as many companies and visit as many booths as possible in the time they a will be there.

If you spend too much time talking with people not interested in your products or services, you in effect limiting your time in developing meaningful relations with people who want to find out more about your products or services and are there to do business.

If you eat, drink, sit, or talk on the phone you are telling the people passing your booth you are not really ready to do business.

Your trade show booth is an extension of your company or office. It should reflect that you and your company are serious about presenting your products or services, and that you are at this trade show to generate opportunities for your company.

If you do not stand ready to present, answer questions, or talk to the attendees, they will pass you by.

A booth is in effect your office away from your corporate surroundings. The booth should be welcoming, clean, comfortable and appealing. The people, who are given the responsibility for booth duty, should be dressed to do business, enthusiastic and have a smile on their face.

Think about the last time you stood booth duty. Did you meet these parameters?