You're at a trade show and need to build a strong team. What's the best way to get started?

1 Define your goals

Before you attend a trade show, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Do you want to increase brand awareness, launch a new product, or generate sales? How will you measure your success? What are your expectations for your team? Having specific and realistic goals will help you align your team's efforts and communicate your vision.

2 Choose your team members

Depending on your goals, you may need different types of team members for a trade show. For example, you may need salespeople, product experts, marketers, or customer service representatives. You should also consider the size, diversity, and skills of your team. You want to have enough people to cover the booth, engage with visitors, and follow up with leads. You also want to have a diverse team that can appeal to different audiences and handle different situations. And you want to have skilled team members who can demonstrate your products or services, answer questions, and close deals.

4 Motivate your team

A trade show can be exhausting and stressful for your team. You need to keep them motivated and energized throughout the event. You can do this by setting clear expectations, providing feedback, recognizing achievements, and rewarding performance. You can also create a positive and fun atmosphere by encouraging teamwork, collaboration, and creativity. And you can offer incentives, such as bonuses, prizes, or recognition, for reaching or exceeding your goals.

5 Support your team

Another way to build a strong team for a trade show is to support them during and after the event. You should be available and accessible to help them with any issues or challenges they may face. You should also monitor and evaluate their performance and provide constructive feedback. And you should follow up with them after the trade show to debrief, celebrate, and learn from the experience.

6 Improve your team

Finally, you should always look for ways to improve your team for future trade shows. You should solicit feedback from your team members and visitors on what went well and what could be improved. You should also analyze your results and compare them with your goals and benchmarks. And you should identify and implement best practices, lessons learned, and action steps to enhance your team's skills, knowledge, and performance.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?