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Cell phones have changed our world.
With few exceptions, we can now talk to anyone we
like whenever we’d like. The staccato symphony
of ring tones accompanies us through our days: from
the morning commute to the crowded restaurant at lunchtime,
during meetings and even during the quick stop at
the grocery store when the day is done. We’re
always connected, always reachable. It’s a marvel.
It’s a marvel that can destroy
your tradeshow performance.
You’re at a tradeshow. An
attractive exhibit catches your eye. The product on
display is exactly what you’ve been searching
for. When you approach the booth, a staffer looks
up and with a gesture indicates that you should wait,
just one minute, while he finishes his call. When
he’s done talking to the important people, the
message seems to be, he’ll be happy to talk
to you
How long are you going to wait?
After all, you’ve only a limited amount of time
at the show, and there are dozens of other booths
on your ‘must-see’ list. When you discover
that the display just a little further down the aisle
also appears to feature a product that could fill
your needs, chances are that’s all the impetus
you’ll need to move along. There’s no
sense waiting for the staffer to finish his call,
not when there are other people who are more than
ready to talk to you right now.
Let’s flip the scenario around.
You’re on the other side of the aisle when your
cell phone rings. Do you take the call?
I can hear you now. “But that’s
different! My call is important!”
Guess what? The salesman in the
first example thought his call was important too.
And it was -- to him. It was more important than you
were, at least.
Talking on your cell phone tells
tradeshow attendees three things:
- Your team’s focus is NOT on the
tradeshow.
- Your attendee is not the most important
person in the room -- that honor belongs to whoever
has your cell phone number.
- The attendee’s business is not
valuable to your company.
Add to this the very real possibility
that attendees are listening to at least one side
of your staffer’s
cell phone conversations. What might they be hearing?
- Confidential business details, including
customer names, order size and more. What great
info for your competitors to have.
- Intimate, personal conversations. Nothing’s
more off putting than TMI (too much information)!
- Humor or observations that may be considered
offensive. What a PR nightmare!
How does this impact your marketing message? How
does cell phone use by your staffers affect how that
message is received by the show attendees?
It’s entirely possible that
cell phone use by your staff will eliminate the clear
communication of your marketing message. Sad but true:
that’s the best you can hope for. Worse, and
far more likely, attendees are getting different messages
from your company, including:
- We’re too busy for you.
- We’re too important for you.
- We don’t care about you.
- You’re not worth our time.
- You don’t deserve our attention.
Is that the message you want to send? Emphatically
NO! That’s why you need a cell phone policy.
This policy will obviously vary by company, but should
include the following:
- Cell phones must be shut off when you’re
on the floor
- Give staffers regular breaks so they
can check messages and make calls, away from the
exhibit.
- Staffers who have personal reasons to
be in constant contact (i.e. small children, ailing
parents, etc.) should be encouraged to program their
phones to signal ‘high priority’ calls
with a distinctive ring or vibration pattern. That
way, staffers can only answer emergency calls and
let voice mail pick up the rest. This offers your
team the security of being constantly connected
while still keeping the focus on the tradeshow attendees.
Expect some resistance when first introducing this
policy. Cell phones have become such a part of our
lives that many people feel naked without them. Explain
the benefits and reasoning of the policy. Minimize
tension by being flexible, providing ample opportunity
for staffers to ‘check in’, and leading
by example. You can’t tell your people to turn
off their phones and then spend the day chatting on
yours!
Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP,
The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, working with
companies to improve their meeting and event success
through coaching, consulting
and training.
Author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” and “Riches
in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market” (May 2007).
For a free copy of “10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make”, e-mail:
article4@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: www.thetradeshowcoach.com
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