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Conference Exhibitors Should Ask Lots of Questions

July 22, 2019 by Shawn Collins

Attendees coming to your booth want to learn more about your company, and they will likely have lots of questions for you.

Just the same, you should have a healthy curiosity about them. Everybody that steps up could be a future, lucrative partner in business, so treat them that way.

Ask them who they are, what they want, and how you can work together.

Also, it’s useful to ask questions to determine if that person in front of you is a competitor who is fishing for information.

Request a business card. Sure, some people don’t bother with them, but spies most likely won’t have one, either. If they don’t have a business card, ask for their email address to follow up and see if it is the corporate email from the company they claim to represent.

Also, do they have their nametag stashed away or turned around? That could be a red flag that they are trying to hide their identity.

Show your booth visitors you are interested in who they are and at the same time chase off curious competitors.

Solve a Problem with Your Conference Tchotchkes

July 15, 2019 by Shawn Collins

Enough of the stress balls already. Nobody likes them, and I think deep down you knew that when you ordered them as your schwag, but you just keep doing it out of routine.

Well, just don’t do it again and we’re all good.

Instead, give booth visitors a product or service that solves a problem for them. Think about your various pain points at a conference and address them.

I can tell you for sure that you’ll stick out to me over your competition if I can get a branded, portable phone charger at your booth.

We all see the filthy animals in the restrooms at conferences that skip out without washing their hands. Even people who were raised in barns know to wash their hands. What is this creepy behavior all about?

Anyhow, that’s another problem. Solve it by giving out hand sanitizer with your brand emblazoned across it.

Lots of talking leads to dry, cracked lips. I am always excited (I get excited easily) when an exhibitor is handing out some branded lip balm.

You get the idea. Just to reiterate – no more stress balls.

Your Driver’s License Needs a Star for You to Fly Next Year

July 8, 2019 by Shawn Collins

Starting on October 1, 2020, US adults will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States.

A REAL ID-compliant driver’s license has a gold star like in the picture above. Without one, your driver’s license will not be a valid form of ID to fly after October 1, 2020.

This change is due to the Real ID Act of 2005, enacted May 11, 2005, which was an Act of Congress that modified U.S. federal law pertaining to security, authentication, and issuance procedures standards for state driver’s licenses and identity documents, as well as various immigration issues pertaining to terrorism.

If you don’t update your ID, you can also use other forms of identification that are approved by TSA:

Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent)
U.S. passport
U.S. passport card
DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
Permanent resident card
Border crossing card
DHS-designated enhanced driver’s license
Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
HSPD-12 PIV card
Foreign government-issued passport
Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
Transportation worker identification credential
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential

Get more details on the TSA Real ID page.

Stand Out from the Crowd as a Conference Exhibitor

July 1, 2019 by Shawn Collins

The first move in standing out at a conference is to have a good location on the exhibit hall floor.

In the case of Affiliate Summit, there are two ways to get the best locations: book one of the top sponsorships or secure your booth early (spots are picked in the order they are registered).

Another way to get attention is to speak at the conference. This enables you to get your name and expertise out there in the conference program, conference website, photos, recordings, signage, and during your session.

But how about if you’ve never spoken in front of a crowd? No sweat – you can work up to speaking at conferences. Try something smaller first like a local meetup related to your business. Then, when you are ready you can start submitting speaker proposals for conferences.

And when somebody from your company is a speaker, people will know where to find them or another person from the company for more information. Keeping that in mind – be sure to have business cards available for the people who will be asking for them after the session.

Great presentations and quality information are an excellent commercial for your company.

Be On from Start to Finish as a Conference Exhibitor

June 24, 2019 by Shawn Collins

Working at a booth for a couple of days can be exhausting, both mentally and physically, but it’s important to maintain the same level of enthusiasm throughout the conference.

There are some conference attendees who tend to get carried away at night and then sleep late into the morning or afternoon.

Others are up early and ready to do business. Expect and prepare for the latter when working at your booth.

Be sure to be prompt at the exhibit hall in the morning and ready to do business with the clear-headed and eager attendees. And stay there right to the very end to meet as many prospects as possible.

Sure, the crowds get thinner towards the end, but we’ve heard over and over from Affiliate Summit exhibitors that the stragglers result in some of the best conversations and business, because there is more time to talk.

It’s not over until the booth is packed away.

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