Safe Exhibiting Guide

ESSENTIALS

EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL CONTENT

Seven Tips for Safe Staffing

D uring preshow training, it’s key that your staffers understand and are willing to promote your brand’s in-booth safety expectations. Show and venue management are likely to set guidelines that exhibitors and attendees are minimally expected to follow. However, a company may have more stringent expectations for in-booth behavior, and exhibit staffers are going to be on the front line in terms of communicating these practices to guests. So what can exhibit managers do to take some of the load off of their reps? EXHIBITOR asked Matt Hill, president of staff-training firm The Hill Group; Barry Siskind, president of International Training and Management Co.; and experts from the retail world to weigh in.

Post Signage “Have signs clearly posted at entrances to your exhibit, as well as inside for larger spaces, that explicitly tell visitors what level of safety is in place for your booth regarding masks, hand shaking, social distancing, etc.,” Hill says. It takes the burden off your team since signs are clear indicators that higher-ups made the decisions. Plus, in case any sort of questions arise from visitors about the expec tation, staffers can simply refer to the posted signage and explain that it’s company policy. Offer Personal Protective Equipment Show management is almost certain to provide a place for attendees to get hand sanitizer and face masks. “There’s nothing wrong with exhibitors offering the same service in their booths,” Siskind says. The complimentary PPE will alert visitors that there are health-related expectations. Consider having PPE at the entrance of your exhibit (with signage) as well as a staffer who can address any concerns about in-booth expectations.

24 EXHIBITOR ESSENTIALS © EXHIBITOR MEDIA GROUP