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.
Consider the following:
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:
1. Your team’s focus is NOT on the tradeshow.
2. Your attendee is not the most important person in the
room -- that honor belongs to whoever has your cell phone number.
3. 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? (For
a free copy of “10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make”, e-mail:
article4@thetradeshowcoach.com)
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! |
