TRADE SHOWS:
Still an newbie in here (3:rd post?), but I guess I have some experience on the subject.
Something to consider is that the visitors that need your help also will seek it, maybe this sounds dull and boring, but of course it is true, still this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t promote yourself, if your customers don’t see you it doesn’t matter how good you are or how much they actually would benefit from your help…
I’ve worked at many trade shows and sourcing fairs in Europe before and I think the key to success isn't really giving out free stuff or serving beer (sorry guys, just my experience), sure there are visitors that will look for this, but generally these are not the ones that actually end up buying something (at least not in the long run)… There are two keys to success at a trade event and I think that the most important of them is the staff which must be highly motivated, knowledgeable and of course friendly. I have often visited fairs where the sales staff just sit in a corner and look like they rather die than talk to you or when they simply jump out from the booth trying to pull you in with the promises of gifts and free drinks. There is a “golden patch”, a balanced middle way for the staff to follow, but this is hard to find and it certainly isn’t the same in all countries, the more you know of the culture of your prospective clients the easier it will be to meet and greet them in the right way I guess.
The second key to success in trade shows lies in the planning of the booth, it doesn’t need an extreme design to stand out and be effective, but it needs to be cleverly designed… We are all animals (some more than other, ha ha) and this is something that should be taken into consideration when building and designing a booth for a trade event. First and foremost it has to be accessible, you need an easy entrance and you also need an easy way out, people don’t want to get trapped or they won’t even consider entering in the first place (think it’s called psychology…).
Just my thoughts, maybe I’m all wrong, but hey… the “advice” is for free!