Episode 007 – What Your Employees Should Wear to a Trade Show

Episode 007 – What to wear in the booth

In this episode, we discuss what you and your team should wear to a trade show. Yes – what you wear does have an impact on your brand and your results!

Yes, it’s important to have a plan for what to wear to your trade show booth, but it doesn’t have to be complicated

· What you wear is the first impression you make on attendees. They will make a lot of assumptions about you and your company based on your clothing and appearance.

· Some clothes can attract people’s attention, but some clothes actually have little impact.

· Whether it is one person or a group of people working at the stall, the principles are basically the same

When others look at you, are you memorable or forgettable? You want to be memorable! Maybe not just you, but your company.

Of course, there are different levels of memorability. Wearing a shirt and tie may look professional, but it can also be easily forgotten. If everyone in the booth wears the same tie, memorability goes up a notch. If the tie has your logo on it, memorability goes up another notch. If both men and women wear the same tie, memorability goes up another notch.

· My number one rule is – make sure you are somewhat matched!

The benefits of matching far outweigh any disadvantages.

First and foremost – reinforce your brand. Your company colors and logo should be reflected. Also, people should be able to see you and at least get a sense of how you as a company should work together.

Second – Attendees can identify you. By wearing the same colors or clothing as others in your company, attendees can better associate you, your company, and your products or promotions.

· Third – When your booth is packed, attendees will know who works there and who doesn’t. If everyone is dressed differently, it’s hard to tell. As a result, questions may never be asked, rather than getting answers that could spark meaningful conversations.

Don’t fall into the “as long as it’s professional” trap and let everyone wear whatever they want. When everyone is dressed differently — even in professional attire — it can look messy because there’s no cohesion.

When it comes to outfits, you really only have two choices. You can go with Enterprise or Theme:

· Corporate culture is about getting everyone to dress similarly to reflect your organization, your culture, your industry, or your brand.

· You’ll most often see polo shirts and/or button-down shirts. Polo shirts and button-down shirts probably indicate we’re more casual and appropriate for work.

Companies that wear shirts and ties or suits definitely give off a more formal vibe and convey trust and professionalism. You might find companies that wear shirts and ties that focus on regulations, compliance, or contracts — such as finance, banking, insurance, or consulting.

On the other hand, a t-shirt and jeans might work for you. This look would also work well if you are trying to market to millennials and younger generations.

You can also dress by industry. For example, if you’re a fitness company, maybe your employees would wear gym clothes. Or a healthcare company would wear nurse uniforms.

Whatever corporate identity you’re going for, make sure everything matches and that your image matches your brand and culture.

Themes. You can use themes to:

· Promotion – Promotion can be a contest, sale, product promotion, etc.

Branding – Use themes to promote or enhance your brand. Is safety and security part of your brand? Dress up as police officers or security guards, or maybe the Men in Black. Is it expertise or creativity that you want people to think of? Maybe everyone could wear a wizard hat. Brainstorm! Get creative! Have fun!

New Products/Services – Creating a theme around a new product or service launch can be impactful. Just make sure the theme fits the product. For example, one company launched a new enhanced service program called “White Glove Service” where everyone dressed up in tuxedos and wore white gloves. This was very effective because just by looking at the booth and everyone working there, you knew the type of service they were offering. Plus, seeing people in tuxedos elsewhere in the show was a visual reminder.

Bottom line – having a theme in your booth can be effective, memorable and fun. Just make sure your theme is relevant to what you want people to remember. Don’t have a theme just for the sake of a theme. You don’t want people to leave the show talking about the booth where everyone was wearing safari clothing and not remembering the company or products, or that they didn’t understand the theme. Remember – brainstorm! Get creative! Have fun!

· For Individuals – Here are four quick tips to learn when performing.

1 – Look professional. If you don’t have a theme, maybe you are putting on a show yourself, then the key is to look professional. You don’t have to wear a suit, but something that fits your business and brand. If you are still unsure, then think about who your attendees are and dress to match or above them.

· 2 – Look good. It’s not just what you wear, but how you wear it! Make sure your clothes fit well – not too big or too small. So if you’re wearing a new company shirt, try it on before the show in case you need a different size. Also – always iron your clothes!

3 – Keep smelling good. That’s right, you smell! It’s a surefire way to make a bad impression. Shower, use deodorant, and cologne/aftershave. Also carry mints or gum so your breath isn’t the only thing people remember you by!

4 – Wear comfortable shoes. Trade shows can be extremely hard on your feet and legs since you’re basically standing on concrete for hours or even days. You should get yourself a good pair of comfortable shoes.

Ladies – Although they may look great in high heels, it is recommended that you avoid them and opt for low heels, which will be more comfortable when standing. If you must wear high heels, bring another pair with you to change into if your feet start to hurt.

· Let’s wrap up this lesson on trade show attire 101!

4 key points:

What you wear to your booth definitely makes a difference! Are you memorable or forgettable?

Make sure everyone in your booth matches up in some way. The benefits of doing this are huge!

· You can choose a corporate identity – at the very least, one that reinforces your brand and showcases your culture and way of working, or corresponds to your industry.

Or you can choose a theme – one that supports promotions, branding, or even new product or service launches. Brainstorm, get creative, and have fun!