What is Staff Training?
Curious about what staff training really means? In the world of trade shows and events, it's all about helping your team learn and improve. Let's explore the ins and outs of staff training and why it's indispensable for trade show professionals.

What is staff training?

Staff training is a structured and systematic approach to developing the skills, knowledge, and competencies of employees.

For trade show professionals, it involves giving your team members the mindset and tools they need to excel in their roles during exhibitions, fairs, and other in-person events. 

As research has it 1 in 5 exhibitors conduct 0 staff training and merely 6% believe in their ability to effectively convert trade show leads. 

By investing in staff training programs, businesses can ensure their teams are well-equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented in the industry. 

The question “what is staff training” holds significant importance for trade show professionals, as it is the cornerstone of success in an industry where every interaction matters. 

Why is staff training crucial?

In the trade shows and events, success hinges on more than just a well-designed booth or captivating marketing materials. It is all about your staff. Remember, a trade show is people business. 

From aligning efforts to honing communication and presentation techniques and product knowledge, staff training empowers professionals to deliver exceptional experiences to booth visitors and potential clients.

When you are training your employees for your trade show or event, it is very important that they know their role, what is expected of them and what their individual and the company’s overall objectives are. 

Having clearly defined objectives and how to achieve them is crucial for trade show success and should be the starting point of any staff training. If you are not aligned, it is left up to chance. 

Benefits of [trade show] staff training

1. Enhanced skills and knowledge

Hosting internal workshops and practicing real-life situations with role-playing exercises will provide the team with hands-on experience and prepare the staff. This includes better product information, but also how to handle different situations they may encounter.

2. Enhanced performance on the exhibition floor

The better prepared your team is on areas such as communication, body language, presentation skills, product knowledge, their roles and responsibilities, the better they can connect with the audience, answers questions confidently and showcase products or services. 

3. Increased sales and and revenue generation

Staff that are knowledgeable about product or services can more effective tell their USP’s (unique selling propositions). Furthermore, research shows that having a trained team DOUBLES conversion of qualified leads to sales – compared to an untrained one. 

4. Increased customer engagement and satisfaction

By delivering personalized interactions (not “one-size-fits-all”) and addressing customer needs effectively, trained professionals leave a lasting impression and open up for a positive relationships with visitors.

5. Reduce operational errors, risks and other pain points

Staff training is key to avoiding costly mistakes and staying on top of industry rules. By talking through concerns and guidelines, the booth staff and the team that plans the event can make sure everything runs smoothly during the trade show.

The importance of making staff training and developement part of company culture

Your employees are your greatest brand ambassadors, which especially comes in play at trade shows. Your trade show booth should stand out on its own, but your staff will always be your greatest asset.

Education and training sessions are necessary to create meaningful connections and drive success on the exhibition floor. Your staff needs to bring their A-game, as every visitor is a potential lead, new business partner or sales opportunity. 

In fact, 85% of an exhibitor’s trade show success depends on the booth staff’s performance.

This is why implementing staff training should be a natural part of the pre-planning phase prior to any trade show or event. This not only increases the productivity and learning curve, but also the success rate. 

Reinforcement is key to maximize the benefits of staff training. Encourage ongoing learning and development within your team to stay on top of industry trends and consumer preferences.

Choosing the right staff

Wondering who to bring? Best practice is to bring employees, who has industry and product knowledge and also sincerely believes in your product/service. 

However, your experienced sales personnel are not the only staff you should consider bringing to your show. Both inexperienced (who are eager to learn and motivated) and other departments (marketing, HR, IT-specialists, engineers) can bring great value to your trade show with 

Staff training methods

It’s important to inform your staff of why you are hosting staff training sessions. If the goal is clear, it will be easier for the staff to align their efforts and mindset.

As people learn differently, it is a great idea to offer different training resources – whether it’s from workshops, e-learning or on-the-job-training. A helpful solution may to pair an experienced staffer with a less experienced staff, as they can act not only as a mentor, but also provide a more hands-on experience.

Hosting kick-off meetings before the show and conducting post-event evaluations are crucial components of staff training. These practices not only enhance the success of the trade show but also contribute to ongoing improvements in training effectiveness. 

How The Trade Show Academy can help

Preparing for your next trade show? Want your staff to brush up on existing skills? We offer a range of staff training services and methods to make sure your team is in tip-top shape. We offer our Trade Show Staff Training Course’  as well as Trade Show Staff Training Workshops with trade show coach Jakob Dyrbye. 

Here are some advantages that make our online trade show staff training a valuable asset for your team. 

Table of Contents

Get even more value from your trade show with Staff Training

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Enjoy trade show training like +10,000 others

Can you afford NOT to train your staff?

“It is essential for a company’s success that both management and employees continuously get the necessary (formal) trade show and event training. 

Countless man-hours and vast economic resources go into trade shows, exhibitions, conferences, events, and experiences around the world. Yet very few of us can pinpoint the specific benefits these investments provide, why I ask: can you afford not to train your staff?”

– Jakob Dyrbye, Owner and Trade Show Coach

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