Being an avid golfer I watched the P G A Championship with great anticipation. I must say I was not disappointed. By Sunday I was watching the antics of the players as much as the strokes they were playing. Then I began thinking how much is the body language of your exhibition staff telling your potential customers about them and your company?
First lets look at the professional golfers and see what impression they give. Tiger Woods is an outstanding golfer, but I do not think he will be a complete golfer for many years, if ever. He has to learn to lose as well as win. Throwing your club away, slamming a club on the ground and hitting a sign as you walk off the green gives a bad impression. It may be amusing the first few times but after a while it becomes an irritation. Such behavior makes me feel uncomfortable so why not other people. I have no doubt that he is angry at himself and his shows of temper are directed at his own play, but does that make it right or solve the problem? Is it good for his image, or his own psychological well being?
Every sports person, actor, or musician, will be given a certain amount of latitude for their tantrums. We like what they produce so we will be generous. History is littered with people who ruined good careers because of bad behavior there comes a point at which Joe Public says, enough. After throwing a tantrum and walking off in a sulk with arms drooped by his side is Tiger in the correct frame of mind to play the next shot? I think not.
On the other hand if you watched Phill Mickelson and Davis Love you had a totally different impression. Here were two men with a very different approach to Tiger Woods. Davis Love had one particular stretch where he had three bogies in a row. Did he throw a club or stamp his feet? No. He took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders and followed the ball with determination. His whole demeanor was one of “I have a problem lets deal with it” not “What’s the point I am going to lose anyway” Mickelson maintained that genuine smile that the public love. He went from a three shot lead to joint first but still maintained his pleasant demeanor. It would have been so easy in that situation to throw a tantrum, but no he was calm and collected.
Now lets look at the crowd reaction. They applaud Woods because he is a good golfer, they applaud Mickelson because he is a good golfer and connects with the crowd. They like him as a person. Very few if any have spoken to the man, but they like him. Commentators comment on the fact that he has vast crowd support. Do you think he would have that extra support if he waved his arms around and shouted abuse at the ball, club, or green? I think not.
So how do your staff fair in the connecting with the customer stakes? What signals do they give off. Potential customers are very quick to spot the smallest indication of staff giving off bad vibes and it’s potential customers who you are dealing with at a Trade Shows.
How many times have you been to a retail establishment and been dealt with by staff who’s body language tells you that they do not want to be there and they certainly do not want to be dealing with you. Sloppy posture, leaning against shelving or counter tops, deep sigh’s, moving around lethargically are all pointers to the customer that he or she has just spoilt their day by making them work. The same may be true of your staff at Trade Shows. Be on top of the game, act before your staff fall into the body language trap. It can mean the difference between a good solid lead, or the potential customer moving on to the opposition.
So how can you prevent this happening on your stand? This can be done by careful selection and training of staff who attend Trade Shows and a little thought towards what you are asking of them.
Hold a training session and make them aware of the dangers of body language, use roll playing and field trips to establishments to find examples of good and bad, body language. They have to realize that the bad points they see in others are the very same bad points others see in them, if that is how they act. So much difference can be made with just a few hours training. The cost is minimal, but the gain is great. It is also well worth considering what mental and physical strain you are putting on your staff. No one can maintain maximum performance for eight to ten hours at a stretch. Standing on concrete, constantly talking to visitors to the stand. In the lecture room it is recognized that twenty minutes is maximum concentration and then it drops off, so how can you expect the maximum from your staff if they do not get regular breaks. Depending on the number of staff you have on the stand give lots of short breaks, mental fatigue is a killer, but short breaks and good motivation from the stand leader will go a long way to maintaining maximum performance. The silent message you give to the visitors to your stand not only reflects on your staff, but on the company name as well.
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