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Trade shows. You either love them or you avoid them like a two-hour product demo from an overly eager sales rep. For those in the latter camp, it’s usually not the event itself that’s the problem—it’s the lack of preparation.
The Security Expo, running August 27–29 at Sydney’s ICC, is shaping up to be a big one. But as Soren Norgaard, the Event Director, and Deborah Boyle, Marketing Manager for the Security Expo, will tell you, turning up isn’t enough. If you want to walk away with leads rather than sore feet and regret, you need a strategy.
The first, and perhaps most obvious, point is this: know who you’re sending to staff your stand. It sounds basic, but according to Soren, too many companies throw together a team based on who’s available rather than who’s appropriate. If you’ve got someone fronting your booth who doesn’t know the product, can’t answer questions, or worse, doesn’t want to be there, you may as well have sent a mannequin.
Equally critical is training your team not just in what your product is, but how to talk about it. As Soren rightly pointed out, exhibitors need to know how to engage quickly, qualify leads, and move conversations along. You’ve only got so many hours in the day and thousands of attendees to deal with. Every minute you spend on someone who just wants to “have a look around” is a minute you’re not speaking to someone who might actually buy something.
Then there’s the question of leadership on the stand. Over the years, I’ve seen too many booths that look more like a student lounge than a sales floor—staff checking their phones, chatting amongst themselves, or staring blankly into space. Why? Because no one’s steering the ship. The company boss didn’t want to attend, so they sent the team without a plan, a leader, or even a consistent message. The result? Chaos. Or worse – boredom!
Deborah was quick to emphasise the importance of briefing your staff beforehand. What are your goals? What are the key messages you want to communicate? And for the love of consistency, please make sure everyone on your stand gives the same answer when asked what your company actually does. I’ve personally asked that question at more stands than I care to remember, only to get five completely different answers. If your own staff can’t articulate your value proposition, how do you expect potential customers to understand it?
Another key takeaway: have an elevator pitch. Not a rambling TED Talk, not a bullet-pointed brochure in verbal form—just a clean, concise, compelling summary of what you do and why someone should care.
And finally, there’s the follow-up. This is where even the best-prepared exhibitors often drop the ball. You’ve spent days gathering leads, scanning badges, and making connections. Then you get back to the office, the inbox explodes, and the list of prospects gathers dust on someone’s desk. Two weeks later, someone remembers to hand it to the sales team. By then, the moment has passed. As Soren rightly pointed out, the opportunity is gone.
A good trade show doesn’t sell your product—it starts a conversation. But whether that conversation leads to a sale depends entirely on how—and how quickly—you follow up.
So, if you’re planning to exhibit at the Security Expo this August, don’t just show up and hope for the best. Do the work. Train your team. Set clear goals. Have a plan. And follow through.
It’s not rocket science. But it is sales. And in this industry, you don’t get many second chances to make a first impression.
