Many companies spend hours trying to get ready for a big event. They agonize over every detail regarding their display with their tradeshow company (with good reason!), but consider their jobs done when it’s time to actually take the tradeshow displays to an expo. However, the work is just starting when the event does! Use these questions to actively engage customers at your display for a tradeshow and see how your sales can improve.

Question #1: What Problems Are You Currently Facing?

If you don’t know what issues your potential clients face, you can’t help fix them. Asking about industry-wide problems is a perfect way to do a little market research. Jot down common problems within your industry when you’re meeting with potential clients at your tradeshow displays, but don’t stop there. Consider taking these problems back to the office and have a meeting with the creative people within your office to try to come up with a way to solve this issue. Don’t forget to follow up with the potential client throughout the process to let them know that you’re trying to help! Chances are good that once your product is ready to go live, this client will be the first in line.

Question #2: What Do You Wish You Had?

This is a great question! There’s nothing like picking the brains of your customers and potential customers. Maybe you have a product already in the works to meet their needs, but if not, get to work! If your clients are telling you about a product or service that they wish they had, that means that another company isn’t filing that void. Take notes on the features that they’re looking for in this product or service and ask them if you can contact them further during the invention process.

Question #3: What Do You Know About Our Company?

This is a perfect inquiry for potential clients. Note that you’re not asking “if” they know about your company. Make sure that each question you ask is an open ended inquiry — these open-ended questions help encourage conversation unlike closed ones. This will also give you a chance to learn about your business’s reputation.

What Not To Do At Your Tradeshow Displays

Now that you know what you should ask your customers, it’s important to know what you shouldn’t ask. Avoid trite questions like “How are you?” and “Are you enjoying yourself?” While these questions are nice, they’re also bland. Additionally, they won’t actually teach you anything about the visitors to your tradeshow displays. Try to avoid these as much as possible and focus your efforts on more engaging questions.

Asking the right types of questions at your tradeshow displays is vital. After all, you don’t want to spend hours and hours preparing for the event with a tradeshow company only to choke when it really matters. Before you go, take the time to practice so that these engaging questions come naturally and don’t seem like they’re forced. Your might be surprised at the positive reaction you receive from your visitors.