Trade Show Success Series - Part 4

ATTITUDE

As a B.A. (Brand Ambassador), a trade show rep, or a promo model, all of which pretty much do the same things, you want to have a great and exciting character for the consumers. No matter what’s going on in your life, you must put on a show for the event. No one cares about your problems, and the manager definitely doesn’t need it at work and definitely doesn’t need to affect the other attitudes at work.

You’re a commercial and nothing more. So do whatever it takes to come to work with a great attitude, and if you see someone with a bad attitude, do what you think is best to help that co-worker of yours to smile and show excitement, but it starts with you first! Nothing will help the staff more than you, being what they need to be also.

It’s not your job to worry about what they are doing, but it will definitely make your day go by faster and become more enjoyable when everyone is having a good time and loving life. When working with the manager, be as valuable as possible by making the event go well. Not all managers are easy to work with, so it would be good to know something about their work ethic before you sign up and commit to the program.

But say that you do have a bad manager and you’re stuck; to make sure your promo gets better, just intensify the fun you are having. I’m still yet to see someone get fired for having too much fun and being too excited. If the manager is too disrespectful and very rude, just remember to stay professional and respectful and pull that person to the side and make them aware.

Sometimes they are under a lot of pressure and might show their annoyance through their work. If worse comes to worst, remember that everyone has someone they answer to. The BA’s answer to the manager, the manager answers to the account manager, the account manager answers to their supervisor, the supervisor answers to the owner or CEO, and the CEO answers to the client (owner of the product you're promoting), and the client answers to the customers and therein lies the circle of life in the industry you’re working in.

As a manager, your attitude is crucial. You’re the leader of the staff, and you need to be a good one by always being what the BA’s need to be which is excited and enjoying the consumers. We know you have a lot on your shoulders, but that’s why you were chosen to run the program, because you are supposed to multitask and work well under pressure.

You might think because you’re not in the front dealing with the consumers that it doesn’t matter how you are but rest assured that your attitude will trickle down to the trade show reps and BAs, and either raise the level of fun and excitement, or make it drop dramatically.

If you only understand one thing, understand this; everything rises and falls on leadership. When clients are with you, don’t get nervous, find a way to enjoy the process. I love clients because you get more hands-on deck, plus direct feedback.

One main way to not be nervous about the client or your account manager being with you is to know the value that you give to the company. Your value is based on the amount of awareness and money you generate for the company, you also should think about that when discussing your salary.

As A Client or An Account Manager

You want to show the utmost trust in your managers and the BA’s that are chosen to run the campaign. Also, you must understand that even though this is your product, money and program, you will most likely not nearly know as much as the manager on how to have a successful program unless you have been in their shoes.

Nothing is worse than a client's bad ideas being implemented into the program. The reason why it’s bad is because whatever they say have to be put into effect immediately. When bad ideas are put in place, it will send a ripple effect throughout the program. Here are a couple Examples of bad ideas: saying too much to the consumers and not having a gift (throughout the book and series this will be explained).

These two things along with many others will have drastic results for an event. So basically, your job is to put the best people to work for you and be there to make it a success through the experienced manager’s suggestions.

Davis, Antjuan. Trade Show Success: Over 10 Years of Experience and Knowledge From Hundreds of Trade Shows and Festivals (YPMP Series Book 1) (pp. 16-17). Antjuan Davis. Kindle Edition.