1. Add eye appeal. Glitz and glamour do work! Smart companies adorn displays with Christmas lights, colorful banners, kinetic scale models - even talking robots.
2. Pique browsers' curiosity. One company used a bold-lettered banner with the question, "How many tons of sand does it take to forge one compression tank?" Passersby asked, "How many does it take?" and were hooked for a presentation.
3. Stage a contest. It can be as simple as guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar. Filling out contest forms makes attendees a captive audience. If only a few exhibitors have contests, word of mouth is bound to spread rapidly: "Which way to the Acme booth?"
4. Don't give out catalogs. Too bulky to lug around, they're candidates for toss-outs. Instead, distribute single-sheet literature, ad reprints, fact sheets, and circulars. Offer to send your catalog to anyone who wants it.
5. Don't use too many "booth sitters." Two or three salespeople appear helpful. A group of eight can look like a school of sharks.
6. Don't eat, drink, or chew gum. It's rude, and it turns off prospective drop-ins.
