I always train our booth staff on our marketing strategy for our island exhibit, but we rarely discuss where and how they should position themselves within the stand. Can I get some insight on this topic?

The old adage about being in the right place at the right time rings true for exhibitors. If your staffers aren't in the proper locales within your footprint – or they aren't projecting the type of body language that draws in as opposed to repels attendees – they could be missing out on valuable conversations, and your marketing program could be losing countless leads. So especially when managing an island exhibit, you need to train staffers not only about what to say and do but also about where to be and how to act.

To do that, first identify the prime traffic-interaction zones within your space. Examine your footprint from the aisles to determine all of the points where attendees are likely to access it. If you have an open floor plan, this is practically anywhere, which means you can move on to the next step. But many exhibitors push at least some exhibitry to the aisles or have various sections through which attendees would be more or less likely to access the space. Next, examine your displays, signage, etc. to figure out what is most likely to catch attendees' eyes and draw them from the aisles into the booth interior.

Bottom line: Give some conscious thought about where attendees are most likely to pause in the aisles and then step into your space. This is prime real estate for at least one staffer. Of course, you shouldn't bar the entrance. Rather, position staffers several feet past this entry point with their bodies turned slightly sideways. (A straight-on posture can often seem imposing.) Then instruct them to appear eager – but not desperately enthusiastic – to greet, engage, and direct anyone that approaches.

Within the exhibit, then, you'll obviously want to locate staffers at demo stations, product displays, and the like. But also consider positioning some at junctions where attendees might need more direction or info. For example, after a theater presentation, have staff on hand to point people to products discussed in the show. Or if you have a self-directed information area, position someone nearby to answer questions and suggest visitors meet with a product expert or salesperson to learn more.

Once you've situated your staffers effectively, try to keep most of them device-free, so to speak. While at least some of your staffers should have a lead-retrieval device or a tablet loaded with product info at the ready, those greeting attendees should have their hands free. This offers a hospitable welcome; plus, having a device in hand makes your staff seem like they're ready to pounce on attendees' badges or conduct a survey – neither of which are particularly appealing to casual passersby who are intrigued by your aisle-side attractions.

The point here is to put some thought into where your staffers are stationed in your space as opposed to allowing them to wander willy-nilly. After all, the latter behavior often puts your personnel in the wrong place at the wrong time and removes the face time from face-to-face marketing.