Tip Sheets

How to Dress for Tradeshow Success

Dress To Create A Winning Image

  • How should you dress at an exhibition? Take a cue from your customer – you should be dressed the same or slightly better. The blue “power suit” may not always be appropriate and trends indicate it is being replaced by more casual attire or even a company uniform.
  • In certain situations, a more relaxed dress code is in order, especially if most attendees are attired casually. You don’t want to appear intimidating – as an army of starched-shirt salespeople – and scare-off potential customers looking to avoid a sales pitch. A casual appearance can make you much more approachable.
  • If you choose to create a uniform look for your booth staff, be specific. If you decide to use matching sweaters or colorful shirts imprinted with your company’s logo, make sure you are also specific about the color and type of pants, skirts and shoes your staff must wear to complete the look. Give careful consideration to the colors and styles of clothing you use. Keeping in mind the makeup of the individuals who staff your booth – make the clothing age and sex appropriate. For example, choosing pants as part of your uniform could promote an attitude of equality between men and women staffers among your customers.
  • A uniform can turn your staff into a network of moving advertisements for your company. Your staff becomes easily identifiable anywhere on the show floor. Take advantage of the unified look to promote a team atmosphere among staff. An added benefit is that your staff is probably more comfortable and therefore more productive. And if your staff is in uniform, you eliminate the inevitable bad wardrobe choices like cheap suits and ugly ties.
  • But be careful, the high visibility created by uniforms makes it essential that your staff is on their best behaviour at all times, inside and outside your booth.
  • Casual attire is certainly not appropriate for every trade show, but in the correct situation, you can use it to your benefit and have a more productive exhibition experience.