The rule at trade shows for exhibit staff is You = Your Company. Trade shows are hard work and it's easy to fall into lazy behavior. These 10 tips are important and easy to remember.

1. Stand up Straight - Look energenic and ready to do business. Keep your back and shoulders straight, flex your knees

2. Smile - We want to deal with pleasant people and a smile is one of the first things we see

3. Dont Gossip - It hurts your reputation and people remember the company representative who passed along the gossip

4. Dont Drink, Smoke or Eat in the Booth - A trade show is sales time, not social time. Move out of the booth.

5. Dont Chew Gum - It's distracting to the visitor

6. Dont Curse - When you tell off-color jokes or offend people by race, sex or anything else which may be culturally offensive, people will remember you, and your company. Plus you never know who may overhear you.

7. Wash Your Hands - it may keep you and others alive in these days of new germs and international travel

8. Know What Youre Talking About - Its your companys credibility on the line. If you dont know, say so - and then find out the right answer

9. Look at Me When Im Talking to You - Use the visitor's name, its on the name badge

10. Dont Use Personal Electronics - In the booth, you look busy and visitors wont bother you.

Julia O'Connor

In one way or another, Julia has always been in sales. From the time her mortified mother found out that, as an enterprising 5-year-old, she was peddling homemade pot holders to the neighbors, to her current expertise in trade show marketing, she has been interested in results. And in order to get the results she wants, she will guide, train and teach.

Her careers range from public and professional education design, to freelance advertising-public relations, to real estate investment portfolio management.

Since 1982, Julia has been working with clients in trade show marketing. And, when she asked clients, "why are you going to that show?", she found most did not know. Time to teach.

After years of informal instruction, Trade Show Training was incorporated to provide structured training ranging from trade show basics to the ergonomics of exhibit design. She designed Camp Sho-M-Sel-M to improve sales staff performance in the trade show environment.

She holds degrees from The University of Georgia in Advertising, an MA in Mass Communications from The University of Iowa, and an Indiana University MBA in Marketing. She is a frequent speaker on marketing, networking, entrepreneurship and trade shows.