First Impressions at an LLL Display
Paulette Bulger
Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 35 No. 4, August-September 1999, p. 86
Have you ever visited a trade
show? There's so much to see and so much to learn. Your time may be
limited, but you want to take it all in. Decisions about what you will
stop and see will be based on your first impressions of the displays
and the people presenting them.
Imagine you are at a trade
show right now. At the first table you see a product you've never heard
of or know little about, but it looks interesting. The staff seems busy.
One of them is talking with a visitor; two others are chatting with
each other near the table. You need to maneuver around the chatters
to pick up a brochure. They step aside but do not acknowledge you.
At a second table, even before
you have a chance to look at the backdrop, a smiling staff member steps
up and stuffs some brochures in your hand. She tries to engage you in
conversation immediately. You feel overwhelmed, perhaps a little caged
in, so you leave as soon as you can break away.
At a third table, the people
are also busy. But one of them looks up, catches your eye, smiles and
says, 'I'll be with you shortly.” In a few minutes, after you've had
time to look at the materials, she approaches you and says, "Hello.
How am you enjoying the displays?" After a minute or two of small
talk, she asks you if you'd like to know more about her company's product.
Think back to how these people
attended to you. At the first table you were ignored. At the second
table you were pounced on. At the third table you were treated respectfully.
All other factors being equal, who gets your business?
People who approach an LLL
display deserve the same care and respect they would find at a Series
Meeting. As Leaders we know to gear our Series Meetings to the woman
attending for the first time. A public display provides an opportunity
to reach people who may never attend a meeting. It is our responsibility
to make the first impression a good one.
When you put on a display:
- Be neat
- Be respectful
- Be interested
- Be cordial
- Be informed
- Be available
- Follow up
The ideas are simple but
worth thinking about how to put into practice.
Be Neat. Dress for
the occasion. Large public displays attract a wide variety of people.
Your clothing and appearance all reflect your pride in yourself and
LLL. Arrange your brochures neatly and straighten them up as the day
goes on. Keep food and drink away from the public eye. If you need to
eat at the table, be discreet.
Be Cordial. Respect
the visitor's boundaries. Be sure to smile as you make eye contact.
Think about how you feel when someone comes at you with a fixed smile
("I'm just another sale"). Now think about a person seeing
you, making eye contact and then smiling ("This person is interested
in me").
Be Respectful. Respect
individual differences. Watch for body language; a person who quickly
glances at your display then turns her head away without making eye
contact may be saying "not interested." Respect that and let
her walk away. For those who prefer written material or time to think
before they converse, have material available to pick up. A bookmark
is ideal for this situation. Why not have a sign-up sheet for people
who want more information? (Hint: Fill in your own name and address;
some people don't want to be the first to sign.) Are you permitted to
have a drawing for a prize such as WHOLE FOODS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
or other LLL book at your table? This will attract people in a nonthreatening
way.
Be informed. Know
a little about the event where you have your display. This will help
you initiate conversations with those who may hesitate starting right
off with breastfeeding. Be sure you are familiar with your materials
and other LLL Groups in your area. That will make it easier to say,
“Yes, I have the answer to that question right here." If you don’t
have the information a visitor needs, you can ask for an address or
phone number and get the answer to her later. Prepare a list of nearby
Group meeting times including Leaders' phone numbers and the central
phone line number if your Chapter or city has one. Keep your up-to-date
Area directory and any toll-free referral numbers handy as well.
Be interested. Establish
rapport with the visitor before you share information. Make a comment
that shows you are paying attention to the visitor. "How old is
your baby?" "How are you enjoying the event?" "When
are you due?" Ask questions that require more than a yes or no
answer to keep the conversation flowing.
Be Available. Try
to have the display staffed at all times. Remember, although a Leader
Applicant can work with you at the display, she should not be put in
a position where she may appear to represent LLL; only an accredited
Leader can do that. If you are busy, try at least to establish eye contact
with any visitors who seem to be waiting to speak with you. Say "I'll
be with you shortly," so they know you have seen them. If you have
to take a short break, leave a large note on the table giving the time
you will return. Note a specific time rather than "Back in 30 minutes"
since visitors will not know when during the 30 minutes they are reading
the note.
Follow Up. If you
have said you will call a visitor with information, do so. If you have
promised to mail out materials, do so. Do it promptly, no more than
two days after the event. Take time to make a good first impression.
A few minutes of preparation will help foster a positive image of LLL
in your community.
Paulette Bulger is a Leader
in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. She is a veteran of many public displays.
Her article first appeared in Canadian Collage, August 1998.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:31:17 UTC 2007.
