OK, you've looked at a few headshots and have narrowed down your spokesperson search to a handful of appropriate candidates. Now we get to the substance: what qualifications do you look for to make your final choice?
First, keep in mind once again that this person will be the face and voice of your company for the duration of the trade show. Ideally, she should be indistinguishable from one of your own sales reps. In fact, if attendees come up after her presentation and ask technical questions about the products, then you know you made the right choice!
But I'm getting ahead of myself. What should you look for in a resume/website/video of a potential spokesperson? Here are a few things to consider:
- Length of experience. She must have done at least ten trade shows, preferably more than fifteen. There is an ease that comes with having done hundreds of presentations; an experienced spokesperson will find it easier to go with the flow when technical difficulties or other obstacles occur. You don't want a newbie, who will be more likely to panic when conditions change.
- Diversity of experience. Has she worked in just one industry or across a variety of fields? If the one industry is yours, that specialized experience might be a plus. But a diverse resume showing adeptness across industries indicates a level of adaptability and flexibility, two qualities that separate the great presenters from the just-OK ones. My clients often worry that their scripts and products will be too technical and too specialized for a spokesperson to learn quickly and present credibly. That is exactly why diversity of experience is so important--if a spokesperson can learn everything there is to know about cranberries one week and laser neurosurgery the next, then she can undoubtedly handle your product confidently as well!
- Testimonials. If she doesn't have testimonials, you might ask yourself why. Clients who are willing to endorse a spokesperson indicate that they have a stake in her success. Check out her testimonials--what characteristics are they stressing? Reliability? Increased revenue? Flexibility? Energy? And which criteria are most important to you?
- Video. It still amazes me that many spokespeople try to get work without a video. Now, having gone through this process myself, I realize that it's a bit of a catch-22--you need a video of yourself presenting for clients to get work, but you can't get work without a video of you presenting for clients! Still, this goes under the "you don't want a newbie" rule. While I'm quite thrilled that some clients took a chance on me before I had my video, there is no excuse for a spokesperson who has done at least three trade shows not to have a video. So, what do you look for in a demo video?
- First, what not to look for: expert video production. Worry less about the quality of the video--most spokespeople aren't video experts, so the tape may be low quality. Focus instead on the presenter's presence, presentation style and capacity to engage an audience.
- Presence. When you see her on stage, how does she come across? Authoritative? Warm? Engaging? Confident? Which of these characteristics is most important to you and will best represent your company message?
- Presentation style. Is her talk formal and perfect, like a commercial, or down-to-earth and personal, like a one-on-one talk? Or can she do both? Which style is most appropriate for you and your company?
- Audience engagement. Does her video show how she interacts with an audience? Does she talk, laugh and hand out prizes or deliver the message straight? Is she comfortable interacting personally with an audience?
So a good general rule is as you skim over a resume and watch a demo video, know what kind of characteristics you need in a sales rep to deliver your message effectively. Consider what kind of presence your customers would respond to best, and narrow down your search with those criteria in mind.