Welcome supply chain buyers with prepared reception, demonstration coordination and lead capture staff at ProMat in Chicago.
“A major show is a short window with a lot riding on it, and your booth staff decides how much of that crowd you actually reach. I have watched two exhibitors with the same booth get completely different results because one team engaged people and the other waited to be approached. The right staff turns foot traffic into conversations and conversations into leads. That is the whole game on a show floor, and it is what we train our talent to do.” Caryn Hanna, Owner of TSM Agency
ProMat brings manufacturing and supply chain buyers into discussions about how goods move, where inventory sits and how operations are managed. A useful lead starts with the problem the visitor wants to solve. The product displayed at the front of your booth may be only part of that discussion. We recommend a brief opening question about the visitor's operation, followed by the application they came to explore. Keep initial qualification practical. Hosts need enough context to make a good introduction; detailed system design, capacity calculations and implementation commitments belong with your technical and commercial representatives.
Build the staff briefing around your product areas and the people responsible for them. Identify who handles equipment, controls, software, integration and channel inquiries. Give talent a short description of each demonstration and a process for finding a representative when a visitor asks an unexpected question. Share the booth location and reporting entrance before the show. McCormick Place has several buildings, and the campus address alone is not a complete arrival plan. Include the approved lead capture workflow, meeting calendar and a named onsite contact. Test a sample inquiry so everyone understands how the visitor's operational question will reach the follow-up team.
Your trade show models can welcome arrivals, confirm appointments and distinguish a first-time inquiry from a returning prospect. A clear reception role helps visitors find the correct product area without interrupting an unrelated technical discussion. For larger buying groups, identify the appointment owner and note the roles represented. The person examining the machinery may have different questions from the colleague responsible for procurement or systems integration. Staff can preserve that context when introducing the group and arrange a return conversation if the requested specialist is occupied.
Use promotional models to introduce a scheduled demonstration or direct interest toward an appropriate display. Give them approved descriptions of what visitors will see and a clear viewing area that works with the exhibitor's operating plan. A demonstration should lead to an identifiable next step. Talent can record interest in a technical consultation, product document or later meeting. Operating machinery, adjusting equipment and supervising a demonstration's technical safety remain with your authorized personnel. Define the host's role before the first visitor arrives so the team can support the presentation consistently.
Brief brand ambassadors on the operational benefit your company is prepared to explain. For a software provider, that might mean introducing the workflow covered by the demo. For a handling equipment supplier, it may mean identifying the application before connecting the prospect with an engineer. Avoid asking talent to repeat technical claims without context. Share approved language, the product categories represented and the questions that require escalation. Staff can record an integration question or a requested specification accurately without promising compatibility, performance or a particular implementation result.
Plan reception, demonstration support and lead capture around the way buyers use your booth. An appointment area needs a reliable check-in process. An active demonstration needs someone who can welcome the next group and tell your representative who is waiting. A product inquiry station needs a consistent record of the request. Ask about Chicago event staffing for the assignment and include briefing time, scheduled coverage and break relief in the request. ProMat's published daily show hours are the same across this edition, but your meeting load can vary. Maintain reception through closing and assign responsibility for reviewing incomplete lead notes before the team leaves.
A booth that's professionally staffed open-to-close at ProMat 2027 - and a clean lead list when the show ends.
A woman-owned talent agency co-founded by Caryn Hanna, a former professional model.
More than 20 years of trade show and event staffing experience.
More than 2,000 trade shows, conventions, and promotional events staffed across the United States.
Over 2,000 experienced trade show models, brand ambassadors, and promotional staff across 25+ U.S. cities.
Rated 5.0 stars on Google Reviews based on verified client feedback.
A member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the largest global community of meeting and event professionals.
Fully insured with $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate general liability. Certificates of insurance available on request.
Local talent in every major U.S. convention city, eliminating travel expenses, with staff who know the venue.
Three steps to a fully staffed ProMat 2027 booth.
Planning another exhibit in Chicago? Compare the staffing pages below. For Chicago coverage, see our Chicago show staffing coverage page.
