Four Reasons to Take an Inside Sales Rep to Your Next Trade Show

When planning your presence at a major industry event, you often start by thinking about who should staff your booth. You might consider top field sellers, subject matter experts, technical pros, or key executives, but don’t overlook a hidden gem in your organization: your inside sales teams -- your Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and Business Development Reps (BDRs).

These sales team members might just be your secret weapon for trade show success. Here’s why:

1. They’re Natural Conversationalists

The best booth staffers are energetic, outgoing, and great at making quick connections. They know how to strike up conversations, handle rejection, and keep the energy high – all essential qualities on a noisy, crowded trade show floor. This is exactly what your inside sales representatives do every day. They’re skilled at qualifying leads quickly, breaking the ice, and steering conversations toward the next step. Once they’ve engaged a visitor, they can seamlessly pass them off to a technical expert for a deeper dive.

2. They’re Hungry for Exposure

SDRs and BDRs spend most of their time in the office on calls. For them, a trade show is a great chance to broaden their professional horizons, expand their networks, and make a name for themselves. This exposure is invaluable for career growth, and most inside reps will jump at the opportunity to build connections with senior leaders, field sellers, and potential mentors within the company.

3. They Understand the Follow-Up Process

Often SDRs are the ones who make that first follow up call to the leads generated at the show, so they know what makes a lead truly valuable. Having them onsite at the event means you’re more likely to capture better-quality data, because they’ll ask the right qualifying questions and record meaningful notes. This makes the post-show lead follow-up smoother and more effective.

4. They Can Drive Real ROI

In the constant battle to prove trade show ROI, inside reps can be real heroes. They can help book onsite meetings, secure follow-up calls, and set up product demos right from the show floor. This can dramatically increase your ability to track the impact of your event on pipeline growth. Once home from the show, these meeting request leads can be scored higher, and you can more easily tie those interactions to future pipeline – that’s the kind of business results your executives will love.

Pro Tip:

Involve your SDRs and BDRs early in the event planning process. Share your goals, target accounts, and key messaging so they hit the ground running. Better yet, let them practice their pitch in the booth before the show opens to get their energy up and confidence high.

Ready to See Better Results?

When building your next booth staffing plan, don’t forget about inside sales. With the right training, clear expectations, and good tracking, they can become your event MVPs – and you’ll see the difference in your post-show numbers.