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Fair Hostess: how to choose the best agency
Fair Hostess has not only an image role: her contribution is essential to organize the activity and to communicate the company or the brand. So it is necessary to find the right profile: here we give you some tips on how to choose the best.
The Fair is the first networking channel for establishing contact with clients, suppliers and distributors.
Therefore it is important to be supported by professionals who, for image and skills, care fully represent the identity and the philosophy of the company.
We know there are many agencies in this business, so to move towards the right provider can be a little complicated: you are faced with a very wide choice, and often it looks like an undifferentiated panorama at first sight.
So we propose some guidelines to keep in mind in order to choose and work with the right agency : our tips are “from experts” , to help you to avoid bad surprises.
1) Ask for the experience of the hostess. It is true that Hostessing is not a job that requires special training: but, at the same time, it is good to understand if we will get junior profiles , or if they have experience (in congress, in exhibition, promotion, etc.)
2) Ask a photocasting. Most clients do not have time or way to meet the profiles before the event. For this reason it is important to have an idea, through recent and natural photos, in the way to choose, even for standing, the fitting profiles for the brand image.
Of course we must not dwell on the aesthetic: usually the Agency Accounts can also advise you the right profiles according to their personalities or experiences. Ask his/her support and advise.
3) Check the on-site presence of the agency. It ‘important to ensure that the agency can actually contemplate a number of resources who are on-site, thus not relying on external or subcontracted agencies. In this way you can avoid disappointments, like an higher price, or to pay the transport expenses if you didn’t previously agreed for them.
4) Ensure that staff receive a contract under the law (a civil insurance and liability). Although it should be obvious, it is always best to ask to not run into any unpleasant surprises.
4) Provide a clear briefing on the activity. A hostess trained before the fair will certainly be more collaborative and active: so you should write a short document about:
– A brief presentation of the company and the event in which you participate
– The hostess tasks (reception, distribution of leaflets and brochures, language support, etc ..)
– The dress code for the hostess
– Working hours and all other organizational details (breaks, etc.)
5) Take a look at the web reputation of the agency. Just google it and find the buzz around the agency (relationship with the hostess, timeliness of payments, professionalism). There are many groups dedicated to this topic that allow hostesses and promoters to share information and experiences: a smart way to avoid unprofessional agencies.
About the Author
Daniele Papa is Communication Manager for Hostess & Promoter, a brand which deals with field marketing services including exhibitions, conferences and in-store promotion. The brand includes 5 agencies in Europe and operates in Italy, Spain, Czech Republic- Slovakia and Switzerland.