The tradeshow floor is teeming with people, but how do you get them into your booth? A few key elements can help you drive traffic to your tradeshow booth.

You want to do everything you can to make your booth inviting and comfortable. To make your exhibit welcoming, make sure the face area (the front of your booth) is open and unobstructed. Put chairs, tables and other furniture at the back and sides of the exhibit area. Above all else, don’t create a wall between you and your audience.

To make your exhibit more comfortable, provide seating for visitors and use extra thick padding beneath the carpet in your booth. Attendees spending the day rushing around to see all the exhibits will slow down when they hit your padded floor. And your staff will be more comfortable – and likely more solicitous as well.

The people you choose to staff your booth are just as important as the exhibits themselves. You need the most outgoing, professional and pleasant people in your organization working your booth. Look beyond your sales team and cast a wider net to attract the best people for the booth.

Make sure people working the booth don’t see it as a cumbersome duty but rather an opportunity to help grow the business. Reward them for their efforts. A motivated, happy and professional crew staffing your booth speaks volumes about your organization. Be sure you’re conveying the right message.

When staffing booths, be sure not to stretch too thin. It’s best to have a couple of people in the booth and at least one to roam the floor, passing out samples, marketing material or otherwise directing people towards your booth.

You can also drive traffic to your booth by pre-marketing your appearance at the tradeshow. Contact your existing and prospective customers well in advance to let them know you’ll be exhibiting at the show. Many events offer exhibitors a mailing list of attendees. If this is the case for your show, avail yourself of this opportunity to reach this audience in advance of the event.

Your efforts to drive traffic to your tradeshow booth will pay dividends.