Robyn Davis, 31, works in Atlanta as trade show strategy specialist for Exhibitor Education by WINH. As a 2017 40 Under 40 honoree, Davis discusses her passion for the events industry.
*Connect with Davis on Twitter.
What I do: I teach exhibitors at trade shows the strategies required to make their event participation worthwhile. My core services are strategic booth staff training (teaching their team members skills like engaging attendees, qualifying leads, making introductions, taking efficient notes, etc.) and consulting services (advising exhibitors on what must be done before, during and after each event to reach their goals, whether they hope to raise awareness, generate leads, strengthen relationships or something else).
In addition to working with exhibitors directly, I’m often hired by event organizers to train all exhibitors together via webinars and in-person workshops.
How I got here: When I first started my business in this industry (through cold-calling!), I was working side by side with individual exhibitors in their trade show booths—kind of like one of those “booth bunnies,” but with an aerospace engineering degree. Then, pairing my past experience with an understanding of industry best practices, I created a series of processes to optimize each part of a company’s overall exhibiting efforts. As my clients needed help beyond the on-site services I had been providing, I expanded my services to accommodate their needs.
My greatest career accomplishment: Aside from the impact I’ve had on my individual clients, one of the accomplishments I’m most proud of is being invited back to speak at prestigious industry events like Exhibitor Live and IMEX America multiple years in a row. One of my favorite parts of speaking engagements like these is running into attendees later and hearing they’ve already been able to implement something I taught them.
Impressive stats: Over the years, I’ve had clients report my strategies have helped them double their booth traffic, reduce their sales cycle by three to six months, and generate more business post-show than ever obtained through another trade show in the past.
A specific improvement I’ve made: One of the coolest internal projects I’ve undertaken is creating a resource site called How To: Trade Show, for which I’ve written over 200 relevant educational articles. It’s currently in line for a complete overhaul, but, in the meantime, I’m still creating content regularly and sharing it via LinkedIn’s publishing platform.
What I’m working on: I’m excited about a few new exhibitor education programs I’m working on for trade shows. Additionally, I’m looking forward to officially confirming more speaking engagements.
What I do outside of work: I enjoy volunteering both within my community (like speaking at local colleges or helping at charity events) and online/remotely (judging the Stevie Awards or donating my hair to create wigs for kids with cancer). I also like to walk, as it gives me the time I need to clear my head, brainstorm new ideas and appreciate the world around me.
