Open Questions are a vital part of the technique for getting a visitor from the aisle to your stand. I think one of the challenges for many people who aren't used to a sales environment, or a meeting environment or indeed the exhibition environment, is the moment you tell them they must ask open questions, they are inevitably on a collision course with the "Can I help you question". My strategy is a little bit different. I actually think closed questions are powerful in the exhibition space if you prepare those closed questions in advance. So use closed questions to narrow down the focus between you and the visitor. Shift away people who aren't going to be relevant for you and bring towards you people who are. One of the techniques I recommend frequently is the research technique. Very few people object to "would you mind answering a couple of questions?" And it is an easy technique and allows your stand staff to hide behind a clipboard and it gives them a set closed question which helps them to get over the first hurdle. The technique is less about open and closed questions and more about having people who are warm, relaxed and friendly. If you don't want to adopt the research technique then a simple "Hello, How are you", a normal human greeting actually works really effectively
