There have been some pretty ugly stories in the press over the course of 2017 regarding sexism in certain fields, most notably in the technology sector. Though tech giants including Google have found themselves having to defend their equality policies this year, they insist progress is being made whilst also highlighting that more still needs to be done. Sadly, the use of certain promotional staff is still holding many companies back and reinforcing negative stereotypes.

We’re talking ‘booth babes’. While many companies claim to be making progress across various industries, their attitude when hiring promotional staff often betrays them. Actions speak louder than words, and many companies still feel the need to hire promotional staff based on their looks to promote products and generate new leads.

Only, people are fighting back, and letting companies that cynically use booth babes know exactly where they stand.

Brands need to hire promotional staff to get better results

Hiring promotional staff shouldn’t be akin to splitting the atom. It should be a simple process to hire promotional staff; it’s not to say don’t hire people that look attractive in case you suffer a backlash in the media, but hire people who can generate the best results for you. Most importantly, it’s not wise to literally put bodies on the line in the hope that people pay attention.

One of the most famous examples of this happened as far back as 2013 when Apple accessories company Hyper was lambasted internationally for featuring booth babes at its stand at CES wearing only bikini bottoms, with their tops only covered by paint.

Why does a technology company need female promotional staff to dress like that to attract attention if it feels confident in its products? A more recent example involves tech companies across Silicon Valley, who are paying female promotional staff upwards of $250 an hour to attend Christmas parties and pretend they were invited guests.

Thanks to the internet and social media though, stories such as these see more of the limelight than they may have done previously. Company Girls In Tech’s response has garnered as much interest in as the story itself, which will hopefully go a long way to sending the right message than the wrong one.

Generate better leads with a promotional staff agency

The point we’re making is that promotional staff shouldn’t be viewed as shop display mannequins to entice people to your booth. If you have the right lead generation strategy in place and invest in personable, approachable staff who care as much about growing your business as you do, you can make a serious impact on your attendees, collect better data and forge stronger long-term professional relationships.

Trusting in promotional staff to work alongside you can reap serious rewards. Instead of a booth babe walking around for hours, work with crowd gatherers to specifically target the attendees who matter most to your business. Work with brand ambassadors who can deliver killer elevator pitches. Work with promotional models who welcome visitors and make them feel at home.

Most of all, work with a promotional staff agency who can put in place a lead generation strategy for every exhibit you attend that gets you real results. Contact Expo Stars today to find out more.