EMT #58 with Lee Ali - The Most Overlooked ROI Driver in Trade Shows: Your Booth Team

In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, hosts Chris Dunn and Dana Esposito sit down with Lee Ali, Founder of ExpoStars, to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of trade show success: your people.Companies spend thousands—sometimes hundreds of thousands—on booth design, technology, and giveaways. But as Lee makes clear, most are missing the one factor that determines whether that investment actually pays off.👉 It’s not the booth.👉 It’s the team inside it.Drawing from nearly two decades of experience and global insight, Lee breaks down how exhibitors can rethink their strategy—from the ground up—by focusing on human connection, structured engagement, and intentional team design.1. Your Booth Team Drives 85% of Your Success2. Start with the Audience, Not the Booth3. Not All Booth Staff Are Created Equal4. Trade Shows Are a Performance—Train Like One5. Vanity Metrics Are Killing ROI6. The Real Skill Isn’t Selling—It’s ConnectingThere’s a tendency in our industry to chase the visible: bigger booths, better tech, more traffic.But this conversation is a reminder that real impact happens in the invisible moments—the conversations, the connections, the way your team shows up.If you want better ROI from your events, don’t just upgrade your booth.👉 Upgrade your approach to people. 👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.This Show is sponsored by Blue Hive 📅 Join us LIVE every Thursday at 12 PM ET on LinkedInFollow Us on LinkedIn and YouTubeSubscribe to our Newsletter!