While my exhibit staff are well trained, they're sometimes hit with questions they can't answer. How should they be prompted to respond?

When attendees pose random or confrontational questions, even the most experienced staffers can stumble. However, there are several ways to help reps prepare for the unexpected and recover their footing.

Anticipate tough inquiries. Consider what's going on in the market, in the economy, with your firm and products, etc., and make some predictions as to the type of questions attendees might pose at upcoming shows. Then, go over some of these tricky queries (perhaps about the competition, your pricing, or upcoming mergers) with your staff and discuss the best ways to handle them. Also, ask staffers to share some of the most worrisome inquiries they've received and brainstorm for ways to handle each one. During a show, consider convening at the end of each day to assess problematic probes staff have received and strategize effective answers.

Answer a question with a question. A great way to initially sidestep the situation is to turn it around and ask the attendee a question in return.

This buys a little time to think, but also helps you better understand the attendee and what's actually triggering his or her question.

Hand off difficult queries to the appropriate people. Staffers can't predict every inquiry that comes their way, but they need to know which comrades might have the answers – or the authority or communication skills to handle rogue conversations. It will frustrate both staff and attendees if this "handoff" requires a slew of staffers, so create a cheat sheet identifying each staffer's areas of expertise and assign one or two go-to personnel to handle difficult situations.
Don't get defensive or make stuff up. Above all, attendees want to feel that their questions are heard and that you're doing your best to answer them, whether immediately or eventually. To do that, staff need to remain calm, and at times they must simply admit they don't know and redirect the conversation to the right internal contact.

When humans interact, whether in person or via a virtual event, there are bound to be conversations that take a hard left when you least expect it. The key to successful communication, however, is to be as calm and prepared as possible so that attendees feel heard and appreciated.