Secrets of a master showman.

Look for the biggest, noisiest crowds at almost any trade show and odds are the trail will lead straight to WordPerfect's exhibit space. This bit of magic is no accident: It's the work of master showman Andre Peterson, who carries the offbeat title of "vice president of corporate presentations." Peterson has been packing in the crowds at trade shows and seminars for more than a decade; though he insists real charisma can't be taught, he recently shared a few tips at Softletter's annual Marketing Summit conference:

* Excitement: "Excitement doesn't just happen-it has to be planned. Part of it's real easy: You buy people. You give away product, you give away hats, spiffs, candy. One of the very first seminars I did for WordPerfect, ten years ago, was in a room with 30 other word processor companies. I put out a big bowl full of M&Ms, and while people stood around eating their M&Ms, I'd start to show them WordPerfect. Pretty soon I had this crowd of people around me, and then the next group would just force right in, because crowds generate more crowds."

* Limited seating: "Create a sense of exclusivity, perhaps with limited seating or registration. We've actually had lines forming around our booth to get in to see a demo. Waiting in line for half an hour makes people more excited once they sit down--the anticipation breeds excitement all by itself."

* Obligation: "When you hand out gifts, people feel a bit beholden to you. They give you the benefit of the doubt, and they like you better. (I've even had Microsoft people become friendly after I gave them candy.) But wait until the end to give away big items. That'll make people stay to hear your whole presentation."

* Audience involvement: "walk to the back of the room every once in a while, get way back and talk to somebody. Most people don't like having to speak in public. Once they realize they're not invulnerable sitting all the way in the back of the room, that 'Andre could come back here and ask me a question,' then they have to stay awake. They have to listen."

* The fatigue factor: "People who've been at a show for two days are a much tougher crowd than they were on the first morning. Why does WordPerfect have chairs at our theatres? Because people are always tired, they want to sit down. Why do we give out M&Ms? Because people are always hungry."

* The sugar high: "Another reason we hand out M&Ms is they help keep people from nodding off. If your prospects are sitting there eating M&Ms they tend not to go to sleep for the first 15 minutes, and then the sugar and caffeine kick in and they stay awake for the rest of the presentation."

* Temperature control: "It's better to have a cold room at a seminar, because a warm room tends to put people to sleep. In a cold room, they sit there and shiver, but they don't go to sleep. I've had many a seminar when ladies came up to me and said, 'Mr. Peterson, it's really cold in here,' and I'll say, 'Yes, I know,' very apologetically. I actually enjoy doing that."

* Setting expectations: "Tell your audience that they're going to enjoy themselves. People really do want to have a good time, and if you tell them they'll like your presentation, they probably will."

Andre Peterson, vice president of corporate presentations, WordPerfect, 1555 N. Technology Way, Orem, Utah 84507; 801/222-4006.