Confessions of a Comex booth babe

No consumer electronics fair is complete without booth babes. And if you have been to Comex 2016 this weekend, you might have come across Miss Rachel Oh, and the other models at the Casio booth.

The 23-year-old says: "We're not just here to look pretty, we have to sell cameras!"

Clad in mini skirts and tight-fitting clothes, these girls' job is to rake in the crowd and stand out from the other exhibitors.

But it is no easy task for the models - there are no shifts and all of them work from 11am to 9pm for four days during the fair.

That means being on your feet all day, making sure you keep a smile and are ready to answer questions from any potential buyers.

Miss Oh says: "The toughest part of the job is not the fatigue, but trying to 'psycho' people into sticking around at your booth to look at your products.

"You have to have a thick skin and a lot of stamina."

It is her third time working as a booth babe at a trade show, and Miss Oh says she loves the experience despite the hard work involved.

"I just like working together with all these girls. The job also pays very well and there is commission for each sale too," she says, declining to reveal how much she typically earns.

Competition

So attractive are these jobs that competition for them is fierce - Miss Oh even took leave from her daily job as an administrative assistant to be a part of Comex 2016.

Before a show, the models would hear of job openings through word-of-mouth and they undergo a stringent interview process to qualify.

Part of the job interview involves a role-playing exercise where the candidate has to sell a product to the interviewers.

So if you think booth babes do not know what they are selling, you're wrong, she says.

"Before every show, we are also briefed on the products and what they are about. We actually have to geek out and do some studying too," she says.

"Luckily, I'm selling these easy-to-use cameras, not something way more advanced."

Senior sales staff are also on hand to help out if the customer has a difficult question about the product.

Because she has to attend to anyone who stops and looks, Miss Oh says she has also seen her fair share of men who are more interested in her than the product.

They would end up asking for her contact number, without success.

Miss Oh says with a shrug: "You slowly realise that they were never interested in buying anything and they just wanted to talk to you.

"It's normal, just part of the job."

Comex, organised by Singapore Press Holdings subsidiary Sphere Exhibits, ends today (Sept 11) at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Secrets of the trade

1. Before every show, take extra make-up with you as it tends to run out over the course of the event.

2. With only an hour of lunchtime, make full use of it to rest and recharge.

3. Make sure you have sandals, especially if the job requires you to be in high-heeled shoes all day.

This article was first published on Sept 11, 2016.
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