For Attendees and Staff: A Guide to Treating Convention Guests Respectfully

                Everyone knows that big attractions at conventions are the special guests that attend. Those guests range from comic book artists, internet celebrities, voice actors, directors, musical guests, and activity hosts. They are a very important aspect to conventions because they help bring in attendees as well as liven up the conventions with panels, acting lessons, game shows, and concerts. They lend their valuable time to the conventions and go out of their way to assist and entertain guests.

                Even though they are such incredible men and women, they are also normal people like everyone else. There are times when I've heard about a guest being treated poorly by attendees and even worse - convention staff.  Most of the time it is probably accidental and the result of attendees and staff just not being aware of how to properly treat a guest at an event. So how do you treat a guest properly, you ask? After talking to several individuals, I've got some of the answers both attendees as well as staffers would be interested in hearing.

ATTENDEES

                First of all, it's extremely hard not to get star-struck when someone you idolize and respect is in the same place as you are. Although most guests are tremendously excited to meet fans of what they do and enjoy interacting with everyone, it can sometimes become a problem. There have been incidents where a guest or an attendee interacting with them have been injured, verbally/physically/sexually harassed, or even gotten into fights where security has been called. So, before you attempt to interact with a guest, think about what you plan to say or do and then ask yourself "Would I like it if someone I didn't know did this to me?" - If the answer is no, that's a strong indicator that you probably shouldn't follow through with what you planned to do.

                If you're still unsure what behavior would be appropriate, the simple solution is to just ask them. Before you decide to do something like hug, kiss, or touch a guest in any way - you should ask them if it would be alright. Every guest is different - some enjoy being hugged and have no issues - while there are others who might feel uncomfortable with the idea. By asking first - you are showing that you have respect for them as a person and also avoiding an incident that could become quite awkward or problematic. If a guest declines, don't take it personally - remember that guests are people too and some people aren't very comfortable with physical contact. Just ask, be polite, and hopefully the guest will return in kind.

                If you're still questioning what is appropriate and what is not, here are some personal suggestions of mine based on things I've seen as well as things I've been told. Please remember to take these as just suggestions - they are not laws and every circumstance is different - as is every guest. That is something I cannot express enough - not all guests are the same, so if one guest is okay with certain behavior it does not mean they all are. Try to remember to see them as individuals and not a massive group. Yet I digress, here are some of my suggestions.

                An additional thing that as an attendee you need to consider is that guests are usually very busy. There aren't very many instances when a guest is not busy even if you see them wandering the halls. They are most likely on their way to another event they're part of, or on their way to get food while they have time. If you see a guest walking briskly through the halls, this is NOT an appropriate time to stop the guest in their tracks and strike a conversation or ask for autographs. Most guests are very nice people and feel bad about having to turn a request down - and this happens a lot when they're trying to go somewhere. Try to be considerate of them and how busy they are.

                If you want an autograph or a photo, you can go to the autograph sessions which are scheduled for that purpose. The other option is to find them when they're relaxing and conversing with other attendees and don't seem to be busy. In that scenario - don't run up and interrupt whatever conversation is going on. Instead, politely stand by and wait until the conversation is over or has slowed enough for you to join in. There's a chance they will still decline your request and you should respect their decision and not take it personally. Declining your request is in no way, shape, or form their way of saying "You're not important enough to talk to me" or anything similar - it just means, they are unable to grant your request at that time.

                Additionally, just because they're grounded and not wandering around it does not necessarily mean they aren't busy, so use your skills of observation to determine if they are or are not. Now also be aware that a guest sitting down and eating is NOT the same as them not being busy. Guests do not usually have as many opportunities to eat food as you might think, and the more they are delayed from actually being able to eat - the less food they get to eat before returning to their duties.

                Now I'm not saying don't interact with guests unless it's during their panels or autograph sessions. So do not take this as me saying "Don't talk to them at all" - just take into consideration how busy they may be. If a guest says they can't talk at the time, don't feel like that's their way of saying they're too good to talk to you - it simply means, they really are busy or exhausted. All guests love to interact with attendees and every guest is different. Feel free to converse with them when you see them, these are just some suggestions to take into consideration before approaching them and remember to respect whatever response you receive from them.

                Another inappropriate time to ask for hugs, photographs, or autographs is during one of the Q&A sessions that guests usually hold at the end of their panels. They have a limited amount of people they can call on to ask questions and most of the audience is there to learn about the host and asking for those things instead of actual questions is going to annoy the other attendees in the audience. These Q&A's are an opportunity to learn something you didn't know before, not get an autograph. If you want one badly, wait until the panel is over and then approach them.

                Furthermore, specifically referring to voice actors, try to take into consideration that they are not there to perform, so try to limit or pass up demanding them to do voices for you. They want to have fun, talk to people, and make new friends instead of performing for attendees outside of panels. You can still ask, of course, but don't be offended if they choose not to do a voice you ask for.

                Although this is slightly off topic, I want to take this moment to stress that guests are not super-beings and are no way above anyone else. They are held to the same expectations of orderly conduct as everyone else is. If a guest does something incredibly inappropriate, offensive, or rude to you or one of your friends you should not be afraid to take action. By take action, I do not mean return in kind and pick a fight or insult the guest because that's just going to land you in a world of trouble. What I do mean, is that if that sort of behavior occurs, report the guest to a staff member. The con is not going to know which guests they should not invite back unless you stand up for yourselves. You, the attendees, are every bit as important to the convention as any guest that attends.

                This concludes my advice for attendees to take into consideration. To summarize - be kind, be considerate, be respectful, don't take offense to the word "no", and you will have very pleasant interactions with guests at conventions. If you have any additional questions you'd like to have answered, please don't hesitate to send me a message. 

STAFFERS

                Being assigned as guest relations is an incredible opportunity. It is also an extremely big responsibility and it can become extremely overwhelming depending on the guest. You need to take into account that how you conduct yourself personally within this position will have a huge impact on the convention in the future. Though it probably does not need to be said - guests talk to each other, and a bad experience can really damper a con's opportunity to obtain returning or new guests the following year.

                The first piece of advice I can provide for staff members is to know your guests. Research them and their accomplishments prior to the first day of the convention. If you don't know who your guests are and what they are like beforehand, you're going to be severely lacking in knowing how to properly accommodate them. If you wish to go above and beyond in this capacity, there are ways you can contact the guests and find out their preferences regarding how to handle them before the convention starts. By doing so, it will make the guests feel like their handlers really have the guests' well-being as their priority, as well as make figuring out what you should do on your end a lot easier. This will also help in possibly making the first meeting a lot more comfortable for both parties.

                Most guests are going to be very accommodating because they know how hard you staff members have to work. They will do their best to work with you and assist you with properly taking care of them, so do not hesitate to ask them for help or suggestions if you're unsure about something. Remember to not only be polite and respectful, but also be patient with your guest. Conventions can be very stressful for both parties involved and the quickest way for tempers to rise is a lack of patience.

                Although I've mentioned above that most guests are very accommodating, there are those who will not be. There are some circumstances where a guest will become rude, temperamental, and sometimes downright offensive towards you. In situations like this, try not to let your emotions get the best of you and whatever you do - don't lash out at the guest even if you believe they deserve it. Continue to be calm and considerate at all times. The reason for this is that your behavior affects the convention's reputation. An inconsiderate guest will most likely not be asked to return, but an inconsiderate staff member could result in the guest later advising other guests not to attend that specific convention. So in the event of being assigned to a less-than-friendly guest, just bear with it and then later inform the Convention Head of the behavior.

                Here's a very important and sound bit of advice for staff members to take note of - ask questions. A guest is probably not going to tell you when they are hungry or want something until they absolutely NEED it. This can cause problems because by the time the guest tells you and is in desperate need of something, you may not have the time or ability to provide them which can result in a very unhappy guest. So instead, ask them periodically. For example, if they seem to have back to back panels for several hours, ask them before the panel if they'd like it if you had snacks available for them to quickly eat between panels. Most of them will already know how they like things conducted each day, but don't assume that's the case. Offer suggestions and ask them how they prefer things done.

                There was one really good and sensible suggestion that I was provided which staff could benefit from taking into consideration. A lot of guests that have to fly in don't arrive until really late at night. By that point they're usually not only exhausted, but really hungry from traveling and yet there's often nothing to eat until morning, so I was given the suggestion for the staff that picks them up to have some sandwiches and the like to provide the guest. It sounds like a good idea too, because nobody likes having to go to sleep and work on an empty stomach.

                The last little bit of advice I have for staff members is do not abuse your position. One example I can suggest against doing is the following; do not audition for or ask a guest to help you get into the business. Yes, you may really be interested in getting advice - but while working staff at a convention is probably not an appropriate time to pursue your own agenda.

                This concludes my advice regarding how to treat guests at conventions. Hopefully my advice has been helpful to both attendees as well as staff members in guest relations. 

Article written by: Abra Gauthier (Warkified Chocobo)