I have participated in trade show for more than twenty years. My exhibition experience began with my first career as an inventor of new confectionery products. I traveled all over the country, exhibiting at a variety of trade shows and focusing on marketing children's candy items.

Since moving into commercial real estate in 2016, I have continued to attend trade shows. Although commercial shades come in all shapes and sizes, I've noticed commonalities.

This article aims to share my knowledge to help you get more than any trade show you exhibit at or participate in. Below are five concepts to keep in mind.

1. Travel

I always recommend staying at a hotel within walking distance of the conference. That way, you don't have to worry in the morning about driving to the conference or finding other transportation. Most of the time, the conference organizer arranges for people attending to get rooms at a discounted rate. I recommend booking your hotel as soon as this information is released. Often, hotels near the conference location are booked first.

If you need to fly to the conference, I recommend you book as soon as possible. This will provide you the best flight. Whenever possible, I recommend taking a direct flight. Even if you have to go to an airport that is further from your home, it is worth it. You won't have to worry about missing any schedule changes if you have a direct flight.

I always have a flight that allows me to arrive early and leave late. That way, there is no rush to get to and from the conference. Since conferences can be expensive, I believe it is important to come early and stay late to get your money's worth.

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2. Networking

Remember to always bring plenty of business cards. Many people these days are opting for an electronic business card. This is a personal choice, but I still like the old fashioned business cards. The problem I find with electronic business cards is that once you have the person on your phone, they get cluttered with all your other contacts.

Following up with people you meet at the conference can be daunting. Having physical business cards of people you've interacted with is still the best, in my opinion. If you interact with someone with an electronic card, when you scan it and get their information on your phone, you can always take a picture. At least this way, you'll be able to go back to your photos and find their contact information.

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3. Follow up

Speaking of taking pictures, I like to take pictures of the cards throughout the conference. That way, if you lose a card, you'll have a backup on your phone.

Another following advice I use is to create a follow-up spreadsheet after the conference. The table has all the tasks I said I would follow. After I follow through, I adjust the table to indicate that the task is complete. These spreadsheets keep me accountable for my follow through. Plus, I just love crossing off the to-do items from my to-do list.

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4. Notebook

A small notebook and some pens in your conference bag are extremely critical. Throughout the conference, you will interact with many people; if you don't write down your interactions, you won't remember them. I recommend having a few pens on hand in case some don't work or you give the pens away. Having pens with contact information to hand out is always good.

This notebook should be used to keep your notes throughout the conference and who you spoke with. At a recent conference, my managing broker informed me in advance that he would like to know the number of people I interacted with after the conference. This prompted me to count the number of people I spoke to, and I noted this number in my notebook. It ended up being a nice conversation piece that informed the party what number they were. Also, it made it a lot easier for me to follow.

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5. Snacks

Be prepared with snacks when you go to a conference. I always plan and bring food-sized items with me in my suitcase. As for small water bottles, I usually stop at a market or convenience store when I get to my destination. Food and water at conferences can be hard to come by and expensive too. If you prepare in advance by stocking your conference bag with snacks and water, you'll have a more productive trade show experience.

Many of the above items are obvious, but I often see people who are not prepared at trade shows. By making your travel plans ahead of time, preparing to network, having a follow-up plan, and stocking your conference bag with a notebook, pens, and snacks, you'll get the most out of every expo. commercial.