Joanne’s trade show survival checklist

Trade shows provide a unique chance to go beyond digital lead gen activities. They’re the ultimate opportunity to connect with your community and a chance to meet your virtual friends as humans for the first time. It’s a tremendous opportunity to learn what really matters to your buying audience “direct from the horse’s mouth”.

Trade show season is one of the most hectic times of year for most businesses. If you’re an exhibitor, it’s a time when sales and marketing are working at full throttle to drive booth traffic. This is the place to have the 1:1 conversations critical for business success.

When you are exhibitor on the trade show floor, there is a lot of planning needed to execute a successful event, with success often defined by the number of leads generated. In the article: How to maximize trade show lead generation success, I share the formula that many marketers use when projecting lead targets at trade shows, how to balance those in-depth conversations with the need for leads and how to ensure that you’re attracting the right leads to your booth. It’s all in the math.

It’s just as hectic for attendees, presenters and media navigating their way through show specials, sales demos, speaker sessions, shmoozing and re-connecting with old friends. So over the years, I began developing a mental checklist of trade show survival tactics – whether I was attending as a delegate, an exhibitor or a presenter.

Whether you’re a seasoned event planner, a first time trade show attendee or anything in between, I present to you:

Joanne’s trade show survival checklist:

1. Know where the bathrooms are on the trade show floor. Need I say more?
2. Have plenty of business cards on hand. Tip: keep a stash in your name badge holder for quick access to pristine cards.
3. Stay hydrated – Aim for 6 – 8 glasses of water. And yes, this is why question #1 exists.
4. This means your lips too. Keep chapstick/lipstick on hand.
5. And your throat. Throw a pack of lozenges in your bag or pick them up at the airport
6. Beer doesn’t count (and you’ll still need to know where the bathrooms are)
7. Wear comfortable shoes – I get that this might not always be possible, particularly for the females. But when you’re not “on duty”, throw on a pair of flip flops or sneakers and give your feet a break.
8. Pack blister bandaids. See #7
9. Get some fresh air. Take a few deep cleansing breaths. Count to 10. Do it again. Your brain will say thank you.
10. Fuel up on as many fresh fruits, nuts, and veggies during the day as possible. Make a run to a local Walgreens or CVS. Many now have already cut up fruit and veggies bagged and ready to go.
11. Keep your breath fresh and your hands clean. Yup, this means mints and hand sanitizer.
12. Throw some deodorant and a comb/brush into your bag while you’re at it. You might not get a chance to go back to your room and freshen up.
13. Have your phone charger (or a portable battery charger) available at all times. And pack a couple of AA batteries for your mouse. If you’re travelling abroad, bring adapters.
14. Last but not least…Say thank you. A lot of people have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the event a success. When you see the show staff running around, take a minute to thank them.

C’mon, did you really think I’d leave the list at 14?

15. Know where you’re staying! Grab a business card from the front desk. Put the address in your phone. Write it on your hand. It doesn’t matter how you do it, just make sure you know where you’re hotel is!