Tomorrow will be our last day exhibiting at ImagingUSA here in Tampa. The show itself is going great. It's been a blast meeting photographers and, most of all, catching up with a bunch of our wonderful customers.
However, there is a darker side to tradeshow exhibiting that, as a simple attendee, you may not know about. Its safe to say that Mike and I have exhibited at a trade show every year for the last 5 or 6 years (if you count BIG Folio and our previous company). If you're planning on selling something to photographers, or just curious, here's a lighter look at what goes on when you exhibit at a photography tradeshow.
1. Something will go wrong during delivery or setup day
You simply have to accept it and prepare for it. It starts with the paperwork. Tradeshow paperwork is more confusing than an album order form. Either you will forget to order something, order something and not receive it, or part of your booth equipment will be late, missing, or damaged.
2. You will have to pay [INSERT ENORMOUS SUM OF MONEY] to simply have [INSERT BASIC HUMAN NEED]
Most of the tradeshows we exhibit at are run by the loving and generous folks at GES. I have a feeling GES is one of those obscenely wealthy companies that most people have never heard of. Why? Because they monopolize get exclusive rights to convention centers. You can not so much as ship a package, move a box, or use electricity without paying GES. Hey, tradeshows are a great way to promote your business–it makes sense to drop a few grand on a booth. Wait, you want carpet on your booth (not dirty concrete)? That'll be $160. Wait, you want the carpet vaccuumed? That'll be $50. You need electricity? That'll be $500. A slow Internet connection? $1200. Internet for more than 1 computer? $200 more.
Side note: occasionally you can remedy items 1 or 2 by bribing a member of the tradeshow crew. I'm not ashamed to say I've done it, and its worth a shot.
3. There will always be a booth next to yours with 5 speakers and a dude on a microphone
In-booth seminars are a great way to draw a crowd. All you do is put 20 chairs and a plasma TV in your booth, setup 5 speakers, point 2 of the speakers at my booth, put a Janet Jackson microphone on someone, have them talk way too loud about your product, and ... BAM! Instant traffic.
4. Some company will dress their team in really lame shirts
Quick, think of the worst color that could ever be put on human clothing. Now, write that color on a post-it and put it in your wallet. When you go to WPPI or PhotoPlus later this year, whip that baby out and look around the exhibit hall. I guarantee you'll see a booth with 6 people wearing polo shirts in that color.
Who knows, maybe obnoxious colors subconsciously make people want to buy things. Where I come from, unless you are a cast member of The Simpsons or Lockup, you should not be wearing a bright orange shirt.
5. Someone will ask you that question
Let's say you decide to start selling your awesome new album design software. Your stylish booth display has a gorgeous picture and reads "ALBUM DESIGN SOFTWARE" in 24 inch letters. You put your team in matching t-shirts (either black, white, or gray) with "ALBUM DESIGN SOFTWARE" on the front and back. You cover your tables with postcards explaining your album design software.
Someone will come up to your booth (usually on day 2) and ask you ... "what do you do?"
6. You will get invited to at least 5 parties. You will go to 1 at the most.
You will be handed a slip of paper that reads something like Exclusive mixer for [INSERT COMPANY] and special guests. 8-11pm. Westin room 843. You nod your head and say "Sweet! See you there." You most likely do not show up. If you do show up, you stay just long enough to raid the cheese platter and do one lap around the room. It's not that you don't want to spend 3 more hours around all the people you just spent 8 hours with. Its just that your feet hurt and you'd rather go to a quiet dinner with friends, sit in a hot tub, or talk to your wife on the phone. The cool part is, its unlikely anyone will notice if you're there or when you leave. You can even thank everyone for "... throwing that sweet party last night" the next day.
7. You'll keep coming back!
It's like a drug (a really expensive one). Despite the costs, the calamities, and the orange shirts, you'll come back next year. After all, it's about your customers–the ones you have and the ones you'll get. You care about them and you want to show it.
Cheers.
