Sanitaire Commercial shares tips for surviving ISSA 2016

Spending a few days at a bustling trade show can be overwhelming, but easily mastered if you plan ahead. Rest easy by keeping these helpful tips from Sanitaire Commercial in mind to get the most out of the upcoming ISSA show.

*This article first appeared on the Sanitaire Commercial website

Photo courtesy: show.issa.com
Photo courtesy: show.issa.com

Hats off – or should we say shoes off – to anyone who has walked a major trade show. While etiquette has loosened a bit and nice tennis shoes are acceptable, it’s still quite a task to slog through aisle after aisle.

Spending a few days at a bustling trade show can be overwhelming, but easily mastered if you plan ahead. Rest easy by keeping these helpful tips from Sanitaire Commercial in mind to get the most out of the upcoming ISSA show:

  1. Dress for comfort

If you’re not into tennis shoes, Rockford, Florsheim and others make shoes with a bit more bounce than traditional wingtips.

  1. Forget the briefcase

If you are presenting to prospects at the show, it’s probably by appointment, so you’ll know when to load up. But if you’re walking the show, hoping to reel someone in, put your presentation on a tablet. You can even offer to send the same materials to them and do it on the spot if you have Wifi options on your device.

  1. Don’t load up with collateral material

You’ve seen the guy pulling the wheeled case or the one with the show bag so loaded that it cuts off the circulation to his hand. Forget it. Use your phone’s camera to take photos of collateral material. In fact, you can use your tablet’s camera and embed photos into texts you create using programs like Evernote. Further, most of what you might pick up at the show is usually available on the company website.

  1. Layout your planned stops

ISSA has a free app. You can load in the booth numbers you wish to visit and the app will actually plot your most direct route to keep down the walking. You can do this without the app if you visit the show website and locate the booths ahead of time. Show guides and maps are available at the front, so review one before going in.

  1. Plan your walking around rest and refreshment areas

Put your feet up and drink water several times a day. While seated, lift your arms above your head so the blood can move away from extremities. Rest and break for water for 10 minutes can make the remainder of your walk much easier.

  1. Don’t eat a heavy lunch and avoid carbohydrates

Carbs will make you sleepy. A heavy lunch will also slow you down. It’s best to eat a good breakfast and take a couple of protein bars with you instead of paying big bucks for a skimpy show sandwich. Eat the bars every two to three hours instead of snacking at noon. Plan on a great supper.

  1. Get a good night’s sleep

If possible, bring your pillow from home. It sounds crazy, but it’s not the hotel beds that are so bad as it is the strange pillow. Sometimes it’s fibre, sometimes down, or some combination. Either way, they are not like home. Fit yours with a colored pillow case so you don’t forget it and the hotel staff doesn’t take it.

  1. Prepare for the environment

Trade show floors, including ISSA, can be dusty, and the miles of carpet can dry out sinuses and eyes because of the formaldehyde used in its manufacture. Take eye drops and a saline nose spray if you are bothered by these conditions. Try it and you’ll always pack it.

www.sanitairecommercial.com

 

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required