Hello, NYC. We meet again! Your trains were under construction, your Ubers were late, and your weather threw a hissy fit... but your bagels are delicious, your architecture never fails to impress, and your impact on business was trending positive. So altogether, thanks again for confirming my love/hate affair. This show was my second opportunity to stand on the other side of the counter, and I'm happy to report that it changes my love of trade shows not one bit. I managed to speak with some fascinating people, meet digital friends in real life, and even make progress in some personal goals -- a successful outing by any standard.
One of my favorite things to do at shows is walk around a few times, sometimes stopping to say hello to old friends and make new ones, but often simply to observe how exhibitors and buyers are interacting. You catch some interesting things by casting a wide net, not seeking any particular insight.
For example, it seems that companies who make it their business to fully educate and build relationships (real ones) with their clients have a much more welcoming atmosphere at the booth, even when they're swamped with people. When I watch a sales rep turn to a lurker and tell them, "I will be happy to explain this further, and you're welcome to listen to what I'm saying to Ms. Smith here, just please give me a few more moments with her" I see an immediate change in that lurker's body language. They adjust from a defensive, stop-ignoring-me-you-idiot posture into a polite and attentive listener, willing to wait because they've been prioritized.
On the other hand, I myself stood at a booth full of reps for 4 minutes (yep, I counted) before my presence was even acknowledged. My badge was not immediately visible, so they had no way of knowing if I was a buyer, a competitor, or someone lost on her way to the food court. When someone finally came over, I was reading a piece of literature and he planted himself directly in front of me, crossed his arms, and said (I kid you not), "is there something you want?"
I'm not sure how successful that is as a sales tactic, but you can bet it didn't go over well with me.
Like I said, you learn a lot walking the show and observing. I felt the overall pace was upbeat and sustained, despite some sleepy eyes on Day 1 due to the nation-wide inexplicable loss of an hour's sleep. In speaking with a few well-respected and longtime industry salespeople, I learned that interest in a new and improved approach to doing business continues to grow.
It's always nice to see nodding heads when I talk about integrating updated technologies with time-tested techniques, but I'm starting to see designers and retailers walk the walk. Many visitors to our booth had at least two generations in attendance, and more than one "Jr." could be heard emphatically arguing in favor of the latest CADsoftware and CAM instrument while "Sr." looked a little worried, a little confused, and not a little proud.
Spring forward: yes, it was a good trip after all.