Last week I was officially initiated into LockNet by attending my first ever trade show. I got to pack up my bags, hop a flight to the Sunshine State and head on down to the National Retail Federation trade show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Being a trade show virgin, I really had no idea what to expect, but I was truly, pleasantly surprised.
The Chatter
From the moment the floor opened up, there was a steady stream of potential customers and current colleagues coming through, keeping everyone (and by “everyone” I mainly mean “me, the newbie”) on their toes with various questions and comments.
Once again key systems reigned supreme when it came to the most popular topic. So many companies are interested in a more efficient way to manage the security of their facility and we, for one, think key systems are an excellent option. There were also several questions regarding keyless entry systems. With the way the digital age is progressing, keyless entry is going to be a big player in the game as we move forward.
The Games
Granted, I was mostly in charge of the prestigious “Bowling for Bourbon” game that we had going on. Let me tell you how serious people are about their bourbon. (Don’t get me wrong. I knew people from Kentucky were serious about their bourbon; it’s a requirement. I’m talking about people across the nation.) We set up a Wii and had Wii Bowling for everyone to participate in. The prize? A bottle of Woodford Reserve.
Since the participants only get to bowl five frames, the highest scores are typically around 80 points. However, this time we met our match. Mr. Paul Pillsbury from Harbor Freight bowled 149! He got six strikes and one spare (we treat the fifth frame like the tenth.) Needless to say, we had to document the moment.
The Swag
As a person in the marketing department, I was really interested in what other vendors were using as their swag. There are some seriously creative people out there and I now understand why “I came for the swag” is an option on the NRF survey as a reason people come to the conference. Who knew there were so many ways to create tiny cell phone chargers for your car? I can’t lie though. Our Tangle Toys still hold the number one spot for coolest creative thinking toy in my heart.
Of course no one can pass up M&Ms so those guys went fast as well.
Each night we were able to chat with other people in the industry in a relaxed atmosphere. Everyone we met was genuinely friendly. It was an awesome opportunity to hear more detail regarding issues in the industry and what the possible solutions are.
I completely understand why trade shows are some of our most valuable lead generators. Plus, on top of the possible business, we get to connect with so many others in our industry. Suffice to say, I’m calling my first trade show a success.