With almost 20 years in design, education, and business I have planned, attended, and presented at more than my fair share of conferences, expos, and trade shows. If you want to get the most out of your time and money, as well as avoid making a fool of yourself or the organization you represent, or worse, getting banned, here are some Do's and Don’ts you might want to take note of.

Do make a plan

Conferences, expos, and trade shows vary in size and scale, from small intimate conferences like Crop Con or AIGA Design Ranch to huge trade shows with Vegas-sized expo floors at International Sign Association (ISA) and Dell Technologies World. With so much happening in one space at once it’s easy to get caught up in trying to see and do it all. Doing a little bit of homework to figure out which companies, agencies, and vendors are going to be there, what break out sessions and keynotes that you want to attend, and who else might be attending, will help in planning your limited time there. Sending emails asking if they might be open to setting up a time to meet in person isn’t unheard of. A little strategic planning can make the difference between you having valuable face time with your design heroes, dream clients, and future employers, or walking around wishing you did.

Do put yourself out there

The entire point of trade shows, expos, & conferences is to meet and learn about others in your industry. And for them to learn about you. Take the time to tell folks about you, your business, and the work you’ve done. In-person events like this allow you to make meaningful connections. It's called networking and it shouldn’t feel icky. Make it your mission to break off from your team or your friends and meet someone new. For example; before she became one of our best friends, Meg Stapp (Stapp Studios) was rolling solo at Crop Con and asked if she could tag along with our team. So be open to chatting it up with folks. You just don’t know who you’ll meet.

Do dress for the occasion

This might seem obvious, but we have seen and experienced dumb wardrobe decisions. Trade shows and expos are a ton of walking and not a place to break in a new pair of shoes or sport that coat. Design conferences can look like a runway show. Thick rimmed glasses, selvedge jeans, tailored shirts. Don’t forget you’ll more than likely be sitting in a cold conference hall most of the day, so making sure you can add or shed layers and are comfortable is paramount. Personally we prefer to make an impression with our Studio Dzo branded spirit jerseys.

Don’t waste your time

It’s no secret it takes hard work and practice to be a captivating presenter. While some might be given a stage, keeping an audience entertained and engaged isn’t easy and not everyone will connect with the presenter or what they are talking about. If you find yourself in an education session, presentation, or even a keynote and realize it doesn’t pertain to you, you just aren’t in the headspace to receive the message, or the presenter is terrible, don’t hang around. Don’t worry about being rude and offending the speaker. Discreetly make your way out to another session happening at the same time, go back to the expo floor or the merch tables, or take a moment to have a snack and some water.

Don’t go hard on the first day

Hopping off a plane, going straight to the venue, hitting the expo floor, going to education sessions, and then turning up at the opening party, you’re setting yourself up for a rough tomorrow. Traveling is taxing enough. Trade shows and expos are a lot on your feet. Design conferences can be mentally exhausting and drain your social battery. Pace yourself. With multi-day events, try to get in a day early or make sure you give yourself some grace if you aren’t feeling social. You’re there for a good time, not a long time. You can’t do everything, so look back at the Do #1 and plan what you really want to do and be okay with not being able to do everything.

Don’t turn up too much

Afterhours events are awesome and where people make connections and fast friends. Maybe it’s the vibe or the drinks, or little (or alot) of both. Know yourself and your limits. Don’t let the free drinks end up costing you, more than your pride. I have personally seen folks hurt themselves, do or say something they later regretted, get into fights, and even get arrested and banned. Have fun and enjoy yourself, all in moderation.

Bonus

Make sure you take the time to eat and be sure to drink plenty of water. You might not realize how quickly the day goes by when you’re at a conference or a trade show. Make sure you make the time to have a good healthy breakfast. Not just a coffee and a donut from the hotel lobby. Throughout the day make sure you are drinking enough water. At many events there is no shortage of sodas, coffee, and beer available, but finding water can sometimes be impossible. Bring a water bottle with you and refill it often. Many convention centers and venues have bottle fillers. When we were in Orlando last month we took full advantage of the bottled water provided to us in the media lounge.

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Do's & Don'ts for Conferences, Trade Shows, and Expos