Disclaimer: Trade show marketing is serious business that involves a financial investment in the opportunity to secure new leads. One must behave professionally when working on a show. However, if you’re too serious (or bored), you may not be able to attract visitors, so it’s also important to have fun even when you’re working long hours. The following tips will help you stay entertained and have a good time. Who knows, you might just secure more leads in the process!

1. Visit the booths at competitive trade shows and ask the staff what they don’t do well. Watch them squirm.

2. When attendees visit your trade show booth, don’t treat them like a number on the sales chart…instead, treat them like they’re going to be your new best friend.

3. Go to lunch or dinner with the funniest vendor at your trade show booths; repeat daily.

4. Play a drinking game: Walk around the show with a bottle of water (unless you’re at a European show). Any time a staff member asks “Hi! How are you?” just reply “Fine”, then have a drink and continue walking.

5. Count how many stalls you can go before a staff member tries to speak to you.

6. Collect exhibit giveaways from other trade shows and then return them… to different exhibits.

7. Have a contest with your coworkers to see who can fit obscure and specific words into a conversation with booth visitors. (Try words like ‘obtuse,’ ‘tickly,’ or ‘infiltrator’ as an example.)

8. Make a bet with a co-worker on who will find the most/best/worst (fill in the blank) of the day. The loser buys lunch for the team. (Example: Worst Dressed Attendee, Nastiest Trade Show Exhibits, Hottest Couple, etc.)

9. Thank everyone who has helped you with the trade show booths: including the employees, the show floor, the manager, the show owner, the show staff, and especially each and every one of the visitors. You will be surprised to find out how much fun this can be!

10. Try another bet with your coworkers before you hit the ground on day one. See who can guess what the new hot color will be on other trade show displays. The loser has to buy drinks, the same color she chose.

11. Create a unique activity that helps get your message across to your trade show booth visitors.

12. Count how many attendees trip over utility harnesses (despite caution tape or speed bumps posted to prevent tripping).

13. Smile at everyone, even if they’re not smiling. You will be surprised how quickly it spreads.

14. Check out the show town’s visitor website to see what fun activities are nearby, and challenge yourself to do something new and adventurous when you have free time. (Try indoor skydiving in Las Vegas!)

15. Compete with your coworkers to see who can get the most positive leads for that day…the loser buys drinks at the end of the night.

16. Stick a note on your back that says “Ask me about (insert your company’s product/service here) and I’ll let you kick me” and wander around visiting other trade show booths. Count how many attendees actually accept the offer.