3 Tips for a Productive GSX

It is easy to get lost in the midst of a large trade show, here are three tips to ensure you are getting the most from your trip.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Sep 25, 2018

Heading to a trade show these days is no easy feat. The size of security industry events are growing at a rapid pace based on continued interest in securing facilities, educational buildings, hospitals, venues and more. There are also new verticals of security that are quickly growing such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and analytics.

In order to get the most out of your trade show experience, you have to have a game plan. It is easy to lose track of time and miss that important session or forget where that important booth was located. Here are three tips to getting the most out of GSX.

Come Prepared

It is always easy to have a great and productive time when you are prepared for anything. For GSX 2018 there are a few things you will need, such as weather appropriate clothing, comfortable shoes, plenty of water, businesses cards (lots of them!), an external battery for your phone and a list of booths and sessions you wish to hit up.

The weather in Las Vegas, according to weather.com shows that we are all in for a hot GSX. With temperatures ranging from 97 degrees to 99 degrees. For those of you who aren't from Dallas, Texas where Security Today is headquartered, 99 degrees — in the dessert — is hot! Be sure to wear layers of clothing that you can remove and drink plenty of water.

Business cards are your best friend at tradeshows such as these. They are the best way to remain connected to those you meet at the show. Write down on the back of someone's card what you might have talked about or a key word to help you remember your conversation when you finally get back to the office.

And last but not least, carry with you your perfect itinerary. List all the sessions and booths you would like to see and try to get to as many of them as possible. When you have a game plan, and stick with it, you tend to be a lot more productive than the wanderer.

Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone

In order to have a productive trade show, sometimes you need to do things you wouldn't normally do. Expand your plans to include a few sessions that aren't in your wheelhouse, stop by booths that you have never heard of, and venture into conversations you wouldn't normally take part in.

By doing this you will find yourself learning things and adhering them to the way you do business now. There are solutions and ideals that you have never thought of introducing to your team, after GSX there might be a thing or two you learn that will jump start your brain.

Stay in the Know

One of the best ways to get the most out of any trade show is to stay connected to what is going on around you. Security Today has created a way to ensure that each attendee can get the most our of GSX by visiting the Live From GSX social zone. This social zone collects all the news, updates and live view from the exhibit hall, guaranteeing that even if you are stuck in a room with no windows for a meeting, you can still see what is going on at booth 1456.

To stay connected to the show and Security Today's coverage of updates and news, go to securitytoday.com/live.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

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