You see these folks at every trade show, walking the aisles. Sometime they are just nave. Sometimes they are just obnoxious. Be prepared when they stop at your exhibit.

For first time visitors to a trade show, this is great advice.

1. Thinking the show is a party, not business its all business, all the time

2. Trying to sell to exhibitors neither ethical nor legal. Exhibitors paid money to sell, not you

3. Passing out rsums, hard-sell job-seeking look for good companies at the show, for look good jobs after the show

4. Having no plan, not reading the show program aimless wandering is a waste of time and energy, plus you miss great opportunities for networking

5. Not having business cards marks you as a phony

6. Pretending to be a prospect, asking for "everything" wrong way to look for market intelligence

7. Looking only for give-aways, taking too many items how greedy can you be. Note, your kids do not buy, so don't ask for extras for them

8. Taking literature, etc. then throwing it out on the way out what an insult to exhibitors and the show

9. Being a mooch, crashing parties dont go where not invited

10. Being rude after the show when you are followed-up you invited the follow-up by attending, be polite

And, the Bonus Being boring, gossipy, sloppy, ill-mannered and badly dressed. Enough said.

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Julia O'Connor

In one way or another, Julia has always been in sales. From the time her mortified mother found out that, as an enterprising 5-year-old, she was peddling homemade pot holders to the neighbors, to her current expertise in trade show marketing, she has been interested in results. And in order to get the results she wants, she will guide, train and teach.

Her careers range from public and professional education design, to freelance advertising-public relations, to real estate investment portfolio management.

Since 1982, Julia has been working with clients in trade show marketing. And, when she asked clients, "why are you going to that show?", she found most did not know. Time to teach.

After years of informal instruction, Trade Show Training was incorporated to provide structured training ranging from trade show basics to the ergonomics of exhibit design. She designed Camp Sho-M-Sel-M to improve sales staff performance in the trade show environment.

She holds degrees from The University of Georgia in Advertising, an MA in Mass Communications from The University of Iowa, and an Indiana University MBA in Marketing. She is a frequent speaker on marketing, networking, entrepreneurship and trade shows.