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to make a business decision" as you enter each booth. Then state the nature of the decision and ask how the vendor's products will help. will want exclusive time in the booth." And a bonus tip: Map the show floor to identify the booth locations of your "A" vendors. Clustering your appointments by location will reduce walking time. Tip 4: Schedule appointments wisely Remember that A-list of vendors? Make sure you see them all by scheduling advance appointments, either before you leave for the show or when you arrive. "There's nothing wrong with reaching out and saying 'I would like to meet with a specialist about Product X,'" says Friedman. "Engaging before the show is completely fine. That will make your time more productive. And the exhibitor will be delighted." Such appointments are important whether you are a current or prospective customer. "If you are already a customer, you will want to talk about innovations, new orders or things that are upsetting you," says Dallmeyer. "And if you are considering making a purchase, you Tip 5: Take notes efficiently Half-hearted or careless note-taking can result in a confused mass of papers stashed on a shelf back home. That means you lose information critical to business success, including the names of key contacts. But modern gadgets can come to the rescue. "We are seeing all kinds of new technologies to avoid the traditional business card exchange," says Doug Ducate, president of the Dallas-based Center for Exhibition Industry Research (ceir. org). "These include badge-swiping technologies that allow exhibitors to send information efficiently." Electronic brochures have in many cases replaced paper ones. "At some booths 48 September 2013 | beautystorebusiness.com Exploit Social Media Conversations with other businesspeople at trade shows can lead to profitable business insights. So can the modern equivalent of the backyard chat: the social-media network. "Social media has created a whole new dimension to trade shows," says Bob Dallmeyer, a Los Angeles-based trade-show consultant. "Exhibitors are embracing social media to drive people to their booths. For example, a vendor may invite buyers to say a certain word to get a certain percentage off." The social medium of choice seems to be Facebook, followed closely by Twitter. Conversations with buyers are often uploaded to inform other buyers what is happening. Social media are critical even if a show is not a buying show, adds Dallmeyer. "Exhibitors will disseminate news about their products so everyone knows what is happening," he notes. you can use computers to send yourself information about what you have seen," says Ducate. "Push a button and the information shows up on your smartphone and sits on your computer back at the office." Old tech, though, has its place. "Plenty of people still collect business cards and take notes on them," says Friedman. "These can be great memory joggers to help connect the dots after the show." A pack of business cards provides an easy