My top 10 Pet Peeves for Trade Shows. You got any?

With the trade shows quickly approaching I figured I would get some of my trade show pet peeves out of my system.

1. I have great idea that I want to patent. Wait for it…wait for it…. the double sided printed badge. Great idea, right? Every year I get people that come up and hug me and know me by name and every year these peoples badges are flipped over and I can’t make out their name. It really becomes embarrassing when the person sees you constantly looking at his badge in hopes that some miraculous wind will come and flip the badge over and save you. I know I should make more of an effort to remember names but it’s just not happening for me. For this reason I ask the trade show guys to spend a bit more ink this year and add the names on both sides of the badge.

2. What’s up with some Taxi’s not taking credit cards? Especially in Vegas where you know you end up broke and live by the plastic. Step it up Vegas. Those are some long walks to the ATM.

3. Let’s please do away with the ginormous bags people. Advertisement on a bag is cool but walking around with a billboard attached to your shoulder is a dangerous weapon. I can’t tell you how many times I have been pegged in the gonads by some large bag filled with candies and screw drivers. Let’s tone it down a bit boys.

4. Plush carpeting should be mandatory. I don’t want to step on hairy concrete when I walk in a booth. Spend a little and give us all some of that soft posturepedic carpet to fall asleep on after a long hang over.

5. For the love of God please bring business cards. Not everyone walks around with a badge scanner. ( we need an iPhone app for this ) You’re killing me with these little torn papers of information and bad handwriting.

6. Don’t hog the bar at the booths with liquor. Get your cup of beer balls and move to the left. Everyone wants to get toasted and feel like a zombie when speaking to sales reps that repeat the same thing. Move it homie!

7. This one is important. BUY SOME BREATH MINTS. For those who wish to actually speak to people please do us all a favor and bring some gum, breath mints or tic tacs with you. The talking distance should never be closer than 2 feet and do not lean in to make your point. Check the breath gentleman.

8. Sunglasses are not for indoors. Refrain from walking the show with a pair of shades on. Infrared lights from the cameras do not blind you.

9. Mail me my badge. I don’t want a free bag of goodies paid for by the highest bidder to carry around before I hit the show. Lines for the Taxi, lines for the food court, lines for the bathroom. Enough with the lines for the badges.

10.  I will leave this one for you guys. I am sure you have your own pet peeves. What are they?