Exhibitting at a Convention

Sometimes for work, I am asked to go to conventions and represent the companies I work for. I suppose this is a compliment as I am well spoken and I do not drool. often. Overall, I really don't mind exhibiting at conventions as it is mindless work and I get to meet a whole bunch of new people. However, I also really mind exhibiting at conventions because it is mindless work and I get to meet a whole bunch of new idiots.

The most recent convention in Atlantic City that saw a few thousand people walk through the aisles and corridors was one I was asked to exhibit. I do this same convention every year and it is quite an experience. The delegates at the convention range from uniformed animal control officers to town clerks to Mayors. They wide variety of people means I get a wide variety of interactions with people that I may never see again.

As is the case with most exhibitors, I came armed with giveaways for people that I wanted to get the message out to like public works officials and township engineers - the people that have a direct influence into our industry. I am not at all interested in what tax auditors and town clerks really have to say about how great their neighbor's driveway looks since they went to a concrete driveway or hear the same joke used over and over again. "You guys want to do my driveway for free?" Ha ha ha. you people truly crack me up.

With that said, you can see why I might be a tad suspect of the delegates that go trolling around for as many free goodies as they can. The worst of these people have 5 or 6 huge tote bags full of paperwork and free knick knack giveaways. The TRULY experienced bring huge bags on wheels so they don't have to actually carry everything they are just randomly grabbing and putting in their bags. They are people that truly make me cringe and this week, I experienced some things that make me dislike the human species even more. Allow me to share with you.

1. When people go from table to table not caring what your booth is about or having it just not be relevant, they generally all behave the same way. First, these people need to evaluate if what you have is worthy of them picking it up. They generally pick up one of your informational brochures that they truly do not give a crap about and pretend that it is interesting to them. These people generally flip a few pages and then look up at the title of your group and recite under their breath but loud enough so you can hear it the most distinctive word in your group's name. In my case, they simply say "asphalt." They either hum and walk away or they hum and take your item. I am not a big fan of these people as they fake their way and think they are being suave and sneaky and original.

2. Why do these people who are truly the bottom feeders of the convention get to be the ones who JUDGE the worthiness of your item. Damn. does it make me happy or sad when someone has 8 full bags of essentially crap and decides that your giveaway is not good enough to be included, but those 18 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups you picked up were? Yeuppers.

3. I actually am a big fan of those people that just walk up and take and make no pretense about anything except wanting to take the stuff from you.

4. I was a little bit bored so I took my items and I made a pair of neat lines for them to sit in. Shortly thereafter, a woman walked up who I do
NOT know and actually said to me. "I am going to mess up your little line and take one of these. You are way too anal." To which I responded with. "Ummm. uhh.. What did you say?" She repeated herself and I declared, "Uh. no. you don't get any for being so rude." She walked off. Now. can you really blame her?

5. As I listen to how some people behave around free stuff, I am reminded at how my college education is being wasted on these people. My main job for the past few days aside from educating engineers is to be "Put Shit Out Guy." That is what I went to school for 17 years for? Yeuppers.

As you can see, my week was pretty interesting. Anyone else ever show at a convention?