Deciding to attend a convention or trade show can be a difficult decision: there's the hard cost of traveling to and attending the show, along with the less tangible costs associated with losing time in your office or sales territory.

Convention planners argue that a trade show is worth its weight in gold, however, just by the sheer volume of business that gets done in a short span of time—not to mention the networking and educational opportunities that usually go along with it. But you won't walk away with that value just by showing up, they caution. As with most things in life, you get out of a trade show what you put into it.

To that end, preparation is vital, says Chris Hatch, president and CEO of Minds i Group, a Salt Lake City-based company that designs and fabricates trade show booths and exhibits. One of the most important things a trade show attendee can do is plan ahead, says Hatch. First, determine who will be attending the show, then decide who you're going to visit, make appointments with trading partners, and factor in time for browsing and networking.

"Trade shows are a great place to find new vendors and new products—and to make your vendors compete with each other," says Hatch, whose clients include small fledgling companies as well as large, multi-national corporations. "There aren't too many places you can go to see all of your vendors in one shot."

In addition to planning ahead, Hatch and others advise trade show attendees to prioritize their time and to pace themselves. If there are several new companies you'd like to meet with, for example, put together a list ranking them from most important to least important. Also, factor in some flexibility to your schedule.

"Plan, but definitely keep your eyes open," Hatch advises. "If you're going to be spending more than a couple of days at a show, at least spend some time looking at new products. It's amazing what you may find at a trade show."

Chip Wernig takes the "plan ahead" advice to heart. Wernig is president of Lane Supply Co., an abrasives distributor headquartered in Denver, Colo. He's also chairman of the Industrial Distribution Assn.'s Small, Specialty and Emerging Distributor Council.

Wernig says you should plan your trade show days "just like you do your everyday schedule." He starts a few weeks before the show, leafing through the exhibitor list and convention schedule, which are mailed to attendees ahead of time. He determines who he wants to meet with, makes appointments with key vendors, and identifies any other events—workshops, social functions, etc.—that he wants to attend. He says it's important to view the trade show from a return on investment standpoint.

"We're all looking at it that way," Wernig explains. "If I'm going to throw $1,500 at this convention, I want to make sure that I'm getting 10 times my return on the investment. And the only way I can do that is to approach it from a business analytical standpoint."

Students like David Saalfeld of Texas A&M University view trade shows and conventions much the same way. Saalfeld attends industry events to promote his school's industrial distribution program, learn about the industry, and network for career opportunities. He and five fellow students studied the trade show floor plan for a recent industry event and split into three teams of two that would make contact with specific distributors and manufacturers.

"There is a lot of preparation that goes into [attending a trade show]," Saalfeld explains. "[Having a plan] is important because it not only conveys to people that you know what you're talking about, but it makes you more confident going into the situation."

Saalfeld's plan included a prioritized list of the companies he and fellow students wanted to meet with. They targeted firms they thought would be interested in the Texas A&M program and its students. Prioritizing helped keep the team focused and organized.

"We looked at the floor plan, checked out all the companies that were there, and picked some that had the most potential to get involved with the [Texas A&M] program," Saalfeld explains. "Then we went over what we'd say, how we'd approach them and so on."

Wernig's goal is different, of course, but his approach is similar. Before last fall's I.D.A. Distributor & Manufacturer Business Expo in Chicago, for example, he identified key suppliers first, set appointments with his most important trading partners, and left the trade show portion of the event open for networking.

"The priority is meeting with your key suppliers one-on-one," he explains. "You need that one-on-one, which people may not be able to accomplish during the year."

Cocktail parties and booth programs are good for "gladhanding" and making appointments to sit down later during the event for those valuable one-on-one discussions, he adds.

Hatch agrees that prioritizing your time at a convention or trade show is vital. But he advises against jam-packing your schedule so much that you leave no time to explore new business opportunities. He also cautions against putting small or little-known companies too low on your priority list. Often, you'll find a diamond in the rough simply by checking out the smaller booths or displays at a trade show.

"I usually look at the smaller booths quite a bit to see who is new," says Hatch. "You'll be amazed at some of the things you might find."

Once you've planned and prioritized, the next step is to pace yourself. Marathon days are par for the course at trade shows, beginning with breakfast meetings and ending late at night after dinner and drinks. Wernig advises spacing things out as much as possible and taking time to unwind at some point during the day—schedule a workout, walk, or just give yourself an hour to relax in your hotel room.

"I carve out my workout time as part of my convention schedule," Wernig says. "With morning appointments, running around all day and then getting back in your room at 10 o'clock after dinner, you've got to learn how to pace yourself."

Browsing can be another pace-setting tool. As Hatch explains, this is time spent with no appointments, just walking the show floor to see what's new or what you may have overlooked. The hustle and bustle of a trade show, especially a very large one, can be overwhelming, he says. Taking some time to let it all sink in can help you relax and open your eyes to new opportunities.

Saalfeld agrees. He spends much of his time at trade shows networking—introducing himself to people, talking about the Texas A&M program, and learning about the industrial distribution channel from the pros who attend the events.

"No matter what trade show you're at or what city you're in, you've got to make the most of it," he says. "Take the opportunity to talk with people and learn about what's happening in the industry. The benefits are just incredible."