It's impossible to make it to every trade show (there's literally one going on somewhere in the world every day), so your best bet is to attend the biggest and best. And now, thanks to the Trade Show News Network (TSNN), you can easily find the top trade shows for your industry!

Yesterday, TSNN officially released the 2012 Top 250 Trade Shows in the U.S. Let's take a look at the top five trade shows:

1. International CES

The Las Vegas, Nevada event had more than 3,000 exhibitors and 100,000+ attendees. Whoa! The trade show supports the $209 billion consumer electronics industry.

2. International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS)

This trade show takes place in Chicago, Illinois and saw almost as many attendees as CES in 2012. It's the biggest manufacturing technology show in the Western Hemisphere, and is a whopping six days long.

3. The January Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market

Retailers from every U.S. state and more than 80 countries around the world come together for the January Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. Products featured include everything from home furnishings to fashion. The event is held in Atlanta, Georgia.

4. Pack Expo International

The packaging and processing industry is huge, so it's no surprise the Pack Expo International made TSNN's list of top 2012 trade shows. The show, which took place last October in Chicago, Illinois, had nearly 2,000 exhibitors in 2012.

5. The July Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market

Wow -- two Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Markets made the top five! That's pretty impressive.

Hit up these events and you're likely to go home with some truly great trade show giveaways.

For a look at TSNN's full list, click here.

If you're a promotional products professional and you're located on the East Coast, you've got to attend the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI)'s massive industry trade show.

The ASI Show is scheduled for May 8 - 9, 2013 at the Javits Center in New York City. It's a top meeting place for suppliers and distributors. 

The schedule for ASI's New York tradeshow features education programs, Counselor magazine's "HOT Party" and, of course, exhibits and trade show giveaways from some of the industry's top suppliers.

For more information on ASI New York, visit the event page here.

Some people will never know how a trade show works until they attend or exhibit at one. But the students in Laura Spey and Diane Gesacion's fifth-grade class at Poland McKinley Elementary School will always be prepared thanks to an in-school trade show they held for their parents.

According to Poland Neighbors -- a Poland, Ohio online newspaper -- the fifth graders built their own products and put them on display for parents last month in order to learn how advertising works. "The kids had to learn all about advertising techniques, such as propaganda and band-wagon, prior to the show," Gesacion said.

Using that knowledge, the Poland McKinley students were asked to promote their creations in a tradeshow. It's a tradition that Poland McKinely has celebrated for almost 10 years now.

Students even handed out trade show giveaways as incentive for parents to visit their stands!

What do you think about Poland McKinley's fifth-grade trade show? Is it a smart way to prepare kids for the real world?

Here at the Trade Shows Blog, we're always looking for cutting edge ideas and technology within the industry. Today, however, let's discuss tips specifically for beginners. If you're exhibiting for the first time or are still getting used to it, the advice below is just for you!

Exhibitor Manual

Get your hands on the exhibitor manual ASAP. Look for information that may affect your booth, including electric, shipping and carpeting.

Order Early

Whether you plan on purchasing trade show giveaways or are looking to install a memorable booth, ordering early is the key to securing a great price and top-notch products.

Don't Over-Pack

Sure, promotional products and an elaborate booth can make a big impression. But be sure not to over-pack! For example, instead of wasting money and paper with brochures and pamphlets, direct visitors to your website.

What other tips do you have for trade show newbies?

It's no secret that social media has become an important tool for marketing and communicating. That's why I recently covered some basic tips on how to make your trade show more social. But rather than focusing on social media "dos," today let's look at some "don'ts" while on the trade show floor.

1. Don't ignore spelling and grammar

Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, but when you're promoting your trade show booth via social media, be sure to find and fix any spelling errors, grammatical mistakes and broken links. If you're utilizing a QR code on your company literature/or trade show giveaways, make sure it directs users to the correct page.

2. Don't procrastinate

If you wait until the last minute to begin promoting your trade show, you're not likely to have a great turn out. Use social media before the show to advertise where your booth will be located and why people should stop by.

3. Don't forget to follow up

Whether you're exhibiting at or simply attending the next trade show, it's important to follow up. Social media makes it easier than ever to connect with the people and companies you meet. In fact, now that almost every brand is on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., you have no excuse not to get in touch.

What other social media don'ts can you name?

As social media continues to grow in importance and popularity, more and more industries are trying to get in the game. There are many reasons trade show exhibitors might want to take advantage of social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Let's take a look at a few ways you can make your trade show booth more social.

1. Promote your booth via Twitter
   
   According to the Trade Show News Network (TSNN), Tweeting about your booth's "specials, giveaways, contests, new products, special offers, and the like" will help draw in more visitors. It's advised to begin Tweeting as early as two months in advance to help create hype.
   
   
2. Ask attendees to engage on Facebook
   
   Socialnomics suggests running trade show polls and contests through your company or organization's Facebook page. Booth reps can even encourage attendees to visit your Facebook to get involved. Incentivize participation with high-end trade show giveaways.
   
   
3. Blog about presentations and education seminars
   
   Chances are there are people who couldn't make it to the big trade show. Keep them in the loop by live blogging about interesting presentations and education sessions. But remember, the key to a successful trade show live blog, according to Social Media B2B, is to "publish before you walk out of the room." That's when your content will be most relevant!

Looking for more interesting ways to get more social at the next trade show? Check out Gallo Display's "How to Integrate Social Media and Trade Show Marketing" infographic here. And don't forget to comment with your ideas!

Let's face it: With the exception of a few media outlets (social networks, for example), marketing is getting expensive. As the American and worldwide economies struggle to stay afloat, companies need to find new ways to make the most of their budgets.

And according to Business Examiner, one way to do so is by promoting your business at trade shows. Jon Houg, director of Tacoma Convention & Event Center, told Business Examiner that trade shows and conventions offer excellent opportunities for companies to gain a lot of exposure at a low cost.

"The relative value is excellent because every customer is pre-qualified, so to speak," Houg said. "Everyone walking through that door is someone who is interested in what you’re selling, in your type of products. So, it’s a great opportunity for those companies who otherwise don’t generally have direct access to their market."

Of course certain booths -- like the ones handing out trade show giveaways -- will receive more attention. But overall, a trade fair is a fantastic way to reach a target audience without spending too much money!

There's one thing about technology that we can all agree on:  You can never keep up with it.  Still, it's important to be aware of trends, especially within the trade show industry.  Let's take a look at some of the industry's latest technology crazes.

1. Mobile
   
   These days, everybody's got a smartphone on them at all times.  How can you incorporate this technology into your trade show?  One way is to encourage exhibitors to print QR codes onto their trade show giveaways.  Attendees can then scan the code for instant access to a company's website, Facebook page, etc.
   
   
2. Social
   
   Some argue that social media will soon completely replace traditional forms of marketing.  Therefore, if you're presenting at a trade show, it's wise to promote your booth, product, and/or services via social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  Include your usernames and URLs on business cards to make a big impact on visitors.
   
   
3. Virtual
   
   Sometimes, for various different reasons, it doesn't make sense to host a live trade show.  If your potential participants are spread across the country -- or even the world -- you might want to look into organizing a virtual trade show.  These gatherings take place on the web, rather than at a specific venue, allowing more flexibility for exhibitors and attendees.
   
   

What other technologies would you add to the list?

You can staff your trade show booth with your finest employees and distribute the best trade show giveaways, but if your display is awful nobody will visit you.  That's why American Image Displays has been providing trade show displays for more than 25 years, specializing in everything from table tops to accessories.

American Image Displays announced today that to help your brand get noticed over the next few months, it's launched a summer sale.  Products like the Xpressions Lightbox and the Connex Xpressions Snap display will wow your target audience and get them over to your booth.

Most exciting are American Image Displays' new trade show kiosks which are designed to hold iPads safely and securely throughout the show.  This makes it easier to showcase product demos and videos.  What an awesome way to incorporate current technology!

Check out www.American-Image.com for more exciting, new products.

According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), the trade show industry is showing seven straight quarters of positive growth. The first quarter of 2012 shows a 2.7 percent increase from the first quarter of 2011.

CEIR tracks four key metrics:

• Attendance
• Net Square Footage
• Number of Exhibitors
• Real Revenues

All four areas are showing positive trends, but attendance led the way with a 4.6 percent growth. Net square footage was not far behind with a 3.4 percent increase, and both number of exhibitors and real revenues saw a 1.5 percent increase.

It is good to see the trade show industry back on the rise and truly speaks to how effective trade show giveaways and face-to-face interactions really are to businesses.