For our industry, there is nothing better than the month of May. It isn't because of the lengthy Memorial Day Weekend or the exceptional weather. (although they also factor into it) Our big industry-wide trade show hits New York City and most of us get a chance to duck out of work to attend. See what Brandon had to say on it here.

Although not for another few days, I have spent my time (at work and at home) preparing for the 2 days of non-stop networking and marketing potentials. Here's just some of what I have done so far. Be sure to read carefully - it could come in handy for any trade shows you may have coming up.

1. Take Notes
Our ASI show gives us a chance to see new and trending product. I examine hundreds of products every time I go and choose the best ones to add to our website later on. Although we are often supplied a notebook and pen during the sign-in process, I find them to be too bulky to make quick notes. Instead, I use something similar to the Leeds Recycled Paper Jotter. This product is less than 3" x 3" and fits easily in my back pocket. In a matter of seconds, I can take out the pad, jot notes and put it back without any struggle.

2. Consider Using A Pen/Stylus
Complimenting piece of advice #1, I am bringing with me a miniature stylus/pen combo. Since getting it, I found that I can leave it concealed in my pocket and create notes very quickly - whether on a pad or on your tablet/smartphone. This also allows quick and easy switches between the old and new forms of note-taking.

3. Clean Yourself Up
Although it doesn't show now (I have a heavy 5 O'Clock Shadow going on) looking presentable at trade shows is a must. I will be ironing/washing my uniform beforehand and bringing mints/gum. As always, I will be doing my daily morning-time routine. (shower, brush teeth, etc.) Without all this, you'll be notorious for all the wrong reasons.

4. Read Your E-Mail
Since last week, I've noticed my Inbox at work filling up with requests to visit certain booths. Some promise for new products and opportunities to network while others create incentives (contests, giveaways, etc.) to bring you in. No matter what, research these companies/individuals. It gives you a chance to learn about what is being offered by the business/organization and can even help in creating a game-plan ahead of time.

5. Rest
Ignore the famous idiom "There's No Rest For The Weary" and take a few minute rest. Doing too much can cause you to crash and become far less resilient the next day or even during the latter end of that same day. A quick rest can allow you to organize some of your notes/business cards and even an opportunity to chew the fat with other potential clients/customers informally.

6. Keep Business Cards Safe
I had a problem last year where I didn't have a proper place for business cards. As a result, there were business cards that became so lost or unkept, that they showed up months after the trade show ended. This year, I will be removing my credit cards/business cards/discount cards from my wallet. This gives me ample business card space in something I am sure to check sooner than the bottom of a bag or the inside of a notebook. 

Preparation is key for a successful trade show run. Be sure to plan ahead, use the above advice and always think on your feet. Feel free to post your advice in our comments section.

Tired of impersonal e-mails that not only clutter e-mail accounts but can cause harm to your computer? You may not be the only one.

Despite a small decrease in letters transferred by snail mail each year, there is a small cult-following of people who prefer paper-cuts and stamps over passwords and attachment sizes. These letters tend to not only be more personal but give the recipient a more secure and binding document than an e-mail or text message.

For those who check their mailboxes outside more than their mailboxes inside, consider attending the National Stationary Show taking place at New York's famed Jacob Javits Center. It's going to be filled with national and international vendors who enjoy and work with paper tableware, custom calendars, greeting cards, invitations and much more.  

From May 19 (Sunday) to May 22 (Wednesday) be sure to grab your tote bag and fill it with the finest paper products. Registering is very easy (especially if you have a LinkedIN account) and there is even a "Newbie's Guide" to the National Stationary Show.

As I mentioned briefly in passing over one month ago, this year's PPAI Expo East trade show is hitting the most beautiful adult playground on the eastern seaboard - Atlantic City.

Why mention the PPAI Expo East again? Simple: they sent me a reminder. It wasn't in the form of a letter, e-mail or pop-up ad. The organization did what it does best - used a promotional product - to advertise its event.

It is hard to keep up with the amount of trade shows and events with PPAI sponsorship or PPAI underwriting. The PPAI Expo East slipped my mind and the mind of many of our employees. We received this mailer which would normally have been tossed aside to be seen later or possibly lost in with other files and papers. What piqued my curiosity was not what was written on the outside but what was found on the inside.

The pamphlet opened to reveal a great travel accessory. In addition to being similar to Motivators' full-color luggage tag (which I recognized almost instantly) I loved that all the information on the pamphlet was summed up on the luggage tag (which is good because I accidently ripped part of the mailer opening it); the name of the event, the dates and website - all in stunning digital color. If that doesn't get your attention, nothing will.

The bottom of the luggage tag also features space advertising one of the many sponsors for the PPAI Expo East. If you've always been in the market for advertising this way but turned off by some product/mailing prices (trust me, it isn't as much as you think and is worth the extra money) you'll find that getting another sponsor will off-set the cost significantly. 

Start brainstorming with your marketing department and bring your ideas to our sales team - the experts in mailers and promotional products.

Over the last few years I have tried to visit a different part of the United States. I find that the United States is full of wonderous places to visit that aren't major cities. I love every town I have visited but one of my favorites was visiting Memphis, TN. 

I didn't get to see Graceland, visit the Stax Museum or walk down Beale Street. My trip to Memphis was a tad rushed and only happened because I was close-by for Bonnaroo. (if you could call 4 hours close-by) I did get a chance to go fishing in Memphis and although I have fished in various parts of the world, I found few unsurpass the Memphis region. 

Interested? Take a trip down to Memphis this summer. Interested but inexperienced? Take a trip down to Memphis this summer but visit the Mid-South Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza first. This expo brings hundreds of vendors supplying the best in advice and products under one roof. So whether you fish or you are anxiously awaiting a chance to dust off your hunter's license, you'll find something to do at the Mid-South Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza. 

The expo takes place from August 9th-August 11th. Visit the Mid-South Hunting & Fishing Extravaganza today for $1 off an already low admission. And be sure to print out your business connections on our custom imprinted fishing lures.

Last week was an exciting time for those who support mainstream and underground arts. Whether your life revolves around music, film, technology, pop-culture or a variation of all the above, SXSW is an exciting time to discover something new and rediscover something classic. See what Brandon had to say about this year's South by Southwest Festival here. 

Every year around the beginning of March, I receive personalized e-mails from friends and acquaintances across the country inviting me to catch up and meet at a conference, concert or film premier. It is sometimes a project someone is associated with but often times it is just an event the invitee will be attending and a chance to connect again. Companies, consider definitely taking a page out of this book and be more personable with meeting your clients.

This post has more to do with two of the east coast's answers to SXSW.

Then first, appropriately called North by Northeast (NXNE) is a week long festival of music, film and much more in Toronto, Canada. Although NXNE does not have the prominence that SXSW has, it has everything that is offered - great new and famous forms of art with a unique place for visual arts, gallery art, art spaces and even comedies. I have worked with the NXNE festival and planning team before and I can tell you from first-hand experience that there is plenty of opportunity to network with bright and creative minds. 

Can't make it to Canada? College Music Journal hosts a week long festival on the streets of one of the largest year-round Meccas for entertainment - New York City. The CMJ Music Marathon is more than just tunes and musicians - it includes debut films at famed Tribeca film theatres, special events at bars and restaurants throughout the city, seminars at NYU (and others) and much more. My last year attending CMJ Marathon was in 2008 and included such events as the national premier for Zach and Miri Make A Porno, an intimate in-studio performance sitting with Broken Social Scene, a small Crystal Castles concert at Webster Hall and a meet-and-greet opportunity with Donovan Frankenreiter just to name a few.

Didn't get a chance to find great talent for your business or find the new best thing in music or film? NXNE takes place June 10-16 and offers something very unique: huge student discounts (over 50% off standard badge prices) and single day bracelets for those who want to experience what is offered without breaking the bank. Details are forthcoming but the initial music lineup includes The National, Buke & Gass, Flag, Mickey Avalon, Joey Bada$$ and much more. College Music Journal's Music Marathon takes place later in the year from October 15-19 and is currently taking submissions for artists, films and art along with other business opportunities. Stay tuned to this website for more details. Both of these will have plenty of opportunities for promotional product hand-outs and informal meetings with industry elite.

This past weekend, I celebrated turning 25 years old. I celebrated 25 years of successful accomplishments, learning and connections with friends and family.

But I'm not the only one that was expecting a 25th birthday.

This year marks the 25th Annual Meeting and Expo of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. For twenty-five years, the AMCP has been bringing together the brightest and most talented pharmacy residents together. The premise behind the annual meeting is two-fold. First off, it is provide top-notch educational programs giving the residences in attendance an edge on others. Although being a pharmacy resident puts you ahead of those who just have a license to be a pharmacist, attending the annual AMCP meeting and expo lets you learn vital information in real-time. Secondly, it offers a chance to network with others in a new city. (just be sure to have several memorable promotional medical accessories on-hand)

You will also expect to find exhibits and product theatres. 

This year's annual expo and meeting is in San Diego from April 3 - April 5. Registration is still open for anyone who wishes to attend. Visit the AMCP website today to learn more. Start planning now and you could find yourself being on the cutting-edge of the industry for another 25 years.

Last week, I talked about Las Vegas' recent ad campaign to get business meetings and tradeshow to The Strip. Whether by chance, fate or mere coincidence, I signed onto the Trade Show News Network website only to find an advertisement from Atlantic City, NJ.

Deemed "World's Favorite Playground" and the inspiration behind Boardwalk Empire and the much-coveted final blue tile in the Monopoly boardgame, Atlantic City is to the East Coast what Las Vegas is to the West Coast. Although it's tourism slogan, "Do A.C." doesn't hold a candle to "What happens in Vegas...," Atlantic City does give Vegas a run for its money with its new business slogan: "Do conventions. Do unconventional."

Just over 3 hours from Washington DC, two hours from NYC and an hour from Philadelphia, Atlantic City's convention hall is modern and large enough to host several events. The convention hall is the 2013 home for such trade shows as the Philadelphia National Candy Gift & Gourmet Show, Tri-State Association of Realtors and even our very own PPAI Expo East. Downtime in Atlantic City can mean one of many things: partying at the new Revel nightclub, catching a concert at the House of Blues or gambling at one of the many themed casinos. Atlantic City also offers top-notch hotels, restaurants and shopping for any and all budgets. 

You're bound to meet plenty of networking potentials, whether at the Atlantic City convention hall or around the blackjack table. Be sure to have some promotional products on-hand.

We are all very familiar with the notoriously hedonistic lifestyle that takes over once visiting Las Vegas. Last year alone, over 38,000,000 people came to Las Vegas for a taste of the glitz, glamour and gambling that is almost commonplace in this Western city.

But for those in the business industry, you may start to see a new, interesting ad slogan: "Vegas means Business."

A far cry from "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," "Vegas means Business" is an invite for businesses to host or attend trade shows, business meetings and retreats. An advertisement on the Trade Show News Network homepage, when clicked, expands to a website with planning tools for business trips and details about the many locales designed for trade shows.

Las Vegas seems like the perfect place to attend a trade show or business meeting. Not only are the venues large and updated but there is plenty to do once the meeting or trade show is over. Be sure to have a flashy promotional giveaway on-hand when visiting.

It may be very hard to believe but I have seen trade show displays with incorrect information. Some banners had incorrect phone numbers while others mispelled simple English words.

The terror on the booth representatives' faces is always the same - the company representative mentally totals up the money that has been thrown away and the price for a replacement graphic. In comparison, the money can be the least of one's worries. An erroneous graphic or display puts your professional well-being at stake.

Motivators has plenty of replacement graphics and plenty of custom tradeshow packages that allow you to remove those old or mispelled graphics. These are great for any industry and any type of trade show event. You pick the package or the graphic, include your design, talk to our sales representatives and we take care of the rest.

Over the weekend, residents and visitors to the Tri-State area were treated to something very special - a unique culinary tasting that, until now, only Southerners had the honor of enjoying on a daily basis.

There is no mystery as to what you'll find at the Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival - there are dozens of Western and Southern recipes in practically every BBQ food one can think of. Additionally, there are unlimited beer and bourbon tastings. Your mouth is probably watering just thinking about it. But there is more to this festival than wolfing down delicious food. One can enjoy seminars from pit masters, distilleries, breweries and experts in the culinary field while at the BBB Festival. There is also a shop for BBQ accessories, hot sauces and much more. 

This year, the Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival is hitting the road and could be in a town close to you. The Manhattan Festival sold out in advance. Expect the other dates to do the same.

Those near Atlanta, Timonium, Charlotte, Richmond, National Harbor, Cary, Reston and Nashville should mark their calendars. Each ticket includes admission to a session with many tickets including a promotional pub glass for bourbon and beer tastings.