I'm a big fan of trade shows, but attendance is declining as more and more people decide that it isn't worth the time and expense. Jim Goltz, writing in the NY Times, decides it is:
Trade shows are an opportunity to take some classes, find new vendors, have face time with existing vendors, see new products, and talk to people who do what you do but don’t compete with you. I can’t tell you how many insights I have gotten from casual conversations over the years with people who are standing in the food line, on the trade-show floor or in the restaurant after the show. I have made friends with a couple of people I meet every year and with whom I compare notes, share ideas and brainstorm.
