13 Bits Of Advice For The GAMA Trade Show (Tradecraft)

Are you going to the GAMA Trade Show this year? I'm skipping this year for various reasons, but I've been many times. As an introvert, it's difficult to fully experience these shows, but I have learned how to get the most out of them. Here is my advice.

1. Occasional Attendance. You don't need to go every year, so don't feel obligated. I think every other year is fine, and for my managers, I really want them to go at least once. One time is the best bang for your buck, and for many retailers, once is all they'll ever do.
2. Stay at the Show Hotel. Some retailers are cheap by nature and take great pride in saving a small amount of money by staying offsite. When the hotels were connected, like with Ballys, staying at Paris was a nice upgrade with a reasonable walk. You'll be commuting if you do this in Reno, and that's a waste of time. Plus Peppermill is a nice hotel, so just enjoy it. Heck, when was the last time you've been on vacation? Consider a room upgrade.
3. Leave the Family. This might feel like a working vacation, but it's not. Wheeling around your baby stroller on the show floor is just unprofessional and bad form. When the show was in Vegas, it made some sense to bring the family and let them entertain themselves during the day, but Reno? Maybe if your spouse likes snow boarding and strip clubs. You'll also feel obligated to spend time with them in the evening, and there are better uses of your evening time.
4. Go to the Retail Seminars. A lot of brainy retailers have poured their knowledge into teaching the intricacies of the trade through seminars. I can credit these seminars for my initial survival, and a chunk of my own seminars are distilled and modified versions of seminars I've attended. There is powerful institutional knowledge out there and this is your chance to tap it. I go to seminars as much as I can, even after many years of this. Network and try to find out which are the best. The best for a first time show attendee is unlikely to be the best one for me (thus you can go multiple times and gain value).
5. Pick Publisher Seminars Carefully. You deserve to hear from a human with compelling and interesting information along with the ability to ask questions to someone who knows things, not a website rehash from a powerless intern. That might sound harsh, but some publisher seminars are worthless and some are fantastic and helpful. I once went to a one hour Wizards of the Coast meet and greet. How exciting! There was juice on the back table and we were instructed to talk amongst ourselves. That was the whole seminar. Ask around and figure out which seminars are valuable, and don't be tied into a waste of an hour of your time for the promise of a free googaa. After going to many of these shows, I tend to skip about 90% of publisher seminars. Publishers need to figure out what critical bit of themselves they can transmit in a seminar and focus on that. Some are so afraid of giving out confidential information, they provide no useful content.
6. Network Network Network. Go to the meals if this is your first time. Go out to dinner with like minded people, if you can't handle one more cold cut sandwich. Go to the after hours gaming events and learn new games and meet new people. Find the smart people. These relationships will grease the wheels and help you form community, things you'll appreciate when you're back home in your Fortress of Solitude. This is also a good time to develop relationships with publishers and distributors, so break out of your retailer bubble.
7. Bring Extra Socks and Good Shoes. This is an old convention trick, but along with comfortable shoes, bring an extra pair of socks and when you're getting tired walking the trade show floor, change them. It's better than a Red Bull. Under packing is generally a good thing for these shows. Speaking of packing, vendors will wish to burden you with flyers, samples, and a lot of useless junk. If you don't want these things, politely decline. 
8. Trust Your Instincts. This is hard, but I generally know if a new game is something I want or if it's a turd. I've always known, really, and my buying expertise has mostly been about trusting that knowledge and removing my own ego and interests from the mix. Trust your gut. Also avoid back filling, as this is the time of year your purchasing budget may be flush. This is a forward looking, "front list" industry. Look for things coming out, unless you're hoping to diversify into a new department. 
9. Ask What's Hot This Year. Talk with other retailers, because you've been networking, and get a consensus about what's hot at the show. Touch and experience that game or item and see what your instincts say. The herd is generally right. Sometimes there's nothing hot, and that's alright too. Last year nothing was hot. When I look back at the items I discovered at the show, their profit always equals or exceeds my costs for attending the show.
10. Don't Be Afraid to Buy. GAMA used to ban writing orders at this show but that rule is gone. If you see something you like, buy it. The big publishers won't do this, but smaller publishers will be happy to take your money, although for some you'll need to twist their arm. If they say they don't know how, task them with finding out and come back the next day. I've gone to many shows, found things I've wanted to buy, and have been unable to acquire them later. It's ridiculous, but give them a credit card number at the show, and your chances of getting that stuff go up tremendously. Good examples? Everything you see at the Chessex booth, giant dice, tiny dice, weird dice, stuff distributors won't carry, are available to order -- and it all sells.
11. Open Distribution Accounts. It takes almost no time, but be prepared with your own information handy to start new distribution accounts. Fill out the form on the show floor so you don't forget. It costs nothing and opens you up to a better fill rate and possibly better terms. I resurrected a distribution account this year I hadn't used in ages and now do an order a week with them because of their better prices (Magazine Exchange).
12. Be Firm But Polite. You want it one way, but it's the other. Too bad. When dealing with publishers in seminars, it's fine to discuss broader issues and insist they act consistently and professionally (cough, Pokemon USA), but nobody needs to hear your personal anecdotes. Nobody cares. We all have stores and problems and unless your issue relates to a large number of us, share it later, one on one. Also, there are no participation points. You don't need to add your story to our pool of misery. Listen and learn. Everyone is a petty king of a tiny kingdom, used to giving orders and running their domain with an iron fist. Together we can solve problems, but as individuals, retailers have a reputation for being rude and provincial. Use your listening ears.
13. Have a Good Time! You're in Reno. Grab a steak. Take a walk outside and get some fresh air (there's still some cigarette smoke). Caffeinate at Cafe Espresso. Eat at the surprisingly good Flavors of India, which looks like the house restaurant for an Econo Lodge. Enjoy!