Working trade shows are a large part of what we do. Trade shows can be a great way for our clients to represent themselves and their products, all the while making great press contacts. I had the privilege of attending PMA this past week - the Photo Marketing Association’s annual trade show. The show took place in Las Vegas, where thousands of photo-industry retailers, members of the press, distributors and executives took part in the four-day event. I had a something happen that likely will never happen again, but proved that I could indeed perform under the worst of scenarios.

I was there representing one of our clients, VisibleDust, who makes sensor cleaning solutions for DSLR cameras. Unclean sensors are a growing problem among DSRL camera users, and VisibleDust had generated a lot of pre-show buzz. We set up more than 20 media appointments for editors to come by and check out VisibleDust’s line of products, and we were anxiously waiting our first appointment on the first day of the show. The first media appointment is always a little nerve-wracking—you want to make sure that you cover all of the information and you hope that the editor walks away saying to themselves “that is a product I need to cover.” Our appointment arrived on time, and we began our product demo. Amanda from VisibleDust, who was giving the product demo, picked up one of the sensor cleaning brushes just as bird droppings fell directly onto the product! We all looked up trying to find the bird and I’m thinking to myself, “Please don’t let this be happening.” Here we are, in the middle of the Las Vegas Convention center—an indoor venue—and a bird has just ruined our first product demonstration. Of all the places this disgusting mess could have landed, it was in our hall, on our booth and on the actual product we were demoing to an editor! I looked at the editor, who was just staring blankly at what had just happened, and simply said, “Welcome to PMA.”

There are times in this job, and in life, that things completely out of the ordinary happen. But, it is how you deal with these unforeseen circumstances (such as bird poop), that makes you good at what you do. I could have been a total girl about it, freaked out, and completely lost the editor. But everyone at the booth kept their cool, laughed it off and continued on with the product demonstration (with a new product of course). The rest of the meeting went really well, and needless to say, I think we left a lasting impression on the editor. After all, isn’t that what a trade show is all about?