ATLANTA – I’m fascinated by the varying responses I get when I chat with people on the show floor at Medtrade. With exhibitors, the mood can switch radically by shifting just five feet away.

For example, I may speak with one exhibitor who says, “I don’t know…it’s about average this year. Yeah, it’s been pretty good, but I was hoping to get more leads.” Now shift to the booth next door and it’s a different story: “This show has been fantastic…we have serious buyers, serious conversations, and I could not go to lunch until 3:00.”

You get the picture. Members of the Medtrade team want a positive experience for everyone at the show—exhibitors and attendees alike. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, but we sure try.

At this point, I gently cut off people who want me to know that back in “the day” the show was bigger and had better attendance. Yes, I know, but 40% fewer providers does not help a trade show. The providers who remain must then determine; is it worth the time and expense to attend Medtrade?

And when you get here, we hope you stay to the end. This year, in fact, we held a reception and cash giveaway to entice people to do just that. The number crunchers will no doubt determine if the giveaway did its job, but early anecdotal evidence suggests that it did.

I asked several people during the show’s last hour if they were sticking around for the giveaway, and about 70% said yes. Another 20% had never heard of the giveaway, and the remaining 10% did not care. The six women pictured here all said that they would have already gone, but were willing to take their chances and stick around for the random drawing.

For those who are looking to maximize their time, relevant educational sessions abounded on all three days. I hear the stories. If you put in the effort, Medtrade gives back—big time.

Now will the industry “rebound” in 2018? We are hoping for a modest rebound, but maybe it’s time to ignore “the industry” and look for your own personal rebound. Your next opportunity to get inspired comes March 27-29, 2018, during Medtrade Spring at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. We look forward to seeing you there.

Greg Thompson is the editor/writer for Medtrade Monday.