The aisles at trades shows can often be overwhelming. Booths start to blend in, people start to look the same and, dare I say it, your feet often start to kill (as much as you try to avoid that). A pair of good, comfy shoes aside, there are some smart strategies to navigating a trade show floor.

1. Use your trade show floor plan as your guide to the show floors. Review the show attendee list prior to walking the floor and highlight vendors you know you want to see in one color and others you would like to see but don’t have to in another color. Of course, always keep your eyes open for vendors  that catch your eye unexpectedly, but these highlighted booths will allow you to stay on track with your trade show floor navigation – and your buying plans.

2. Mark booths off as you have visited them. A big, black X does the trick. Simply cross off the booths you have visited on your floor plan guide and continue on your journey. When day 2 or 3 rolls around, you will be grateful the X’s are there to help you remember where you have been and what you still have left to do.

3. Circle booths and vendors that really stand out to you. Whether you need to visit them again or they are topping your list as favorites from the show, a circle around their booth details on your floor plan guide will allow them to be a constant reminder that you loved what they had. Since buying is a priority, this will also help you remember what has stood out to you when the days start to get long and everything starts to blend together.

4. Take notes! I can’t stress enough how important this is. The floor plan guide typically doesn’t offer enough space to take great notes, but a little notebook that fits comfortably in your bag or pocket should do the trick. Product details, vendor contacts, show incentives and more are important details to remember. If you have room, a mini stapler is a great way to quickly add booth / contact details to your notebook by simply stapling a business card to your files.

5. Avoid long walks in between booths. This is such a waste of time. Instead, try and accomplish your booth visits to vendors that are positioned nearby to each other before taking a long hike somewhere else. This will save time and achy feet.

Having an attack plan is a great way to be effective at trade shows, though part of the fun of trade shows is being surprised. An unexpected booth may catch your eye and your favorite order from the show may be something you didn’t plan on getting. That’s okay. In fact, it’s great! Just remember to walk the aisles with a plan rather than blindly. This will make all the difference in your time management, your buying strategies and your vendor visits. Plus, your feet will thank you.