Downloading the SAGE Workplace iOS or Android app onto your phone makes sense, if for no other reason than for going to trade shows. With the new year comes a doozy of a trade show for the promotional products industry: The PPAI Expo. Everyone who’s anyone in promotional products in North America will be there. Not dozens, not hundreds, but thousands of exhibitors and hours of education sessions in a 2 million square foot convention center. The Trade Show module in SAGE Workplace is the official trade show planner for The PPAI Expo.

Yet there are those who still object to using SAGE Workplace on their smartphone. This article is a tough-love response to those individuals.

Objection #1: “I prefer standing in long lines to get my badge.”

Excuse me, Mr. Liar, your pants seem to be ablaze. Not even the most extroverted of the extroverts enjoys standing in line. There’s only so much small talk to be had before things get awkward or below-the-surface personal, neither of which are your forte. Besides, wouldn’t you really rather spend that time pulling the arm of a slot machine or fulfilling your bucket list desire to see the Blue Man Group?

The QR code to pick up your badge will be in the Trade Show module after you register for the show, so you can opt for the quick print.

Objection #2: “There’s a map in the show guide.”

Okay, Boomer. There’s probably an atlas in your glove compartment, too, but you still use GPS to go across town. Walking through an exhibit hall at Mandalay Bay without a map is like trying to find your way through a corn maze while dizzy and blindfolded. You will either a.) grow weary of hitting dead ends, or b.) find yourself going in circles.

The Trade Show module in SAGE Workplace has an interactive floor plan you can use to get to where you’re going easily and with your pride intact. Save those extra steps for the dance floor at the Expo Party.

Objection #3: “I don’t want to miss anything new, so I’ll just wander.”

While not all who wander are lost, they still get tired feet. And while we’re sharing cliches, let’s talk about those who fail to plan. In case you missed it in the introductory paragraph, there are thousands of exhibitors in more than two million square feet of exhibit space. Don’t you want to know where you’ve already been so you don’t overlap in your wandering? What if a networking connection wants to get drinks before you have a chance to see that one thing you really wanted to see? If you prioritize the main things and do them first, you’re free to wander and be impulsive later.

You don’t have to create a walk list for every day, but you’d be wise to create a one for the exhibitors you know you want to visit. Use the Trade Show module in SAGE Workplace to create the walk list, add notes and pictures from the booth, and check off exhibitors as you go. Thanks to a new feature within the module, you can add all the suppliers from one of your preference groups in SAGE Workplace to your walk list with one click. You don’t even have to search for the suppliers individually.

Objection #4: “I don’t take notes. I just take pictures of the presentations.”

Aside from the fact that taking notes helps you to retain information better, how do you remember which notes came from which presentation two weeks after the show? Also, unless you’re a rare exception, you probably don’t have a specific photo album titled “Notes from Expo” in your photo app. That means to find the notes you want later you’ll have to scroll through pics of your cat, your kids, that mole you need to get checked, and screenshots of your favorite memes to get to the presentation pics. By that point you will have forgotten what you opened the photo app for. We all do it. No judgment. Just a reality check.

Fortunately, the developers at SAGE understand and created a workaround for just such scenarios. You can now add photos and videos along with your notes to the education session of your show planner, making them easier to keep organized and find later.

Objection #5: “I’m staying in Vegas an extra day for the fun stuff.”

Cool story, bro, but why waste your time wandering aimlessly in the exhibit hall when you could be wandering aimlessly on the Strip or in a casino? The most efficient way to experience The PPAI Expo is to map out your schedule and your path, include some margins for new discoveries, and then play. Or rest your weary legs. Whatever spins your roulette wheel.

The Trade Show planner in SAGE Workplace exists for your benefit, to keep you organized and to help you maximize efficiency. You can have all of Expo in the palm of your hand. You just have to use the app. Oh, and pack comfortable shoes.

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