My favorite: “Don’t go to bed. I mean this. You didn’t spend your or your company’s money to go to bed when the best stuff happens. The best time to meet people, to learn, and to establish relationships and prospect for deals is during the hours following each day’s show. Whether in the bar, the restaurant, in the lobby, in the hallways, or outside the hotel at dinner and bar meetings – that’s when it happens. Simply put, be available. Don’t drink? No problem – but be there. You can make up the sleep on the plane or when you get back to your hometown. This way you’ll really be taking advantage of all the networking opportunities.

I’ve spent many hours on the floor of the Moscone Center and other venues, large and small, and there’s never enough seating.

Most of the time, I’m standing through meetings and networking mixers, sitting down only when attending presentations or during lunch. At some venues, the concrete is just thinly padded on the trade show floor.

I may look sharp in my heels, but I’m not going to be able to give my entire attention to new contacts if my feet and back are hurting.