Trading fairs

We all like the occasional trip to the funfair when it comes round to our neighbourhood. You get to go on rides that may leave your heart permanently in your mouth, shoot hoops all for the sake of winning some ridiculously cheap prizes, and even be covered in that icky, sickeningly sweet candy floss. Still, funfairs are great fun even if you only go home with your hands empty and your head in a spin with all that nauseating rides you were in just a few moments ago.

But, there's another kind of fair my wife and I will try to visit at least once when it happens, and that's a trade fair. Each year in Kota Kinabalu, there's this Sabah International Expo which brings in not only local companies but also companies from other countries. I think such fairs are equally interesting as you get to see all sorts of new products you never knew existed, you get to witness demonstrations of some modern appliance, and you can even sample some of the products when it comes to food. For all this, I think such trade fairs are definitely worth a visit.

Apart from that, visit this kind of event, and you're bound to see all sorts of trade show booths all around the venue. And the way each booth tries to make itself attractive is something else to wonder. You'd see trade show displays of all types with the range of products a company offers displayed in neat panels, and I must say, some of them can prove to be quite effective in getting your attention. But, I say if you're going to make yourself known, you may as well go the full distance and smother (albeit, tastefully) every bit of available space with your company logo and product info, no? I've seen some companies use logo floor mats and hang banners from the truss standing over the exhibit area. That's in addition to the displays they have already put up.

But, I don't mind all that. I find such trade fairs quite interesting and informative, and who knows, you may even find a bargain or two, or it may even be the place that sparks that long-thought-about business opportunity.