If Vanna White Goes AWOL, I'm Available

This weekend, I felt as if I was a part of about 3 different game shows.

It was the annual trade show for everything auto repair related. The company I work for publishes a magazine having to do with the trade, and so I was asked to work a booth in the show, Friday through Sunday. The Spin 'n' Win booth. I would have a wheel. I would have prizes to give away. How easy is that? My only responsibilities leading up to the event was to make signs, "Free Spin" tickets, and entry forms for those who spun the wheel and landed on a star (landing on a star entered them into the hourly $100 giveaway as well as a chance for the grand prize all expenses paid trip for two to the Brickyard 400.)

I was a bit nervous since I'd never worked a trade show. I was told that all I had to do was be the host. Be outgoing, and since this was a predominantly male crowd, be a little flirty. Atleast that's what I thought he meant. He's my boss, about 35 years my senior, and I'm not sure if he thought that I would file all sorts of complaints if he used the word "flirt" with me, so when he mentioned the gender of the expected crowd, he sort of smiled and said, "You know," then he winked a few times. That kind of creeped me out and I sort of wished I told him that it would have been better for him to just say "flirt."

The Trade Center where the show was held brought back some memories since it's where I saw a Bon Jovi/Skid Row concert about 15 years ago. Friday night, I headed down a little early to set up my booth and meet the vendors around me. And then the show opened.

It was very cool to create a booth of my own. I've been to a few trade shows as a consumer, walking around with my welcome bag of goodies and brochures and never thought much of how it all comes together. Setting up a booth advertising a magazine and hoping the readers of that magazine stop by and talk to you about it is a high in itself. I'm not sure if they did know the magazine, since the majority of visitors came by to play my little game (I wonder if any of the contestants on Wheel of Fortune or The Price is Right ask stupid questions, like 'Can I spin the wheel left handed?') but it was great to be there and represent the company and give away free stuff.

I had a blast. I met some great people, gave away some great prizes, and even sneaked some logo-emblazoned t-shirts, keychains, and hats into my own bag of goodies as I walked out the door.