Trey Gordner, CEO of Koios, a digital marketing platform, has exhibited and spoken at dozens of trade shows for several high-tech startups. “My best trick for effective networking is to bring a power strip,” he says. Conference venues never have enough outlets and attendees are constantly seeking a charge for phones and laptops. “I look like a hero, and we get some guaranteed conversation while the device recharges.”

Emmi Buck (above) wanted to make a splash at her first trade show for Essential Oxygen, an oral care product brand, so she wore a tooth fairy outfit. “I talked to triple the amount of people I normally would, had a ton of photos taken with me, and really spread our logo around,” she says. “Being approachable doesn’t mean you need to dress silly, but make sure not to be a wallflower. Put yourself into various groups and settings you normally might not.”