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Incredibly Super Exciting (ISE)

I was one of the 65,000 registered attendees that visited Amsterdam for ISE earlier this month. This was the first international AV tradeshow that I attended and it was my first time to Amsterdam; to say I was excited would be an understatement. I really enjoyed attending ISE; there were so many great things about the show and Amsterdam I am unable to list them all in one blog. However if you buy me a Heineken, I’ll find a way to tell you about my entire trip…

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Yes, ISE is huge and larger than the InfoComm tradeshow when it is held in Las Vegas, NV. (By the way, you can register for InfoComm 2016 now). There were 11 exhibit halls to navigate and they were not all located right next to each other. Navigating the show floor included a lot of walking and my Fitbit died after two days! Yet despite the size of the show floor, I found the overall atmosphere to be welcoming.

It was refreshing to see different marketing ideas for products; some products were being displayed and pitched for a different vertical than what I would have suggested it for, but it worked. For instance, Listen Technologies showcased its new ListenWifi solution. Yes, we talked fitness centers and student centers when it suddenly hit me: What about museums? I had walked through a few museums while I was in Amsterdam and it occurred to me that the ListenWiFi could be an excellent fit for a smaller museum. I had those kind of mind explosions the entire time I was at ISE, it is a wonder that a janitor wasn’t following me with a mop and bucket.

Thankfully I heeded my own advice and wore comfortable shoes. Trust me, do it for any tradeshow. Happy feet beat cute but uncomfortable footwear any day of the week.

At the end of the show, I had a satisfying stack of business cards for new and different contacts. I have fantastic memories of great conversations with many new friends. Overall, I really enjoyed attending ISE and I highly suggest any #AVTweeps to jump on the chance to go to ISE. The show will not disappoint you and you will be glad you made the trip.

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