[mpdehaan2]

The argument against getting a booth (and just being a visitor) I don't quite agree with.

One of the more annoying things I've found at conferences, as an exhibitor, is when people come to your booth to sales pitch you on their thing.

If you want customers, don't go as a visitor and pitch the exhibitors. Get the booth, but only if you are the right size where it feels like the leads will exist and it will pay off.

You can also meet some investors at booths too.

It helps though if people have some awareness of what you do and signage that makes that VERY clear.

[sanderjd]

I don't think your annoyance about people selling to you at your booth is an argument for having one. Yes, it's annoying to you, but I'm guessing those people are glad to have had the chance to sell to you, even though you were annoyed, which they wouldn't have had if they just had a booth somewhere that you wouldn't have gone to.

Having really good "signage" on your clothing seems like a good strategy to making yourself a roving "booth". Business cards are probably the most important thing to hand out, and you can carry them on you.

It does mean you have to more intelligently select people to talk to, rather than relying completely on them self-selecting to talk to you.

Of course, by far the best way to get noticed at a conference is to give a great talk.

[mpdehaan2]

If you are crowded with potential customers, the guy trying to sell you a product you don't want is not where you are going to spend your attention. They also often are very slow to get the hint.

[sanderjd]

I'm not at all arguing that they aren't annoying. I'm saying that from their perspective, it seems like a reasonable choice. Cheaper and not stuck at a booth. If you're crowded with customers, then you're probably fine with a booth, but roaming is probably a better solution for the people whose booths are empty.