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There's never a good time to be away from the office. But there are times when being away to the office is critical for your success. And that doesn't strictly mean those mental-health getaways to sunny shores. It also means getting out to the major trade shows and taking the industry pulse.  

In 1995, EB conducted a survey to determine why people did and didn't go to the shows, and those reasons may ring a few bells:

The four most common excuses not to go:

- I'm not a politician
- I can't afford it
- I belong to my state group
- The organizations are too bureaucratic and don't care what I think.

Reasons for participation:

- To learn from other professionals how they address the challenges at hand
- To play a role in the direction their profession is going to take down the road
- Learning and education

Ten years later, the Vision Council of America developed a game plan for making tradeshows worth their while:

BUILD YOUR PLAN: Evaluate current inventory mix, set criteria for buying, make pre-set appointments. List vendors you must see and those you would like to see. Leave room for new vendors. Have questions ready for vendors.

WORK YOUR PLAN: Conduct all business efficiently, honor all appointments, document vendor meetings, keep notes of interesting products, and keep track of purchases and agreements.

This year, International Vision Expo East will provide an opportunity to check out the latest, including many new launches than the show has seen recently. Take advantage of the opportunity!