Trade Show Exhibit Display Booths

Does this job exist ?

Getting paid to attend trade shows (not work in a company's exhibit at a trade show, but just walk around and look at exhibits and talk to exhibitors) Not selling anything, but getting paid to gather information, compile sales leads, anything ? I love attending trade shows and picking up "freebies" etc... wondered if there was any way of getting paid for doing so.

Public Comments

1. I can see no reason to pay someone for any of this. Exhibitors are there to sell to me - in a specific trade. I am the one who wants to see the latest and greatest items out there - I can read the reviews in the trade publications and do not need your opinion as a middle man. There are always companies displaying at trade shows who are trying to sell sales leads - so you as a viewer would not be "gathering" sales leads for me either. Sorry.
2. I work for a technology company http://www.cology.com and we do not offer a "job" for what you are asking. We do attend a fair number of trade shows and our sales representatives are the ones to comb the conference floor and report what they saw and learned.
3. For the second paragraph - its called generating leads - but usually you're in a cubicle researching companies on the internet and calling around finding names & details. I did this for 9 months and rather enjoyed it. I left due to bad company policies, not the job. Otherwise, I'm not sure that such a job exists where you would be paid to do that. Otherwise it could be like a mystery shopper where you scout out the competitors without giving away who you work for. You could perhaps create a NEW job whereby you do it freelance, and charge companies for info. either you wander the trade show and dig up what info you can on all the exhibitors, and then sell the info to the compeititors of the exhibitors - if they were willing to buy. Try and get sales before the trade show, and then sell to companies after the trade show. Just a suggestion, but you would have to sell yourself.