March is here, which means ISC West 2026 is rapidly approaching. For vendors in the security industry— whether manufacturers, software companies, service providers or other organizations—the next few weeks could determine whether your booth is forgettable or unforgettable.
As an integrator who’s seen both, here are the harsh truths about what works and what makes us grab a pen and leave.
No One Wants to Watch You Answer Emails
I didn’t fly to Las Vegas to watch you answer emails. If your team is glued to screens when I walk up, your ISC West booth might as well be empty. People attend trade shows to interact, learn and see solutions in action, not to watch someone do busy work.
Now is the time to ensure you have a plan for staff rotations, allowing employees to catch up on work if needed. Make sure everyone understands their role and purpose, whether it’s greeting, demos, media interviews, or social media.
Pro Tip: Ban laptops and mobile devices in your booth, aside from demo purposes or badge-scanning. Have a designated, out-of-sight location for employees to catch up on work or take breaks.
Being Tired (or Hung Over) Isn’t an Excuse
Let’s be real: trade shows are a grind. You’re on your feet and talking all day. The show floor is loud, overstimulating, and unrelenting. You’re always on—and it doesn’t end when the floor closes. There are still lunches, meetings, cocktail hours, dinners, late nights and more daily steps than any other week of the year.
All that said, you still need to deliver. Being tired or hungover isn’t an excuse for low energy at your booth. Booth energy is everything. It sets the tone for the entire experience. Low-energy, disengaged staff repel attendees, while high-energy, prepared teams draw us in.
Pro Tip: Wake up earlier. Squeeze in a morning workout, breakfast and coffee or an energy drink. Stock your booth with water, electrolytes, snacks and more coffee or energy drinks. Serious ISC West operators don’t expect eight hours of beauty sleep this week; they mitigate late nights with preparation and recovery.
Most ISC West Booths Are Forgettable
I’ve said before that most booths are forgettable. Whether you break that mold through unique design—including Verkada’s Escape Room at ISC West 2025—or by having high-energy, passionate “evangelists” like Pelco, you need to do something to stand out.
It’s too late to rethink your physical ISC West 2026 booth design or swag, but it’s not too late to rethink your strategy, your team’s roles and how you interact with attendees. Instead of just bringing pens and screwdrivers, bring a few YETI travel mugs or premium branded hats and reserve them for the first X visitors.
Run a higher-value giveaway that encourages people to like, follow and tag your page in their stories with a selfie at the booth. Do a scavenger hunt.
If your plan is just badge scans and product demos, ask yourself: why spend the money to go to ISC West to do something you could have done on Teams?
Pro Tip: Make sure every representative— even the poor soul on badge-scan duty, can “sell” your brand in under a minute. Not every ISC West 2026 attendee will wait for your demo rep. Everyone in your booth needs to be locked-in, enthusiastic and equipped with base-level brand knowledge.
The Follow-Up Email Blast is Probably Worthless
If your trade show follow-up strategy begins and ends with an email blast to everyone who visited your booth, don’t be surprised when leadership eventually questions the return on investment of attending trade shows at all.
Your company— and every. single. other. company, is sending an email blast after ISC West. Go beyond it. Connect with prospects on LinkedIn. Invite them to follow your company page or subscribe to your newsletter. Follow their company pages and engage with their content. Going the extra mile helps you stand out from the 100 other emails they’ve received.
Pro Tip: Strike while the iron is hot and book follow-up meetings while you have a prospect in front of you. The generic email blast after the show won’t convert significantly. Once prospects fly home, they slip back into routine and become much harder to lock down.
Final Word
Trade shows are an investment and ROI doesn’t always come from spending more. It comes from smarter preparation, high-energy execution and effective follow-up. Lock down staff roles. Energize your booth. Engage attendees in memorable ways. Follow up personally while the interaction is fresh.
Do this and ISC West 2026 will become more than an expense. It will be a lead-generating machine.
Editor’s note: Vinny Peone has no financial relationship with Pelco or Verkada.
