Behind the Scenes Working at an EdTech Convention
When leaving teaching to work in EdTech, there’s a lot you might not realize is part of the job. If you’re looking for a role in EdTech sales, marketing, or even tech and leadership, you might find yourself behind a booth at an EdTech convention.
That sounds fun, right? Talking with teachers, administrators, and others passionate about making a difference in education. Learning about new EdTech tools. Traveling to exciting locations like Boulder or Orlando. But this also comes with 10-12+ hour days spent almost completely on your feet and talking all day. This is why it’s so important to love what you do and work for a company you care about.
I got to work booths at several conventions while working in customer success in EdTech. As an extrovert, I had such a great time traveling with my colleagues, meeting new people, attending post-convention socials, and learning about new tools. It was tiring, of course, but always so worth the experience.
Let’s look at what working a booth at a convention is really like.
Classes and Education at Conventions
A large part of the convention is the classes and educational experiences for teachers and administrators. Here, companies, speakers, and even other educators host courses on a hot topic such as Esports, using Adobe animations, and more.
Running a class is an excellent opportunity for companies to connect directly with educators and show them, in-person, how to use their tool. And educators are hungry to learn to take this information back to their colleagues and administrators.
These classes run about 45 minutes, 1 hour, or even a 2-hour block. You should create an engaging presentation with time to demonstrate your product. The best classes I went to at FETC 2024 in Orlando involved the educators in a demonstration, allowing them to participate, create their own account, and play around.
Working an EdTech Convention Booth
The most important aspect of your booth is creating a memorable experience. At FETC, BenQ was baking fresh cookies in a mini oven, Renaissance’s marketing team was creating friendship bracelets, and United Robotics Group had the most adorable interactive robots to play with.
These are the booths that stood out because they put in the extra effort - some had insanely impressive products that drew you in, while others took their branding to the next level and developed a moment you wouldn’t forget. My Nearpod friendship bracelet? It’s so cute and I love it.
Beyond the materialistic side is the personal side. You have to create a welcoming environment for each visitor. You’ll be tired, wanting to sit, and probably a little hungry, but you still need to be ready to have a meaningful conversation at any moment because you never know who you’re going to meet next. And meeting you could be what gets that next visitor to purchase your product.
“Working in an exhibit hall is an exciting rush! There’s a lot of people who stop by your booth. They could be current customers, prospects, or even investors in your start up. There’s a lot going on and it makes for a fun day!”
Each day of the convention will likely have a different schedule, but you can typically expect to get to the convention center around eight or nine in the morning, depending on when the doors open. Then, you can expect to get back to your hotel likely around six. You might then have a social event or dinner keeping you out until eight (or even later).
Throughout the day, you may have time for a break from your booth or a quick lunch if you have a few other team members working the booth to cover for you. You might also leave to teach a class or explore the other booths, however, you should expect to be at your booth most of the day.
