5 Tips for Comfortable Feet on the Trade Show Floor
How to Avoid foot Pain on the Trade Show Floor
Smiling, greeting, being the beautiful booth hostess, and working fun trade shows sounds like a dream job right? For the most part, it is! There is, however, a not-so-fun component trade show models need to take into account; and that would be standing in heels ALL day. I have come up with these shoe tips for ensuring pain-free feet by the end of your event. Learn from my experience and do not take these lightly – you’ll thank me later!
Always bring a change of comfortable shoes to the show.
Where comfortable shoes whenever you’re not on the show floor. We tend to overestimate our ability to kill it in heels, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. You may find you have a long walk at the trade show venue from your car to the client’s booth. Yes, you’ll look great strutting in with your fabulous shoes on, but trust me on this tip! Your feet will already be screaming at you, and the trade show day hasn’t even started! This extra change of shoes will also come in handy for breaks and at the end of the day when you have to make the trek back to your car. Standing in heels is a lot more sustainable than walking in them.
Do not be embarrassed by making yourself comfortable.
At first, I was nervous to walk into a nice trade show venue wearing a cocktail dress with tennis shoes. I wish I would have realized sooner that nobody cares! Everyone has their own thing going on and they see this a lot more than you think. The only person you need to impress is the client – not the people passing by on the way to your job. There is no need to sacrifice your feet because you are embarrassed to be practical. Once you locate your booth, simply move to the side and slip on your heels before approaching the client. You will remain a professional and your feet will still be rested and ready to go.
Do not, I repeat… do not wear brand new shoes/heels.
We all love a new pair of gorgeous heels. However, do not test them out on the trade show floor. If your shoes are not broken in, it can really take a toll on your feet. There’s a big difference between testing your comfort level walking around the shoe store, and standing in new shoes for a 5-hour stretch. If you have picked up new heels for your next gig do yourself a favor, wear them out and about a few times to make sure they do not irritate any parts of your feet. It is best to have a solid black and nude pair of heels that you can rely on to not make your situation worse than it needs to be. Don’t set yourself up for blisters on the first day of your event!
Higher isn’t always better.
Most of the time, the event will be a professional setting. There really isn’t a need for stilettos – unless that’s your thing. A nice 2-inch pair of heels will be totally fine. You will look like a trade show professional, and your smile will be genuine, and not forced because your feet are killing you.
Don’t wear the same pair of heels two days in a row.
This is probably my most important tip of all. Our feet are not meant to be in high heels so no matter how comfortable they might be – it still goes against our foot’s natural shape. If you wear the same shoes twice in a row, it will irritate the same parts of your foot which can cause a deeper irritation in the same spots. Switching your shoes up is a great way to keep your feet fresh, and something most promo models never even consider. Wearing the same shoes every day may lead to raw, blistered, or bleeding skin. If you only have two pairs, that is perfect. You do not need a different pair each day of the show, you just need to rotate them.
Everyone wonders how we can do it all day and now you know! Most importantly don’t forget to have fun and be confident because you can work the same long hours everyone else is, but while wearing heels. And that makes you extra fabulous!