Regular readers of Beyond the Rhetoric will know that I have been in Las Vegas for the last week covering the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show. This is the largest technology trade show in North America, covering everything from home theater to smartphones to computer equipment.

One observation that I have made is the difference in how the companies approach trade shows such as these. This is clearly a marketing opportunity for the different manufacturers, not only trying to attract press coverage, but also connecting with buyers, suppliers, and other people that would be involved in their business process.

Some companies find that they extract the greatest value from having a sizable booth on the trade show floor. This way, you can have the greatest number of eyes looking at your products, assuming that you have the appropriate representatives on the floor to answer any questions the passers-by may have. It is more difficult to make a personal connection using this format, however.

That’s why some other companies decide to take the route of hosting a suite in one of the nearby hotels. By doing this, you have a greater opportunity to forge long-term relationships, giving the visitors much more one-on-one time than you would with the booth. On the downside, you are much less likely to get random foot traffic, because visitors typically don’t wander through the hotel suites in the same way that they’d wander through the trade show floor.

Perhaps the best approach is to have both a booth and a suite, but this can be very cost prohibitive. If you were to attend a trade show like the CES, would you have your company erect a booth on the floor or host a suite for more personal visits?