Tchotchke

The most challenging thing about consulting in the trade show world is spelling the word “tchotchke“. Really, what kind of nut case invented that word? I think it has alternative spellings like “chochkies”. It’s kind of like the word “Czar” which can also be spelled “Tsar” as in “I am the Tchotche Tsar.” What an honor.

I met the guy who owns the domain name www.tchotchkes.com. I wonder if anyone can get there by entering the name directly into the browser.

Here are some alternatives that you, the Trade Show Samurai, can use instead of the word tchotchke:

• Swag
• Schwag
• Premiums
• Crap
• Trinkets

The word, apparently, is similar to a modern Hebrew word that means slut.

Passing out sluts from your trade show booth is a sure way to generate some traffic.