Starting today, the world’s largest annual consumer electronics trade show, CES, kicks off in Las Vegas. This massive gathering of tech lovers features over 2,700 companies showing off their latest gadgets, and more than 140,000 visitors waiting to get a look at the latest stuff.

The Consumer Electronics Show is the largest of its kind and is a valuable opportunity for companies, large and small, to promote their products. It is an opportunity for companies to let consumers, retailers, and the over 5,000 reporters on hand to get an up-close look at their products and their company. Unlike looking at the latest tech goods on the internet or in a magazine, consumers can actually touch and feel the products and talk to the people who develop them.

Trade show marketing continues to be an extremely valuable marketing technique for almost all industries. The main benefit gained from trade show marketing is the opportunity for face-to-face demonstration and conversation with consumers, whether B2B or B2C. Trade shows also allow smaller firms the opportunity to showcase their offerings in the same setting as the big firms. In fact, there will be 94 start-up companies featured in the “Eureka Park” section of the CES.

So, if you’re a small firm, trade shows may be a great way to not only gain valuable exposure to a prime audience, but they can provide invaluable user input to help you improve your offering and better understand your customer.