I had the greatest time the other day sitting with a 24-year-old newcomer to our industry just listening to all his favorite mobile and social gadgets and talking about how they could apply to our industry. You should have seen it — there were five of us, industry veterans, not so 24-year-old, huddled around this kid’s phone practically shouting “What’s that one? What’s it do? That’s soooo cool!” Lord only knows what he thought of us.

There are so many great apps and programs out there that it’s impossible to keep up. But it’s so fun trying.Would this one work for my show? How could I adapt that one for exhibitors?

My current favorite is Groupon (www.groupon.com), which offers deals in most major cities. It’s a collective buying site that sends a daily e-mail with a special local deal. Today my deal is $15 for three yoga classes. The company sets a minimum and if that minimum is met, the deal is “on.” I get amazing specials for restaurants, products, classes, etc. And the company making the offer is under no obligation to honor the deal until it’s made up in volume what it’s missing in price. Today’s deal tipped at 8:27 a.m., and so far 116 have bought — over the minimum of 40. Think that yoga studio’s happy?

Think about how Groupon could be used at a show. Exhibitors could offer specials that would get people talking to their peers and get a buzz going. And tickers or monitors throughout the hall could keep track of the “tipping points.” It could be a lot of fun — and, for some shows, generate some actual sales instead of just leads.

Layar was another fun one (www.layar.com).We held up this kid’s in-phone-camera to the street in front of us and it told us all the restaurants and bars nearby.Word is you can hold it in front of a hotel to see if they have available rooms or in front of a restaurant to see the menu. Imagine attendees scanning your show for specific products or specials, or scanning a reception for their friends or others with like objectives.

The possibilities for enhancing the attendee experience at your show with these apps are really endless. Obviously, you want to find the ones that will help you prove ROI or that can be measured in some way — and monetizing the app would be nice, too. The key to getting started? Find a 24-year-old with a smartphone and take him to lunch.

Donna Sanford, Publisher