Dave Zimmerman, managing director of Truth Be Told Cards, said he had been promoting the new company primarily by visiting Christian stores. The Hustiford, Wis.-based company, which specializes in Christmas cards and note cards, started in 2004.

"It's nice to have a large audience," Zimmerman said Thursday, while exhibiting his cards at Advance. Along with making contacts, he learned about retailers' holiday ordering deadlines and wrote some orders. As a first-time exhibitor, the show "exceeded expectations, he added.

"It's been great," he said. "We made a lot of good contacts."

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Henri Hardison, national bookstore district manager for R.H. Boyd Publishing Corp., called it a "slow show." The company had a 60-foot booth space in the last aisle of Expo.

Hardison was optimistic though. "Our customers find us," he said.

By Thursday, he had given away more than 200 sample packets of company literature. "Hopefully, that will increase our sales," he said.

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Amanda Holliman, sales consultant for Christian World in Oklahoma City, Okla., said her company was having a good show.

"The show has been great," she said Thursday. "We've been very busy. Sales have been very good."

As other exhibitors reported, traffic was heavier than at the 2004 Advance. Holliman said she was impressed with this year's Expo opening, calling it a "high-selling night. Last year, the opening wasn't as packed," she added.

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Scott Morrell, who is in franchise sales with the Parable Group, said Thursday there was "a lot of energy" on the show floor. Morrell said he had been busy sharing information about the company's new franchise program and concentrating on "relationship building."

He also said there "seemed to be an increase" in traffic over the previous show.