Q: How do you get to meet all your industry’s movers and shakers under one roof?
A: By visiting a trade show, exhibition, or business event.
Whatever type of business you are in there will almost certainly be a number of regional, national and international events dedicated to serving your professional interests and here are 10 good reasons why as a wholesaler, retailer or service business owner, you should attend:
1. You will discover the latest industry trends, developments, products and resources – ‘hot off the press’ practical information your business could use to forge ahead in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
2. Whether you are speaking, exhibiting, or simply visiting an event, taking one day out of your busy schedule to soak up the atmosphere, mix with like-minded people and glean new ideas is certain to reinvigorate your passion for your business.
3. Networking with vendors, suppliers and other industry professionals can be a smart way of gaining insights into others’ perspectives. Seeing what other people in your field are up to at first hand could help you become more creative, practical or innovative. Most of us these days spend far too much of our time sitting in front of a computer that we forget what it’s like to interact with people on a one to one basis. You may even come away with some new business as a result of being proactive.
4. Seek out press representatives and see if you may be able to help them fulfil their news or feature requirements. Why not have some specialist business cards made up in advance to hand to journalists? These could contain one or two lines about your areas of specialism and direct them to the Press section of your website.
5. Choose one or two seminars you would be interested in attending. Most seminars will need to be booked in advance and although many will incur a fee, these sessions usually amount to excellent value for money. Perhaps you might even manage to wangle an introduction to some of the speakers afterwards.
6. Exhibitions and trade shows are the perfect places to see how your competitors operate at close quarters. What first impression does their exhibition display stands give? What about the personnel manning the stand? Warm and friendly, or cool and impersonal? Almost certainly you will want to pick up a company brochure and other ‘giveaways’ to scrutinise upon your return to the office.
7. Consider how you might further relationships with key people you meet at the event. Could you arrange a joint venture with a non-competing business which shares your target audience for example? The easiest way to do business at a trade show is by coming up with a reciprocal arrangement which suits both parties and because these kinds of events offer face to face communication, it’s quite astonishing how quickly a rapport can be established and deals done.
8. Use the show directory and the business cards and brochures you collect to create your own personal Rolodex of contacts – and follow them up at regular intervals. If you have promised to get in touch with some of the contacts you made, then be sure to do this the week following the event.
9. Plan who you wish to meet or be introduced to at the event and try to secure meetings with them in advance. The key influencers in any industry are sure to be popular, so if you don’t manage to fix some time with them beforehand, there’s always the prospect of ‘bumping’ into them on the day (particularly if you plan to – if you get my drift!)
10. Enjoy yourself! Sure your visit will be educational, but make sure you allow yourself enough time to browse at leisure. One of my associates often tells of an exhibition he went to at London’s Earls Court a couple of years back. As he lives on the coast, the journey by train and underground took him three and a half hours each way, he spent precisely one and a half hours at the exhibition, collected a sackful of brochures, before heading home, having not ‘pressed the flesh’ of a single exhibitor.
What a complete waste of time and energy – particularly as I know for a fact that the brochures and business cards haven’t yet seen the light of day!
Exhibitions, trade shows and business events are a proven way to keep up with everything that is happening in your industry right now. Not only that, but you are sure to encounter any number of networking and joint venture opportunities which could help drive your business to the next level. Above all, you be motivated by what you see and hear and with any luck you should come away with a collection of inspired ideas for helping your business not only succeed – but prosper.
