Attending tradeshows is among the most productive use of time for B2B buyers. In just a few short days you can:
- See the latest new products and identify trends
- Find lower cost products
- Secure "show special pricing" offers--frequently savings will exceed the costs of your travel & hotel expenses
- Compare alternative products/services
- Meet with senior leaders of your vendor companies
- Learn at educational conferences
- Network with industry colleagues, competitors and suppliers
Pre-planning to work the show provides you much greater efficiency and will ensure you'll see the most important exhibitors that can help your business grow.
Howard's Top 10 Ideas for Attendees:
Pre-show:
- Register online.
- Prioritize: Before you attend, identify your most pressing “must improve” business challenges that might have solution suppliers at the tradeshow
- Decide who will attend from your company.
- Do your research and develop an “A-list” of must see suppliers, and a “B-list of nice to see exhibitors” that can solve your business challenges. Plot booth locations on a show floorplan to save time.
- Review the conference programming and register in advance to save time.
At-show:
- Develop a daily plan for your team to ensure coverage of all the “A-list” projects: As time permits, move-on to the “B-list”
- Quickly walk the entire show floor: Pay particular attention to the booths on the periphery—the smaller companies where innovative ideas are hatched.
- Make sure you collect business cards and take notes. If you don’t hear from the supplier you saw, contact them.
- Conduct a team meeting at the end of each day: Discuss what innovative products were seen, competitive insights/rumors.
Post-show:
- Upon returning to the office, establish action item follow-up and have your team update you on project status.
To help you get the outstanding results from tradeshows--contact us: howard@hftradeshow.com or 818.665.6180.
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