LP Gas, March 2014
SHOW SEASON Continued from page 40 Bonus tip Reduce travel time by scouting out a convenient venue for business talks before you meet exhibitors Use the Internet or locate coffee areas once you are at the show Tip 7 Allow for serendipity Schedule your time but leave some open space One of a trade shows strengths is a potential for serendipity or the discovery of unanticipated knowledge or connections So leave time for random encounters Everyone at the show wants to discover new things and meet new people Friedman says That can be a productive situation You may meet someone who does something similar to you but who is not a competitor It can even happen in a lunch line So I encourage you to find the opportunity to say hello to people Bonus tip Allow yourself the chance for fortuitous discovery After you complete your important work schedule time to visit less promising lower profile booths Tip 8 Choose seminars wisely What seminars should you attend Reaching a decision can be difficult Every hour you spend at a concurrent session after all is an hour off the show floor Even so seminars are important to your bottom line Their value is reflected in their growing presence We have found that 40 percent of todays exhibit floor is devoted to concurrent sessions up from 20 percent some years ago Ducate says People are looking to solve technical problems and they will attend sessions that promise to do that That comment suggests a solution to the seminar conundrum Attend those that deal with topics of immediate concern to your business Look at each seminar listing and ask Will the information in this seminar help me solve a specific problem Bonus tip Reach better decisions by calling seminar leaders before the show for more details about a prospective presentation Tip 9 Share the wealth Productive trade show going is a learned skill Pass along the talent to the next generation Its good for a senior level person to bring along a junior one Friedman says The senior person can make introductions and put products in the context of business initiatives Relationships established at trade shows can be very helpful in the future Sharing such knowledge can lay a foundation for the continuing profitability of your business And it will help foster a habit of efficient trade show buying Time is money today Dallmeyer says You need to maximize what you do at every trade show LPG www LPGasmagazine com March 2014 LPGas 43
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