Do Trade Shows really help your business? YES!
Well, for us they definitely do. This was my second time to the Fastener Fair Global in Stuttgart, Germany. As a company we've been attending the fair for over a decade, and each visit has added elements that have allowed us to grow. Grow through industry relationships, grow our supply chain and drastically improving our world wide import expertise. Plus the beer, it's… well… it’s bloody brilliant!
I think people are super, smashing, great - as Jim used to say
For me, there’s nothing like talking to folk in the flesh. Aside from my colleagues, most of the interactions I have in my working hours are on the phone or by email with customers or suppliers. Those relationships are great and built over months and years of back and forth - using the phone or a computer. They are however, in my opinion, missing one vital ingredient - a face to face chin wag, a handshake, a tap on the shoulder, a nod and a wink, a knowing smile, a dunk of a biscuit. Well that's lots of things, but they all add up to one big thing - gathering.
At the show I met a couple of super people who I have only ever communicated with by email. They're from the far east, so it will probably be another couple of years before I see them again. But to put a face to a name and enjoy a lovely cup of tea, a smile and a tiny Double Decker was flipping great. I'm really looking forward to our next gathering - I think I’ll go for a tiny Twirl next time.
Adding to our supplier list is an absolute must
Each time we attend the Fastener Fair we go with missions in mind. One of the things we learned early on when attending trade shows is this ‘You gotta have a plan’. The sheer size and spectacle of these gatherings can make you feel like you have to dart around, see everything, gaze and wow at the expanse and expense of stands. Then theres the endless biscuits, Cadbury's Heros, cakes and glasses of fizz.
One of our missions was to source a particular set of products, from Asia. I kid you not the first company we spoke to ticked every flipping box. Usually you have to kiss a few frogs, not this time - we found our handsome prince right out of the blocks. Of course we had to walk the show to make sure that they were the ones, and it turned out they were - result!
We also made sure we had time to spend with our existing suppliers. More biscuits, heros, cakes and glasses of the fizz, it's a hard life. We even got a Ferrero Rocher from one supplier - they do spoil us :-)
Every show day's a school day
Another fantastic thing about going to the fair is the knowledge base that's gathered in one place. The pearls of wisdom are piled higher than those Cadbury's Heros. We’ve discovered so many things that we just had no idea existed in our particular industry. For instance 'A8 stainless steel’ we had never heard of this steel type, we’re now looking to see if we should add this highly corrosive fastener type to our stock list.
A little pearl of my own is ‘DO NOT forget your note book', it’s essential when speaking with so many people. I always make notes on the fine folk we speak to and their products. I've just looked at my notes to give you an example whilst writing. I've found one that reads. ’Super nice well dressed fella, and the fasteners they are showing us are definitely not ‘Chite’ :-) I can picture the bloke exactly in my mind's eye. Trust me, take a note book!
We’ll see you again next time Stuttgart
I started by saying ‘Do Trade Shows really help your business?’. This, and other trade shows we attend, have definitely propelled our business forward. Also another plus is the time out of the day to day of our company, it allows us to take a 'Business' Bird's Eye View. We're now back in the UK and have a long list of ideas to improve our systems and processes. A plan to bolster our sales and a brand new list of contacts to build new relationships.
That birds eye view also brings forth the realisation of that age old headache of entrepreneurs, working on the business rather than in it. We’re trying James, we’re really trying.That reference to James is another pearl I’d like to share. James Sinclair and his Business Broadcast. James is also a big advocate of trade shows, he's a super successful fella in the world of business. I listen to his business broadcast every week, he and ‘jamesburttofficial’ (hee hee, sorry JB) host a great pod aimed at business owners trying improve themselves and their companies. Personally I love it, give it a go, see what you think - here's a link to the podcast
Ok that’s me done, I say again 'go to a trade show in your industry', it’s worth its weight in stainless steel bolts.
See you on the next one Stuttgart.
Cheers
Jez.
