It’s time to start planning for 2010 and I believe attending tradeshows and conventions should be part of your plan. I’ve written about this before, but I think people sometimes avoid attending shows because they believe it’s too costly. It does cost a lot of money to have a booth at a tradeshow, but you can register and attend as a buyer or regular attendee. There’s a lot to be gained from walking the floor. It’s often free, but if you do have to pay an entry fee, it will usually be well under $100.
One of the benefits of going to these events is staying in touch with the changes in your industry. You don’t want to be left in the dust, while everyone else is taking advantage of new equipment or resources that you don’t even know about. Also, you need to get a sense of the trends. Are people going organic? (chances are, yes) Are they scaling back and offering product lines that are more consumer friendly, during our economic recovery? You need to know the predominant direction your industry is taking. This doesn’t mean that you must, or even should, do what everyone else is doing. You want to stand out. But you need to be aware if something is becoming outmoded.
Also, you should talk to some of the other business owners. They might be your competition, but they can also be your best source for information.
Finally, you need to take advantage of the marketing opportunity. Along with business cards, you can bring printed marketing material and a few samples. You should be prepared to pitch your product if the opportunity arises. Identify any buyers that are checking out products similar to yours, and if it feels appropriate, approach them – gently.
Do a Google search for "trade shows", and enter your industry (cosmetics, apparel, etc…) and your city or state. And if you've never attended a show before, you can click on the images above to familiarize yourself with tradeshows and what they have to offer, in general. To avoid disappointment, make a note of the deadlines for ticket purchases, and any other attendance requirements.
