by Sean Piper, Marketing
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| Oh, the places you’ll go! |
Attending an industry trade show and going to college have a lot in common. Both have the potential to be life-changing, social, and a lot of fun! But if you don’t have your priorities straight, they can also be an expensive waste of time. To help you get the most value from the upcoming Imprinted Sportswear Show in Long Beach, CA we’ve put together a handy study guide.
Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to ace the show:
Get to class. Don’t forget — you’re going to Long Beach to get an education. But instead of reading Beowulf, you’re there to learn about techniques and technology that can bring value to your garment decoration business. At ISS, major exhibitors will liven up the classroom with seminars hosted by prominent industry leaders and innovators. Stahls’ ID Direct, for example, will be featuring workshops led by acknowledged industry thought leaders Dane Clement and Josh Ellsworth.
Don’t delay reserving your seat in class. Just like those old university days, exciting courses fill up fast. Wait too long and you could miss out on a wealth of new knowledge and ideas. Luckily, ISS makes it easy to plan ahead. Follow this link to reserve seats easily in advance: http://issshows.com/long-beach/conference-schedule.shtml
Do your homework. Before you set foot on the expo floor, have a list of the various exhibitors and vendors with whom you want to meet and talk. Be sure to identify specific objectives for those meetings so you’re maximizing your time. Whether it’s checking out a new product launch, seeing what your competitors are up to, or closing a major sale, having a game plan is crucial to efficiently utilizing your time on the floor. The ISS website is a great place to start planning.
Take Notes. Interesting seminars, 2014 trends, new product launches, anything that grabs your eye — these are all things that you need to be taking note of and recording for later reference and analysis. Photos are vital when trying to capture the look and feel of a trade show. The bottom line is this — there will be way too much going on at ISS for you to rely solely on your memory. Have a recording method in place and be diligent. Along with a comfortable pair of shoes and your scan badge, a reliable notebook, digital camera, or tablet should be your constant companion throughout the weekend.
Socialize (but don’t overdo it). Remember rush week freshman year? While the threat of pledge week is gone, introducing yourself to people at a trade show and getting your name out there is crucial if you want to build new relationships and create opportunities for yourself.
At ISS Long Beach, you’ll have the opportunity for plenty of face-to-face interactions with industry professionals from all over the country. As important as this is, keep in mind that making new connections is just one of the reasons you’re attending ISS. It can be fun and valuable to grab a drink or a meal with the occasional new contact. But remember — time will fly. Before you know it, the event will be over. Try designating specific hours to networking and socializing and you can have fun without infringing on the original goals and objectives you had for attending.
Remember — by attending ISS you’re making an educational investment in yourself and your garment decoration business. So the question you’ll want to keep in mind throughout the weekend is this: “How can I make the most out of this education?”
The answer: Listen, learn, have a little fun, and get to class! And of course, be sure to come pay Stahls’ ID Direct a visit in booth 1011.