Vegas, right here we come! Certainly one of our favorite shows of the 12 months, The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and International Builders Show (IBS). Vegas certain for the present for the eighth time for this present. This isn’t our first rodeo, and a present we’d’t miss.
Yearly with each present, it simply retains getting higher and higher. From connecting with model companions, assembly up with our trade buddies, to the tutorial session, to seeing what’s coming to market, and the place the design and construct trade goes …we all the time go away a greater particular person!
Have a Mission
That is for any present we go to, we all the time have a transparent goal and goal for going to the present.
Conventions are costly! And also you don’t wish to go, simply to go. For us, it’s not for the present and to get that one Instagram image. It’s about bringing worth to our enterprise and model.
By the point you get your flights, lodges, tickets booked, after which when you’re there and also you spend cash on occasions, meals, and drinks we simply spend $1,500- $2,000 per particular person.
So take into consideration why you’re going to the present and what you wish to get out of it. If in case you have a transparent goal, aim, and goal for going and remind your self of your why I promise you’ll go away with what you went there for.
For us at c2s, our goal is to…
- Educate ourselves on new merchandise
- Find out about new and greatest enterprise practices
- Join with new model companions
- Join and construct deeper relationships with nationwide trade buddies
Realizing our goal, we create measurable objectives that we be certain we hit as a crew. We every need to…
- Schedule 8-10 conferences prior
- Go to 5-10 lessons/programs/stay exhibits
- Schedule 3-4 intentional conferences with model companions with the intent to signal contacts after the present inside the following 2-4 months
- Present up at 1-3 occasions
- Go away with 10-15 enterprise playing cards
- One weblog publish recap of all that we discovered
Do Your Analysis
Do your homework earlier than going to the present. In any other case, you’ll 100% be overwhelmed. The conference heart is a big place, and you’ll simply get misplaced or miss out on issues that you just in any other case ought to have been spending your time doing.
Months earlier than the present, we begin wanting up on the KBIS & IBS web sites what manufacturers might be there that we wish to take a look at and what lessons and exhibits they’re internet hosting that we wish to attend. We additionally begin following and taking note of the KBIS & IBS social media channels and following their hashtags. One other straightforward solution to see what might be occurring on the present to start out planning out our schedule.
Be Susceptible, Join
If you happen to catch wind of somebody on Instagram raving a few stay podcast they’re excited to attend or a sales space they’re dying to go to, leap proper in and be a part of the dialogue. It’s like tapping right into a treasure trove of suggestions and making connections abruptly!
You understand, we’ve bought this little custom of internet hosting a comfy luncheon meet-up with our trade friends, and it’s all the time a blast. However right here’s the factor – so many instances, of us have left a touch upon one in every of our posts concerning the present, expressing their curiosity. And guess what? We’ve ended up inviting them to hitch our gang for lunch! It’s like increasing our circle with out even realizing it.
So, subsequent time you’re scrolling by your feed and see somebody buzzing about KBIS & IBS, don’t hesitate to chime in. Who is aware of, you would possibly simply rating your self an invitation to the best lunch get together on the town!
Create a Free Agenda, Schedule your Time
Then begin scheduling your time earlier than you jet out! That is one thing we didn’t do the primary couple of years we went to the present, which was not solely an enormous missed alternative however a waste of time.
We request this from our crew too. We ask for every of them to run by their schedule earlier than we fly out, and also you wager, their schedules higher be full!
As of proper now, our schedules are full again to again in hour conferences from 8 am and occasions till midnight. Additionally, we have already got our maps scheduled out, in any other case by the point if you determine the place you’re strolling to, you may have already got wasted an hour. Nonetheless, it may be worthwhile simply to stroll the present flooring too, don’t get me unsuitable.
Begin Connecting Earlier than the Present
Whether or not it’s with manufacturers or different buddies, colleagues, opponents within the trade…begin connecting with them on-line. Instagram is without doubt one of the best methods to do that! Begin commenting on their posts, sending them direct messages, get your title and model in entrance of them in order that while you attain out to schedule time to satisfy, they’re not questioning who you’re.
Connecting and constructing these relationships earlier than you head to the present is not going to solely show you how to develop deeper and extra extra significant relationships but additionally create extra new alternatives.
By connecting and constructing these relationships through the years, for us, it has led to being on stay podcasts on the present, invited to non-public trade events, being featured on the quilt and within the KBB journal, and have had paid model sponsorships/appearances whereas on the market.
Get Conferences Set Up
We take a peek at the entire manufacturers we’ve been utilizing and beloved prior to now 12 months, and if we don’t have already got a private relationship with them, we begin reaching out and asking for a gathering quite than simply popping into their sales space. The reason is is as a result of this present is BUSY, and lots of the individuals you would possibly wish to speak to is perhaps taking a break or in one other assembly while you swing in. So once more, to not waste time, join with the individuals you wish to meet, see, and study from earlier than you head to the present.
Be Tenacious!
This was our phrase final 12 months, tenacious!! And boy has it modified who we’re. Going to giant exhibits like this, even when it’s not for the primary time, cannot solely really feel overwhelming, however it may be actually intimidating.
However in case you’re going to spend the money and time to indicate up, SHOW UP. Be daring, ask for manufacturers playing cards, join with others on-line, present up at that occasion and stroll in with confidence and put your hand out and introduce your self. I imply, what’s the worst that’s going to occur and I promise you, by being tenacious, it can convey your model to the following stage!
Have enjoyable!
And don’t neglect to let unfastened and have some enjoyable!! In any case, that is what a big a part of the present is all about! Celebrating the wins, laughing off the losses, classes discovered, and onerous work you’ve put in all through the previous 12 months! And celebrating the place the design + construct trade is transferring.
Now, who’s Vegas certain?! If it’s you and also you’re in search of one thing to do on Wednesday at 3:00, come hang with us at “The Spot.” We’ll be on a stay podcast speaking all of the issues with Protractor Podcast. See ya there!
