So without being to repetitive...
I think tradeshows are a must for any business! They are inspiring and good fun. It doesn't matter if you go as an exhibitor or a visitor. I've always been a visitor and what i get out of it is brilliant, so i think i can safely assume that being an exhibitor would be the same, possibly better.
As i mentioned i was at a show at the weekend and it was great. I was loaded with the cold and felt i could have done with being in bed trying to get better, but I'm glad i got my butt down there. We registered and walked through the door, decided to start on the left side of the hall and the first stall we hit was a supplier that i had been wanting to find for a few months now, maybe even longer than that. The next stall down was another supplier that done something similar. We even got a 3rd contact for the same product later that day.
The whole day went like that, it was so good and i left feeling really buzzed. As we were leaving we went back to one of the stalls to go speak to a rep from one of the clothing brands. I had only met Katie a few days before but it was really nice to meet her again in a different setting and she introduced me to a colleague of hers who was another really good contact. We chatted about clothing sizing, one of my true passions, and about studying in Galashiels.
If you go to a show make sure you talk to the folks you know as well as folks you don't, again it all comes down to networking. But by chatting to suppliers and other folks in the same industry as yourself means you can get all sorts of hints and tips. Talking to Katie's colleague i was chatting about the clothing they rep, and i was saying how i liked the brand but i wished they did it in bigger sizes as there really isn't that great a selection for larger sizes. They agreed that it was something that would be good to look into and wondered if i would mind getting a call to discuss my thoughts further on the subject, of course i wouldn't mind.
It was good to have someone to talk to about this i do feel there is a big gap in the market for clothing that go higher than a size 18/20, which again is another issue i feel strongly about, and know that for myself and my customers it would be good to have the options for more variety in sizes above an 18/20. I only normally get to talk about this topic to my customers, so to speak to the reps from a company that may be able to do something about it was great.
All in the day of a tradeshow. So to repeat my point, if you get the chance to go to a show then do it, do it, do it.
