How To Get The Most Out Of A Tradeshow
 

- Do your homework. By knowing who is attending and speaking you can save a ton of time wading through endless emails and notifications

- Wait a few weeks after the conference to follow-up with those who you want to maintain contact with, to escape the post-conference clutter

- Don't bank on selling your product on the spot, but rather focus on generating serious interest

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/28586.asp

Also if you are shy - just don't go. You have to talk to people to network - dont wait for people to approach you :)

Shapalicious should have some good tips for you on how to properly network. :winkwink:

Bastard always dragging me in. You employed by avn? :thumbsup

Too many people are too busy selling their product instead of creating a relationship. Our industry is quite small creating relationships are far more important imo.

Btw Mark you are probably the king of shows. I was telling someone yesterday you are one guy I'd send to every show. You know how to work it.

my tip, know when to party and when to do biz. Loads of people seem to get caught up in the buzz and forget what they are there for (if doing business is your main point ofcourse) drinking too much and being wasted all day long.

It's not officially a "business thread" until there has been an appearance by Shapaclious.
:thumbsup

Haha thanks bud! I would honestly cede that nomination to Brad Mitchell from Mojohost. He has bought more drinks at hotel bars than anyone i have ever met LOL! He says hello to everyone regardless of what they do in the industry and is a great dude to hang with. Plus you can't miss him with those wonderful shirts that we all love :)

Yeah but you know what? Not many people make connections like you do. It helps that you are a charlie sheen party animal. You have a lot of close friends in the industry. That goes a lot further imo. Shows are a great opportunity to meet a lot of people but also really key for developing your core relationships as well.

Whatever you do don't do what I did for the longest time LOL. I'd go to the city hosting the show. Stay off site and go to the show for maybe 2 hours total LOL.

http://www.fubarwebmasters.com/galle...553/z03339.jpg

http://www.fubarwebmasters.com/galle...553/z03342.jpg

http://www.fubarwebmasters.com/galle...548/z02441.jpg

http://www.fubarwebmasters.com/galle...548/z02382.jpg

But while you wait they might make few deals with other companies and you will be left out (they will no longer need your services etc)

Thank you Mark for the kudos and Julius, thank you for taking the time to post some recent pics! Shap, perhaps now that you're spending more than 2 hours a day at shows and staying on premise... I'm happy to introduce you to people, it appears that you weren't invested in what has evolved around you for the last decade. :)

Cheers,

Brad

I gotta agree with Mark on this one, Brad is the king of shows. I've lost count how many people he has introduced me to. He's a great guy to know.

Pleasure Brad:thumbsup

http://www.fubarwebmasters.com/galle...546/z00115.jpg

http://www.fubarwebmasters.com/galle...546/z00152.jpg

http://www.fubarwebmasters.com/galle...530/z02314.jpg

I was too busy being Beth's bag boy. We have a hands free shopping rule for her :1orglaugh

I try to follow Brad's lead. It's all about hanging out...

I thought you were going to get new shirts ??:1orglaugh

70 shots please..thanks Brad! :)

HAHA yes, I do remember those shots! Thanks, Brad :) It's always fun to hang out with you :thumbsup

I second you here. For me establishing relationships is the key at shows as that's what helps you achieve the long term effect. I have quite a few deals closed months or years after the show at which we had met with the people, while at the actual show there was not much business we could do together.

Be remarkable, establish a good relationship, and people will come back to you with business offers:winkwink:

:2 cents::2 cents::2 cents:

There is nothing worse when people just go for the kill. Hang out have a drink and let's chill and talk. Then we can talk biz later.

Patience, persistence, consistency, "getting out of the box" and a lot of humility. If you always spend time with the same people, you never do new business. The grander success doesn't start with the direct relationships, IE, meeting your "customer". This is ideal, of course, but the dividend comes from establishing relationships and a 'bond' with as many quality people as possible. Searching for the exact customer by exclusion of everyone else, one misses out establishing themselves as "top of mind" for their talent/specialty with the other 95% of the crowd. Customer referrals are always the most powerful, true. Imagine the power of having those from 500+ adult companies (X their staff count) in addition to being top of mind with more than a thousand (or thousands) of other casual (and better) relationships over a span of 11 years. That's some powerful relationship building and inflow of fully qualified new business.

Nothing works by itself, alone. Not interesting shirts. Not funny stories. Not buying luscious amounts of drinks, food. It's only by sharing a real human experience, honest business experience and having the sincerity of being a good listener and connecting with someone that in combination is impossible to beat.

Brad

My number one tip is to take good clear notes about what you discuss with each individual. I've made the mistake in the past of thinking I'd remember only to end up sorting through 100's of cards and not remembering many of the great ideas and potential partnerships that we discussed.

One nice word - Synergy, and it does work!

Thanks for the valuable tips Mark :thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

So thats what I have been doing wrong!

Well said my friend and former competitor :)

A few weeks to follow up?! Clearly not written for mainstream people. They're following up before I'm even on the flight back home.
WG

</insert cock in mouth>

Bring a credit card with no limit LOL

I found that funny as well, are you there to do business or not? No pussyfooting around, you want to do businees , close the deal :2 cents::thumbsup

always be presentable to others........