My Love / Hate Relationship With Trade Shows

I came across this article and I had to post it because it is so true.


My Love / Hate Relationship With Trade Shows
May 22, 2010 | Mike Thimmesch |

Ask people about trade shows and you’ll provoke a strong reaction: they either love them or hate them. Me? It’s complicated. I love trade shows … most of the time. Here are 6 reasons I love trade shows, and 3 reasons I hate them:

1. I love to talk with customers at trade shows
At a trade show you have the opportunity to talk face-to-face to more customers in one day than you could in a month or more in the field. And while talking to hordes of customers is great from a sales standpoint, it’s just as valuable for a marketer like me. You get to listen to so many clients talk about their needs, challenges, pains, and goals. If they love your company and products, they tell you, and tell you why. If they don’t love your company they’ll tell what you need to improve. It’s like a monster focus group, except you are simultaneously generating valuable sales leads.

2. I love learning at trade shows
Today’s constant change requires constant learning. And while I gain lots of new ideas and insights via the web, people I follow on Twitter, magazines and books, I get a more potent infusion of knowledge attending sessions at trade shows. There is something about getting away from the office and its distractions that make these training sessions that much more impactful. I simply absorb more when attending a live presentation. You also learn what is the current state of the industry, as your body is an antennae receiving hundreds of transmissions a day answering the question, “How’s business?”

3. I love the marketing challenge
Trade show marketing is the epitome of integrated marketing. You bring together exhibit design, booth staffing, and promotions to create a memorable event that vividly engages your clients and prospects. Guess what? So do all your competitors. So the thrill is devising and executing a theme that stands out and gets attention, yet is clear and concise enough to be quickly understood. It’s a buzz when your booth is the buzz of the show floor.

4. I love to see our worldwide network
At our main industry show I get to connect with our far-flung team members who have also traveled to the show. I love to see friends from London to Los Angeles, Toronto to Texas, Memphis to Montreal, Canada to Costa Rica, and Frankfurt to Florida. I enjoy hearing how they’ve experimented with new marketing ideas. They are intelligent, passionate, caring, and just the people you want on your team and at your dinner table. The only downside: during show hours I am focused on taking leads for them and can’t chat so much then.

5. I love to talk to competitors at trade shows
In your normal day-to-day routine you never see your competitors. But at a trade show there are so many you are surrounded. That’s a good thing: They are not your enemy, they are your community. Your competitors share common goals, challenges, and interests. They can also be funny with a capital FUN. And networking with your competitors gives you deeper industry insights than you’ll get from talking only with your fellow employees.

6. I love the travel

Miami seen from Key Biscane, the day after a trade show.
When I fly to a trade show I always get a window seat because the view still astonishes me (such as Lake Mead on the way into Las Vegas). And when I get there? I try to tack a vacation day onto each trip, especially when good friends live there. Memorable days include biking on Angel Island in San Francisco, strolling the beach at Key Biscayne in Miami, touring the art museum in Philadelphia (no, Traci, I did NOT run up the steps), and rollerblading the Lake Michigan waterfront in Chicago. Each location has its own delicious flavor, and as a worldwide destination there is the blend of languages I also love to hear.

That’s a lot to love, but it’s unfortunately not the whole story. There are things I hate about trade shows:

1. I hate time away from my family
While I am having fun at trade shows, that’s tinged with missing my family. I miss the giggles, the growth, and the closeness. Whether it’s getting the kids off to school in the morning or homework patrol in the evening, I hate leaving my wife to carry a heavier load while I am gone. This year I will spend the 4th of July in Shanghai instead of with them, and other years I’ve missed soccer games, school performances, and spent my own birthday over a thousand miles away from the ones I love. And while milestone days are harder, every day away can suck.

2. I hate the weight gain
Okay, this doesn’t happen at every show because I’ve learned to watch out for it. But 8 years ago on a trip to Europe, where even bread and cheese is a culinary delight, I was astounded to find I was the Biggest Winner, putting on 11 pounds in 2 just weeks. People often tell me I have a hollow leg and can eat whatever I want. Not anymore, and especially at the tempting tables at trade show meals. (So sorry, no more seafood buffet at the Rio in Las Vegas.) Vigilence doesn’t taste as good, but it makes for less stress after the show.

3. I hate the growing pile back at the office
Sure, we’re more connected now with smart phones and wireless internet in our laptops, but when you truly engage with the entire trade show experience (booth staffing, show floor walking, networking, classes), there’s little time to keep up with the regular workload. And when you get back to the office after the show with that stack of leads, the pile on the desk competes with the quick follow up necessary to bring that trade show mojo to fruition. (Which is why you must have an excellent follow-up plan in place.)

With twice as many reasons to love trade shows as to hate them, I’ll be doing trade shows for years to come. What do you love about trade shows? Hate about them? Share your passions and pains in the comments box below. I’d love to hear from you!

Thank you~ 3rd Annual Madison's Wish Golf Tournament

Hello All, I wanted to pass along a letter from Madison’s mother and father:

On behalf of our family, I would like to thank you from my heart to yours as I think of how blessed our family is to have such wonderful people in our lives. Your commitment to helping us is sincerely appreciated. Your generosity will make an immediate difference in the lives of Madison and her SMA friends.
For one thing, we are going to use your donations raised at the 3rd Annual Madison’s Wish Golf Tournament to fund a water therapy program over the summer so our SMA friends can receive 1 free day per week of water therapy in Madison’s new pool. Your generosity is going to help Madison buy her formula, supplements, respiratory services, all the therapies insurance does not cover, create a learning space for home schooling since she is to medically fragile to attend preschool and make an accessible bathroom for her. 
A portion of the proceeds also went to Chris Odgen’s funeral expenses. Chris recently lost his battle with SMA Type I on May 10, 2010 at the young age of 9.
Our goal, is to continue to make a difference in the SMA world and in Madison’s battle. With the help of donations from supporters such as you, we will continue to see improvements in both. The amount of money raised at the 3rd Annual Madison’s Wish Golf Tournament will also let us focus on doing fundraisers for raising money for research for a treatment for SMA and one day a cure.

Frankly, we could not do what we do without supporters such as you. We deeply appreciate your generosity. We look forward to seeing you all next year.

Thanks again for your kindness,
Jennifer and Aaron
www.madisonswish.com

See the pics of the event here!
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=d700b09fbdd29376&sid=8AcsXLJi1Yt3lQ

Here is what we raised!
Total Raised $38,281.00
Total Expenses $17,125.35
Total funds to go toward Madison’s care and other children with SMA $21,155.65

Thank you to our Sponsors:
Metropolitan Exposition Services PLATINUM SPONSOR
IUPAT Local 1175 GOLD SPONSOR
Agile Trade Show & Event Furnishing SILVER SPONSOR
Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services SILVER SPONSOR
Gardens America SILVER SPONSOR
Nerds Support SILVER SPONSOR
1-800-411-PAIN HOLE SPONSOR
Dr. Barry Raxenberg & Dr. Bruce Ossler Chiropractic HOLE SPONSOR
Peter Doran HOLE SPONSOR
Smiley Carrasco HOLE SPONSOR
SMT Solutions HOLE SPONSOR
Stephens Distribution for sponsoring the BEER!
Creative Manufacturing Group, LLC for sponsoring the SHIRTS!
Rick Case Automotive Group for sponsoring the Hole-In-One!