How To Get The Most Out Of Your Expo Experience
No matter how old or experienced you are as an entrepreneur, you will inevitably have to attend an expo or tradeshow if you are going to take your business to the next level. So, how can you avoid making simple rookie mistakes? How do you dodge the growing pains associated with inexperience? Well, you do research. You ask other entrepreneurs, CEO’s and company presidents what has caused them to fail or succeed, although accumulating all that information will be tedious and cost you time, money and energy. Until now. One of the goals here at Cashinbis is to provide a roadmap entrepreneurs can use to obtain higher levels of success. As such, we have gone to the effort to bring you CEO’s, company presidents and other industry experts so they can tell you first hand, how to get the most out of your expo or tradeshow experience.
What To Bring
“You always want to bring something unique. But don’t expect it to last. It might last one show, but then you have to find something different.” – David Paul – EZ Grow Systems
“Bring blank pieces of paper. When I get a card, I staple it to the piece of paper and write a description of the person on it. That way, when I get home I don’t have to try and recall all the different people I met. I can read the paper and remember exactly who a person is and what we were talking about. It’s saved me allot of time over the years.” – Matt Celesta – Scientist – WasteFarmers
“AND COFFEE. Bring plenty of coffee or whatever gets you jazzed up. It’s a pretty draining experience being out here all day.” – Matt Celesta – Scientist – WasteFarmers
“Bring information. Do a little research on the event you are going to attend beforehand. That way you know exactly what questions you want to ask and who you want to target.” Bill Monroe – Gentlemen Growing
“Be sure to bring a big bag for all the free stuff.” – Brandon Shepard – Moto Pot
“Bring comfortable shoes – You’ll be on your feet for a long time.” – Michael Miller – President – National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
“Bring your product! And all the business cards you can. You would be amazed at how many people run out of business cards. Also, bring water! People don’t realize how long the days are here, it is important to stay hydrated!” – Ashley Weber – theHila
“Bring a smile on your face! Positivity is contagious.” – Guillermo Bravo – President – Cannaeo
“Be sure to bring the lifeline of your business, whatever that is. For me, it is the charger to my laptop so I can show people my website.” – Michael Berger – CEO – Technical420
“Bring a visually appealing booth. Something that is going to catch the eye of your peers and draw them in.” – Darren Cloud – Key to Life
“Honestly, I’m a fan of getting people to sit down and talk with you face to face. I say bring your couch.” – Meghan Larson – Adistry
Don’t Forget Your Business Card!
“Don’t forget your business cards! A lot of people will have the elegant backdrops and beautiful booth setups…and forget their business cards.” – Michael Miller – President – National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
“More business cards than you think you need! Yes, you are here to find great products, but the biggest thing you are going to find is connections.” Rob Rusher – CEO – GrowBuddy
“If you are attending an event, bring business cards or return address envelopes. If you have interest in a product, leave a way for people to contact you. Contact information is just as important on the buyers side as the sales side.” – Bill Monroe – Gentlemen Growing
“Bring your business cards. If you forget them, go home and get them. They are vital if you want to have a successful expo appearance.” – David Paul – EZ Grow Systems
@Cashinbis Covers the Denver IndoExpo
#1 Biggest Mistake
“The worst thing is to run out of business cards or product samples, things to give away. Be prepared. Double check everything.” – Bill Monroe – Gentlemen Growing
“Sitting by yourself, not talking to anybody is one of the biggest mistakes I see people make.” – Rob Rusher – CEO – GrowBuddy
“Walking past tables without stopping to learn something. You need to stop and interact with people to get the full experience.” – James Guenard – Grow4Vets
“Don’t stand out in front of your own booth. It blocks people from being able to come in on their own. Stand back, allow people to come talk to you. Your product should sell itself.” Gary Gabrel – Medtiva
Successful Entrepreneurs Are Doing This
“It’s all about the brand. You have to have a good face to your product and you have to stand behind your brand.” – Brandon Shepard – Moto Pot
“What makes me successful at an Expo is that I listen as much as I talk. We like to reach out for information. You can’t learn by keeping to yourself!” – James Guenard – Grow4Vets
“Expos really begin weeks and months before the event. Get on social media and get your clients to come out and help spread the word as testimonials.” – Michael Miller – President – National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
“Show up a day early…Always. Especially if the event is in a big city, like Chicago or Denver.” – David Paul – EZ Grow Systems
“Having a good setup is the biggest key. You want to have something that draws people in and you don’t want to clutter up the outside or corners, because that’s where people congregate and talk. You have to have a good flow.” – Alli Cloyd – Hemplements
“Learn everyone’s name – find out how you can help them and how they can help you. Never disregard anyone at your booth, because you never know who people really are.” – Michael Miller – President – National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
@Cashinbis Interviews Michael Miller at Denver IndoExpo
Network
“The biggest part of going to any event is the networking. Talk to people. dont be afraid to go up to people and join a conversation.” Rob Rusher – CEO – GrowBuddy
“Over my 27 years of experience, I find that the most important aspect to any event is to build relationships. Get to know the client and network with other professionals. It’s not always how much money you have or what your product does that will make it successful. A lot of the time it’s the relationships that you build that will make you a longstanding success.” – Michael Miller – President – National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
“Come ready to network. Be sure to step out of your booth, meet other vendors and be personable in your interactions.” – Guillermo Bravo – President – Cannaeo
Prepare Your Mind
“The attitude you come in with is huge key. If you bring a positive attitude then people will engage with you more and you will build better relationships and connections.” – Bill Monroe – Gentlemen Growing
“It’s super important to cultivate an open mind – there are a lot of great things that happen at expo events, if you aren’t willing to take it all in then you are going to be left behind.” – Matt Celesta – Scientist – WasteFarmers
“Be mentally prepared to answer in depth questions and be on point with your responses.” – Guillermo Bravo – President – Cannaeo
“Attendees – come with an open mind – a lot of people are on the fence when they come here. Be able ask questions and interact with businesses to truly learn who is behind them.” – Michael Miller – President – National Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
“Visit other tradeshows and check out what makes other vendors successful. We’re all borrow from each other to make these expos come together collaboratively.” – Bill Monroe – Gentlemen Growing
“There are a lot of conventions out there you could attend – do you homework and make sure the ones you are going to will be worth your time and money. After all, your goal is to GROW your business.” – Michael Berger – CEO – Technical420
There you have it. Think of all the time, energy and money you just saved by educating yourself and becoming a better prepared entrepreneur. Better yet, pay it forward and make an effort to share this information with someone who might need it! At Cashinbis, we attend many trade shows and expo’s, hopefully we will see you soon! Just be sure to have your business cards!
Do you have any questions about attending an expo or trade show? What advice would you give to someone going for the first time? Join the conversation and comment below!
