Whew! That was fun! The ICA show, I mean. And by “fun” I mean, man, I’m glad that’s over for another year.
Don’t get me wrong, I love going to Vegas, seeing old friends and making new ones, but after sitting at a desk all year long, standing on concrete for hours on end has kind of lost its appeal. Or maybe I’m just getting older…nah, that can’t be it.
From the vendor side, the show sets up the bulk of our business for the coming year so execution of our plan while there is crucial.
Executing the plans you formulated while at the show is crucial as well. You did formulate a plan to take back and implement, didn’t you?
While trade shows are great social gatherings, they exist for owners/operators to get together with vendors and see what’s new, what’s improved, and to learn what vendor offers will improve your operations.
Trade shows also offer educational sessions to help you better yourselves and your businesses. Are you taking advantage of all the trade shows have to offer?
It’s been said that if you discover one item at a trade show that will make you more successful, then your trip was worth your time and money.
Here are some tips to get the most bang for your trade show buck:
We offer this advice to all CarWash College graduates regarding they classes they attend but it applies equally for attending trade shows.
First, if you sent others to the show, meet with them upon their return and discuss your original objectives for their attending the show i.e., why you sent them and what you wanted them to learn. If you attended, it is helpful to write down what your original goals were and then share these goals with your key personnel.
Second, during this post-show meeting, ask your personnel what they learned from the show and how they plan to use it to maximize their daily job performance. If you attended the show, having a meeting with your key personnel and sharing what you learned, and reviewing your original goals, will better assist you in achieving those goals.
Third, hold a follow-up meeting 30 days after your personnel attended the show. Review what has been accomplished, and determine other ways of incorporating what they learned into their daily routine. Again, if you attended the show, conduct your 30-day evaluation using a similar process.
Everyone loves to have a good time at the shows but if you can have a good time and bring back something valuable, it’s a true win-win! The trick is to implement what you’ve learned while it’s fresh in your mind.
I hope you enjoyed the show, now get to work!
Bob Fox is an instructor at CarWash College™. Bob can be reached at BFox@sonnysdirect.com. For more information about CarWash College™ certification programs, visit www.carwashcollege.com or call the registrar’s office at 1-866-492-7422