Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1440051
60 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2022 Article by Dan Beaulieu D.B. MANAGEMENT GROUP It's going to be a big deal for many of us to at- tend a large trade show like IPC APEX EXPO again. In fact, this was the last show I attended before locking down in early 2020—and that feels like a decade ago. With that in mind, going to IPC APEX EXPO this month will probably be the most impor- tant and valued trade show experience we have had in a very long time. We should all be doing everything we can to make this trade show ex- perience as beneficial as possible. Here are some tips on how to make this show, as well as any other show you attend, a mean- ingful experience so that you will be sure to get a great return on your investment. 1. What are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish? Why are you exhibiting at this show? Why are you spending all that money? Make sure you have the right an- swers to these questions before you even think about signing up for a trade show. 2. Develop the objectives. Are you there to sell equipment? Is this the right audience? Will the right decision makers, be there? Are you there to sell your services to other exhibitors, or are you there because you're worried people will think you have gone out of business if you're not there? (is is a terrible reason to exhibit at a show, by the way). Are you introducing a new prod- uct and want to deliver a white paper at the show? (is is a great reason to attend a show.) 3. Develop a comprehensive plan for when you and your team will be at the show. is means developing a daily schedule of who will be tending the booth and the times they will be there. But the schedule is not only about booth coverage. You also need to plan who will attend the sessions and why they will be attending them as well. 4. As far as booth coverage, make sure you have salespeople accompanied by techni- cal people so that together they can han- dle all the inquiries from the right booth visitors, especially those ad hoc meetings from interested people who are just stop- ping by to learn more. Many a sale has re- sulted from these chance meetings 5. Leave room for booth visitors. Don't have so many of your own people and their friends in the booth that a visitor is made to feel like they are crashing a party. In short, make room for the right people you want to meet and sell to. 6. Be prepared with collateral material. Have well-written print material to hand to your visitors. If your product is small Getting the Most Out of IPC APEX EXPO 2022