Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1491409
38 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2023 to send the equipment straight from the show to a customer's factory, at the customer's expense, rather than send it back to headquarters at their expense. 3. Look for strategic partners. Create syner- gistic, strategic partnerships of all kinds, rang- ing from offshore suppliers for global sourcing, to designers if you're a board shop or an assem- bly partner—all aimed at offering a complete solution in the future. 4. Mergers and acquisitions. With all the company representatives gathered together, it's a great time to meet up with companies you might be negotiating with, or to be introduced to companies of interest. It is the perfect arena for these kinds of meetups. 5. Classes and presentations. is is the best place to find out what is going on in the industry. Just about everything new is being talked about. Take a crash course in technol- ogy updates. You'll be better for it. 6. Find and hire key people. One of the big- gest challenges we're all having right now is finding and hiring key personnel. Conferences and expos provide an excellent opportunity to meet, interview, and hire that perfect team member. 7. Find a new job. On the other side of that proverbial coin, this can be a great time to find a new position. Almost every major com- pany in our industry will be at the show so it's a fantastic time to spread your resumé by meeting and talking with as many folks as pos- sible—especially those who might be looking for you. 8. Check out your competition. What are others up to? What products do they have and what are they introducing? How are they selling it? Look at their sample products. It's that one time of the year when you get a front-row seat to what's in your competitors' portfolios. 9. Old friends. Catch up with old friends and acquaintances, see what they are up to, and always keep yours—and theirs—businesses in mind. What can you do for each other? 10. Scout for next year. Finally, make some decisions about whether it would be a good venue for your company to become an exhibi- tor the next time around. Ask good questions of the exhibitors, get a feel for why they are there, and be direct about understanding the benefits of having a booth. As always, be intentional. Treat your time and money with respect. Before you go to the show, prepare by making a working task list of what you want to accomplish. Set up the meet- ings in advance. Use your time productively, making every minute count toward delivering a high impact show report—with recommenda- tions—to your management in the home office upon your return. Take careful notes when meeting with peo- ple. It is always better if you are the notetaker, the person who lists the action items, who they are assigned to, and when the action needs to be completed. Of course, make sure you are the person responsible for getting things done. Keep the ball moving on whatever project you launched at the show. I'm sure you already did some of these activi- ties. If there are some that you missed, that you now realize you could be more intentional, then that's where my bonus tip comes in. SMT007 My last tip: Follow up, follow up, follow up. e more efficiently and diligently you follow up aer any networking event—not just trade shows—the more successful you will be. Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group, and an I-Connect007 columnist. To read past columns, click here.