continued from previous pager You may attend a show intending to purchase a piece of equipment and end up meeting a distributor who changes your business. A chef may discover an ingredient they had never considered. A manufacturer may meet an operator who provides an idea for its next product. A five- minute conversation in an aisle can sometimes become a relationship lasting decades. That is where trade shows continue to have tremendous value. However, attendees need a strategy. Before traveling, study the exhibitor list. Identify companies you want to meet. Schedule appointments. Review educational sessions and competitions. Leave some time to walk the floor without an agenda because discovery remains one of the most valuable parts of attending. Exhibitors should prepare differently as well. Don't measure success solely by how many badges were scanned. Ten meaningful conversations with legitimate prospects can be more valuable than hundreds of names that never become customers. Social media and video have also extended the life of a trade show. A demonstration that once reached 50 people standing around a booth can now reach thousands online. Interviews conducted during a three-day event can continue generating attention months later. That creates an interesting opportunity for the entire industry. Perhaps trade shows aren't becoming less important. They're becoming different. The successful trade show of tomorrow will combine face-to-face relationships with education, experiences, digital content and year-round communication. So, are trade shows still worth the trip? Maybe the better question is: When you make the trip, are you doing enough to make it worth it?
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