As we’re getting ourselves and our companies ready for a busy fall tradeshow season, I thought it would be great to highlight how we can best prepare for the networking and professional development opportunities that events have to offer and how to maximize your efforts. These are among the most valuable aspects of attending industry tradeshows like TPS, MINExpo, and WEFTEC coming up and knowing how to leverage this your advantage is crucial!

Pre-Show Prep

• Define what your goal is for each tradeshow. This will help with the direction on what you should accomplish while you’re there.
• Do your research! By identifying key exhibitors, speakers, attendees, or customers ahead of the show, you’ll be setting yourself up to get as much as you can out of the event.
• Download the event app. Most tradeshows now have an app that exhibitors/attendees can download on their phone that makes it easy to see the layout of the show floor and be able to map out where you want to go.
• Make sure that your LinkedIn profile it up-to-date and that you have current business cards. Connections are so important at tradeshows so you want to make sure that you’re putting your best foot forward when engaging at events. Make sure that your LinkedIn is current so that as you’re connecting with new people you meet (which you should be doing to grow your online network) they have all of the correct details for you, as well as making sure that you have updated business cards that you can hand out in person.

Making the Most out of Networking Opportunities

• If you’re an introvert like me, networking can be exhausting. But participating in official networking sessions, luncheons, and evening hospitality events can be extremely beneficial in building strong relationships with people. Nothing still beats meeting people face to face when it comes to starting out a new relationship.
• This is also another area that you can leverage the tradeshow app and use it to connect with other attendees and schedule meet-ups.

Participate in Professional Development Opportunities

• Attend the sessions that pique your interest or that you want to have a better understanding around. Events are the best place to be able to get a constant stream of quality education in the matter of a few days. You can also earn certifications at a lot of these events to enhance your credentials. Take advantage of it!
• Visit exhibitor booths and learn about new products/technologies. Tradeshows are a mecca for learning about all the awesome things that companies have to offer that specific industry. See what people are showcasing. A lot of companies also use these events to launch new things so it can help you stay ahead of the curb on what’s new to the industry.

Post-Show Follow-up

• You’ve made the most of your tradeshow and now it’s time to go home! But the work isn’t done, yet. Follow-up is key after events to continue to build on the relationships that you started at the event. Make sure that you’ve connected with everyone you met on LinkedIn and send out personalized emails to the people that you want to keep engaging with.
• After you’ve done that, make sure to set up reminders for yourself to follow-up again in a few weeks if you don’t hear back. In a world that seems to keep getting busier and busier, don’t just assume that they got your email and weren’t interested. Continue to make the initiative and find creative ways to engage.

I hope these tips will come in handy as you’re heading as everyone is packing up and heading out to the various shows coming up. Our team at Empowering Pumps & Equipment are also gearing up for a busy fall season of travel. As few places you’ll see us at: TPS, MINExpo, WEFTEC, Fluid Sealing Association’s Annual Meeting, and NGWA. And of course, we hope to see you at our Empowering Women in Industry Conference in October and our Empowering Pumps & Industry Conference (EPIC) in November! These events that we host every year are amazing networking and personal/professional development opportunities that you won’t want to miss out on.