Each year our team at NASGW walks the show floor to meet new exhibitors and check in with long time exhibitors. We really try to listen and understand how their year is going but more specifically, how their time at the Expo is going. Manufacturers who have been attending the show for years and have established relationships with NASGW wholesalers are usually pretty busy with sales meetings yet the newer manufacturer members are anxious to connect with as many wholesalers as possible. Over the years we've identified a few things that will help exhibitors have a more productive Expo.
Schedule Meetings Before the Expo
This is the single most important piece of advice we can give you. Wholesale buyers are busy at the Expo and tend to go from one meeting to the next. Contact them early and set a time to meet with them. Inviting buyers to your booth is a great way to walk them through your product line and learn about their distribution capabilities. It's much easier to make that connection ahead of time instead of hoping wholesalers will just stop by your booth. Setting up as many meetings as you can throughout the week will get you on the right track for success.
Set Some Goals
What do you need to accomplish at the Expo to be successful? Do you need to sell a certain amount of your product? Do you need to establish your brand and make the industry aware of your company? Do you need to make as many contacts as possible? Maybe you need to do all of these things, but it is hard to measure success without an established goal in mind. Setting a goal will also help you plan out your week so you use your time at the Expo wisely.
Create a Gameplan
Failing to plan is planning to fail and just like your business planning, you need to come to the Expo with a strategy. For three days, you have many of the biggest buyers in the shooting sports industry all in one location. Use your goals to organize a strategy to get in front of those buyers. Waiting for them to come to you isn't the best strategy and you may not meet your expectations. Set a specific number of meetings per day in advance. Block out time for you or your team to walk the floor. Identify any marketing collateral you will need. Take advantage of sponsorship opportunities. Create a strategy to follow up with important contacts you meet. Get organized and you will have much better success.
We hope these tips will help you make the most out of your time at the NASGW Expo. Your success is important to us and important to making the shooting sports industry. We are looking forward to seeing you all in Pittsburgh and good luck with your Expo preparations.