The Zen of Attending Trade Shows: Give More to Receive More

Posted on by Cameron Bell

Most people attending trade shows or industry events will ask themselves, “What will I get out of this?” That reaction is completely natural, normal and worth exploring. Events are expensive given the costs for travel, hotel, registration and more.

The real secret to making and strengthening real relationships at tradeshows comes down to the law of reciprocity. While everyone else is “taking” value from others, you should be the one giving value to others. Especially to the big fish you want to influence most heavily.

We’d like to pose a different point of view: have you thought of what you can contribute to attending the event? Who can you help? Whether you believe in Karma or not, the principle holds true that the more you put into something, the more you will get out of it. Reciprocity is simply a hardwired trait of human beings: When you give to someone else, they simply feel compelled to give back.

Here are some ways you can contribute to others’ experience when attending trade shows:

· Be a connector – Think of the people you know, who might not know each other but would benefit from an introduction. Proactively make that introduction and, if appropriate, help facilitate a meeting. When you establish yourself as a connector, you deepen your roots within your network. And that means you will be top of mind the next time that person needs to refer the services you provide.

· Share your expertise – Most trade shows and conferences have opportunities for sharing, such as panels, roundtables and Q&A sessions. Freely share knowledge and experiences that would contribute to the discussion, and help your fellow attendees, even if your competition may be in the audience. The act of sharing will establish you as a subject matter expert in the minds of the listeners, and that will come back to you as more business in the long run.

· Volunteer – Every event needs volunteers for various tasks and responsibilities. When you volunteer, you get to know people at a deeper level and strengthen your network. You will also earn brownie points with the event staff, which will put you in a good position for event perks when they become available. You don’t need to spend a large amount of time volunteering for this to work – just the act of offering help will go a long way.

· Add Value – This could mean anything to your network. What do they value in life and how can you add to it, without asking anything in return. Yes this takes time, planning and research. Most don’t do it. You’ll stand out if you do.

We’d like to challenge you to consider these tips when attending your next trade show or conference and observe the additional doors that open for you.

What other ways can you think of to contribute to trade shows and conferences? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

Telecom Consultants: 5 Tradeshow Best Practices

Posted on by Cameron Bell

With several trade shows on the horizon for telecom agents, we wanted to share some insights into taking full advantage of them. As you know, tradeshows are an investment in your business (sometimes a BIG investment), so having these points in mind will help you have the best experience possible.

1) Be prepared!

Plan your trade show strategy in advance to make the most of your experience. Coordinate with your team to make sure you clearly understand the show schedule and who needs to be where at each given time. You may want to “divide and conquer” having different people attend sessions while others walk the trade show floor. If you attend by yourself, make sure to divide your time to meet the most people. And of course, make sure you have plenty of business cards, brochures, or anything else you may want to hand out to potential prospects and partners.

2) Begin working the tradeshow in advance.

Check the website of the trade show to determine what companies are exhibiting, and join the LinkedIn group for the show if available to see who will be attending. Begin networking and planning meetings in advance so you don’t walk into the trade show “cold.” The most effective shows are often the ones where you are continuously tied up in meetings with actual partners or potential partners.

3) Leverage your current network.

Let people know you will be attending the trade show, and ask them to connect you with people who might be a good fit for you. They say there are “six degrees of separation” between people, but at a trade show it’s more likely to be one or two. Here are some ways to let people know you’re attending:

• Register early

• Take advantage of any online groups the show may offer (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.)

• Include an announcement in your regular newsletter

• Update your website to include an announcement

• Write a blog about why you’re attending the show and who you’d like to meet

• Reach out to your current customers and partners by phone or email

4) Get out of your comfort zone!

Some conferences and trade shows can be somewhat daunting. There is so much going on and so many people to meet. It can sometimes be tempting to stick with the people and activities you already know and are comfortable with. To make the most of your time at a trade show, take some risks and step out of the proverbial box. Introduce yourself to strangers, attend workshops you wouldn’t normally be interested in, and make sure to attend the mixers, parties and other social functions. You will be surprised at how open people are to making new connections, and that amazing new opportunity may be hiding where you least expect it!

5) Take notes.

There’s nothing worse than returning from an amazing trade show only to stare at a large stack of business cards and wonder who was who. To avoid this, you may want to develop an easy system for marking the cards you receive (“1” for hot leads, “2” for longer term leads, “P” for potential partners, etc.). Just make sure you discreetly mark every card so your follow-up will be fast and effective.

Power Tip: Check out Field Notes for a new, simple, and discrete method to take notes at the tradeshow. Look at field notes here.

Tell us: what other strategies do you use when attending trade shows? What shows are you planning on attending this spring? We would love to hear your feedback in the comments.

Top 5 Expos and Events for Telecom Sales Professionals

Posted on by Cameron Bell

Fall is here and that means several things. Starbucks will be bringing back its yummy holiday flavored beverages, but even more important, budget planning season is upon us. As you plan your travel and conference budgets for 2012, make sure you keep these events on your radar.

Channel Partners Conference & Expo – Held every March in Las Vegas and rotating cities in August (will be held in Orlando in 2012), Virgo Publishing’s Channel Expo is a do-not-miss event for all telecom sales partners. Full of educational seminars and carrier sponsored parties and events, this event is definitely worth the investment.

Channel Connect – Allow us to toot our own horn here for a minute. Here at Intelisys we put on a 3-day educational conference every October for our sales partners, service providers, and vendors. From seminars, panel discussions and a business fair to wine country excursions and an evening of music and dancing, there are opportunities to network and learn in every moment.

Dreamforce – Held every December in San Francisco, Dreamforce is the marquee event for SalesForce.com. With 4 full days of sessions, demos, networking, and more, it’s the one event the most successful salesforce.com customers consider a can’t-miss. Not a customer? Don’t worry. You’ll digest so many cutting edge technology and communications ideas, it won’t matter.

ITEXPO – A bi-annual, face-to-face gathering point for the communications and technology community. Each element of the ITEXPO conference and trade show – educational sessions, exhibit hall experience, and networking opportunities – unites practitioners with solutions providers.

Interop – Held in 6 different locations around the world throughout the year, this year’s event focuses on 12 key technologies that every IT organization should be thinking about, including Cloud Computing, Video Conferencing and Unified Communications. Interop gives you a comprehensive view of the tools and technologies that are part of a solid information technology strategy.

What has you experience been at these events? Any important events or conferences we missed? Please share with us in the comments below.