Multimillion dollar Amazon sellers are more than twice as likely to attend trade shows than non-multimillion dollar sellers.
Trade shows remind me a lot of freshman orientation in college: enthusiastic people sharing their wisdom; opportunities to make friends with people who are also exploring the same situation; and probably a lot of cool lanyards to put your ID on.
And also drinking! (But legal this time.)
These events full of booths showcasing products, innovative software, and as many free pens and stress balls as you can carry are opportunities to network with other buyers and suppliers and learn about new products.
Many of them also offer sessions in which you can learn things like new marketing techniques, optimizations for your listings, and strategies to use different Amazon tools successfully. You’ll almost WANT to be sober for those!
There are three major types of trade shows:
- General trade shows have a bit of everything and can be a nice overview of the latest products and trends.
- Industry specific fairs cater to specific industries (shocking!), such as fashion, electronics, etc. These are less frequent, so book early!
- Regional marketplaces feature suppliers that are nearby. Locals only, bro!
In a ten-year lead generation study conducted by Henry DeVries, trade shows finished in the top five of all marketing tactics – and they were also the second largest source of B2B revenue in the US. Sounds like if some things aren’t broke, neither are you!
Many trade shows are back live in 2021. Follow these tips to get the most bang for your buck.
- Pre-register, and research who will be there. Make some appointments ahead of time with the people you’d like to meet so you don’t have to awkwardly chase them around the expo while half in the bag.
- Bring business cards and a notebook – make those contacts, baby!
- Follow up! Make sure that networking wasn’t for nothing!
- Take action. Most people do not implement many of the tactics they learn at trade shows. Don’t fall into this trap. You’re actually there for a reason!
So throw on that ID badge, strap on your walking shoes, and make some room for all that sweet sweet swag. Follow these tips and go from showing your trade like a freshman to trade-showing up like a senior!
