Beginner’s Guide to Attending a Trade Show as a Content Creator

Attending a commerce present might be thrilling, however additionally it is a whirlwind of exercise, particularly for content material creators. With a lot to see and do, it’s straightforward to get overwhelmed – particularly if that is your first time. Fortunately, it doesn’t must be! With a little bit of planning, you possibly can have enjoyable, profit from your time, and are available dwelling with a wealth of content material concepts and contacts.

That will help you prepare, the BlogPaws Workforce has come collectively to share a few of our greatest suggestions, tips, and recommendation for a profitable pet commerce present expertise!

BlogPaws might obtain commissions from affiliate hyperlinks included on this article.

Earlier than the Present 

Know Why You’re Attending

Your preparation begins earlier than you even begin packing your baggage. Take a second to step again and outline your targets for attending the present. Are you on the lookout for alternatives to community with different pet trade professionals? Uncover new merchandise and types to function in your content material? Study trade traits? As soon as your targets, you possibly can plan your time on the present accordingly. 

Ideate Your Social Media, Video, and/or Weblog Content material

Commerce exhibits are a goldmine for content material creation! That’s why so many people love attending them as content material creators. However with a lot to see and do, you should have a plan for what you need to seize.

Take into consideration what sort of content material will resonate along with your viewers. Are they keen on new product launches and trade information? Behind-the-scenes glimpse of the present? Interviews with trade specialists? Pet commerce exhibits are an awesome place to seize all these and extra! As soon as what content material you need to create throughout any platforms you at the moment use, you can begin planning your pictures.

Inquiries to ask your self embody:

Do you need to seize picture or video content material? Each?

Horizontal or vertical?

Are there particular pictures wanted in your content material plans?

What sort of b roll would possibly you want?

For long-form content material, we advocate having slightly flexibility. In spite of everything, you don’t know what you’ll study throughout the present. As an alternative, put together your self by brainstorming 3-4 totally different angles you possibly can take in your weblog, vlog, or podcast. You don’t must create all these items of content material, however it should show you how to hold an eye fixed open for related info and inspiration whereas there.

Make a Listing

With main pet trade commerce exhibits like World Pet Expo and SuperZoo attracting 1000’s of manufacturers and exhibitors, seeing each sales space and show could be not possible. As an alternative, we advocate making lists highlighting what you MUST see and would LIKE to see. This consists of product classes, model cubicles, and commerce present occasions. You’ll need to maintain updating and amending these lists as you obtain info within the weeks main as much as the present (and you’ll obtain many of those).

Does your content material focus on a particular class of pet merchandise? Do you focus on canines? Cats? Reptiles? Do you cowl loads of details about sustainability and environmentally pleasant merchandise? Are you primarily centered on discovering new up-and-coming manufacturers? Figuring out these key classes can assist slim your record.

Make an inventory of the manufacturers you completely need to see, together with their sales space quantity. This can show you how to prioritize your time and make sure you don’t miss something essential. Take the time to comply with them on social media. It is a nice method to begin creating connections. Plus, you possibly can watch their accounts main as much as the present for any info they share about what they’ll be selling.

PRO TIP: Each World Pet Expo and SuperZoo now supply new Product Showcase components on-line, which might be very useful throughout planning!

Make the most of the Present Flooring Map

Most commerce exhibits may have an internet present ground map that you need to use to plan your route. It is a nice method to save time and keep away from backtracking. Take note of the situation of the cubicles in your “must-see” record so you possibly can determine alternatives to group a number of cubicles in a single space to chop again on having to journey too far.  

Just a few different areas on the map to concentrate to incorporate:

The press room

New Exhibitor part and New Product Showcase

Any particular ground sections (sustainability, fashionable pet, pure pet, and many others.)

Areas of any particular occasions or shows you need to attend

Bogs

The place you possibly can seize lunch

Entry factors/exits 

Make a Calendar

Throughout a commerce present, your time is effective. Why? There may be solely a restricted quantity of it… This makes it very straightforward to double-book your self or overlook an appointment. One of the best ways to maintain your self on time and in attendance at each occasion, presentation, and assembly is to have one central calendar to maintain you on monitor. The way you create this calendar will rely in your private preferences – Google Calendar, a each day printed record, pen & paper planner, and many others.

Begin by blocking out key instances for the bigger periods and occasions you need to attend. As you obtain invites to particular occasions, press excursions, or impromptu networking alternatives, RSVP to these you have an interest in and add them to your calendar. Be well timed in making appointments; everybody struggles with the identical restricted timeline.

Don’t neglect to incorporate any main bulletins or press occasions which might be launched.

For these keen on increasing their trade information, take a second to take a look at the academic periods and audio system scheduled all through the present. Business commerce exhibits function some extremely gifted trade professionals.

Repeatedly verify the official present schedule and social media accounts for updates, bulletins, and modifications. Bear in mind, your calendar is a residing doc, so hold it up to date main as much as and all through the present to make sure you’re all the time in the best place on the proper time.   

Test the Shuttle Schedule

Should you’re staying at a lodge or Airbnb that isn’t inside strolling distance of the commerce present, you’ll want to look into the shuttle schedule. Not all commerce exhibits have shuttles, however most of the bigger exhibits do. In any other case, you possibly can discover the general public transportation choices obtainable both independently or via the present itself. 

Take note of how usually the shuttle runs, begin/finish instances every day, and the closest stops to your lodging. This can show you how to plan your transportation and keep away from lacking any essential occasions. 

Are you planning to make dinner appointments or different conferences later within the night? Test what eating places are situated alongside the shuttle route. 

Put together Your Media Package and Enterprise Playing cards

Your media equipment and enterprise playing cards are priceless instruments when representing your self and your model. They permit you to make a robust, skilled first impression whereas offering potential collaborators (manufacturers or different creators) with the data they want about you transferring ahead.

Replace your media equipment with the newest stats. When you have any key statistics in your web site’s About web page, double-check to make sure the stats match. Confirm that your content material info is right throughout all contact factors – your corporation playing cards, media equipment, web site, and social bios. You may additionally need to think about linking issues collectively, like providing your media equipment on your corporation card utilizing a QR code to make it simpler for these keen on working with you.

Many individuals at the moment are transferring towards digital enterprise playing cards, providing a QR code that folks can use to entry your info. Nevertheless, we firmly consider {that a} well-designed enterprise card continues to be the very best strategy. They make it straightforward to share your info, present a tangible reminder of your assembly, and permit others to take notes to recollect what they talked about later (which is invaluable when assembly so many individuals in such a short while).

Print and pack extra enterprise playing cards than you assume you’ll want, particularly if that is your first time attending a commerce present.

Follow Your Elevator Pitch

Along with your documentation, take time to apply your elevator pitch. What’s an elevator pitch? It’s a transient introduction of your corporation/model, hitting the important thing factors about what worth you supply and what units you aside. It’s referred to as an “elevator pitch” as a result of it must be solely roughly 30 seconds lengthy or the time it takes to journey an elevator. 

“I used to snicker on the thought of speaking to somebody within the elevator, however these 30 seconds can shortly flip from an ungainly silence to a long-lasting connection for those who’re ready and slightly outgoing,” our personal Jessica Shipman, BlogPaws COO/CMO, defined. 

Pack the Fundamentals

Packing the best necessities can considerably affect your present expertise. Right here are some things that we consider must be on the prime of your record:

Comfy Sneakers: We will’t stress sufficient the significance of snug sneakers. You’ll be in your toes for hours, so blisters are your worst enemy.

Transportable Cellphone Charger: You can be utilizing your telephone to seize content material and keep related all through the day. A conveyable telephone charger will guarantee your battery doesn’t fail you.

Pocket book and Pens: You’ll be studying quite a bit, networking quite a bit, and being inundated with info. A pocket book makes it straightforward to jot down concepts, contact info, and different particulars you don’t need to neglect.

Reusable Water Bottle: Being lively and having conversations all day will inevitably depart you feeling parched. A reusable water bottle is essential to staying hydrated. 

Commerce present flooring are infamous for fluctuating temperatures; it’s usually chilly, however the fixed motion can shortly make you heat. Think about this when deciding what you intend to put on. Being ready with layers makes it straightforward to regulate comfortably all through the day.

When packing, make sure you depart some room in your suitcase for any merchandise you might deliver dwelling from the present. Many manufacturers will supply reductions on the merchandise they dropped at keep away from the price of transporting the merchandise again dwelling, that means you might rating an awesome deal on one thing you’ve been eyeing up. On the subject of samples, consider them as alternatives to construct relationships with manufacturers and expertise their merchandise firsthand so you possibly can share them along with your group somewhat than simply gathering freebies. 

On the Present

Community and Study

Commerce exhibits are all about studying and discovering new manufacturers/ merchandise, so go in with an open thoughts. It’s potential that you just at the moment are detached to a particular pet product solely to search out, after a dialog and extra information, that your opinion has modified. Be open to new concepts and experiences. Ask questions. Probably the most attention-grabbing factor you uncover may very well be across the subsequent flip.

Take notes about any merchandise or manufacturers that will enchantment to your viewers. This can show you how to make sure you don’t miss sharing one thing thrilling. Should you see one thing in an space of the present, just like the New Product Showcase and have questions, write them down for while you converse to the model later.

Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations with different attendees, even on the seemingly most random instances, like ready in line, within the elevator, or on the shuttle. And for those who see a pet attendee you need to meet, use that as an icebreaker to say hello. You by no means know who you’ll meet!

Take Excessive-High quality Pictures and Movies

Pictures and movies are important for creating partaking content material after the present, from eye-catching social media posts to informative blogs. However when the present is over, you possibly can’t return and get the images/movies that you just want, so extra is best than not sufficient!

Test if cubicles are permitting images to be taken/shared. Whereas most will probably be utterly open with this, you can see that some cubicles have indicators up stipulating that images isn’t allowed or that they may politely ask you to not share particular content material attributable to present unique launches.

Seize images (the place allowed) of the merchandise and types you’re most keen on, taking notes in your pocket book so you possibly can join the dots while you undergo all of it later. Moreover, take the time to take a number of images of the present itself. The expertise of a commerce present is one thing you possibly can’t replicate, however individuals love seeing it in our content material, in order that they really feel like they’re there, too. You’ll be able to all the time delete any images/movies you don’t use later. 

Accumulate Enterprise Playing cards

Enterprise playing cards are an effective way to recollect who you’ve met and make sure you comply with up with them after the present. If you find yourself given a card, take notes about your dialog both on the playing cards themselves or in your pocket book so that you keep in mind who it’s and might personalize your follow-up emails. Even a couple of key phrases can assist jog your reminiscence of your dialog.

Have a corporation plan for your corporation playing cards in order that they aren’t misplaced. Some individuals will designate a pocket to card assortment, tuck them right into a pocket on their title tags, or use extra specialised choices like enterprise card books.

NEVER simply add individuals to your e mail record since you obtain their enterprise card. Should you’re keen on rising your record via present contacts, you possibly can all the time ask them while you meet and notice in the event that they mentioned sure on the cardboard. In any other case, attain out after the present and provides them the choice to determine for themselves.

At all times Bear in mind Your Function as Media

Whereas attending a commerce present is a good alternative to community and make connections that would result in collaborations and sponsored work sooner or later, it’s essential to keep in mind that the exhibits are primarily for patrons and types. As content material creators, we’re attending as media – to assist get the phrase out concerning the present and the manufacturers in attendance.

Be respectful of the time and area of anybody you converse with, stepping apart if wanted to permit enterprise transactions to happen. When talking with model representatives, give attention to asking questions and studying about their merchandise somewhat than simply speaking about your self. Conversations can proceed later following the present. 

Join with Different Content material Creators

Along with networking with model representatives and pet trade professionals, commerce exhibits are a superb alternative to attach with different content material creators. You should have loads of alternatives to satisfy or have interaction with different creators by attending commerce present occasions, hanging out within the press room, or placing up a dialog throughout meals.

We additionally advocate asking your favourite creators if they are going to be there and making preparations to hyperlink up. You could even need to collaborate on social media posts, sharing your experiences on the present.

Earlier than any present we attend, we submit about it in our on-line BlogPaws Neighborhood (not a member but? Study extra right here). This not solely helps us organize to see everybody but in addition helps join the dots between different group members. In spite of everything, who doesn’t need to construct relationships with others who “get it.”  

Take Breaks

Throughout your time attending a commerce present, you might be tempted to go go go, making an attempt to suit as a lot as you possibly can into the restricted time you may have obtainable. It may be exhausting. You’ll want to take breaks all through the day to hydrate, seize a snack, and recharge. It is a nice time to speak with one other creator or evaluation your notes to make sure you’re not lacking any images/movies you wished to seize.

Following the Present

Manage Your Content material

When you’re again dwelling, it’s time to begin organizing your content material. That is the purpose the place you pull that authentic content material plan you made earlier than the present and revisit it. Evaluate your notes, images, and movies along with your authentic plans. Don’t be afraid to alter it up. In spite of everything, you didn’t know what you’d uncover when the plan was first made.

Be aware of something you could have missed. You’ll be able to join with different creators to see if they’ve captured what you want and are prepared to share content material (one other argument for the advantages of constructing robust, supportive relationships with different creators). 

Observe Up with Contacts

Manage your corporation playing cards and flyers, noting that are related with manufacturers you need to comply with up with and which you introduced dwelling for informational functions when writing your weblog submit or recording your video/podcast.

We advocate making a centralized system to trace contacts. This makes it simpler to search out that info transferring ahead and ensures that nobody falls via the cracks. We like to make use of Airtable to create a chart with columns for the important thing info like contact names and make contact with info, in addition to checklists to trace what stage of the follow-up course of we’re at.

It’s okay to not comply with up the primary day you’re again. We’re all resting and recovering, however attempt to attain out inside per week.

Earlier than you begin reaching out, take the time to create an e mail template. This could act as a baseline, however you’ll want to personalize every e mail. This may very well be a fast e mail to the touch base and begin the dialog, or for those who really feel prepared to leap in, you possibly can e mail a pitch collaboration with particulars about your particular concepts for how one can work collectively.

We additionally advocate following the social accounts of any manufacturers you’re keen on working with sooner or later. Begin partaking with their content material and nurturing robust model relationships. This can assist improve your probabilities of working with the manufacturers you really align with.

Replicate and Establish Classes

When all is claimed and performed, take a while to replicate in your expertise on the commerce present. What did you study? What labored properly? What would you do otherwise subsequent time? Take notes throughout this train. These notes can assist you put together accordingly in your subsequent pet commerce present expertise, setting you up for achievement.

Make the Most of Your Subsequent Pet Commerce Present

Attending a commerce present as a content material creator is an unbelievable alternative to develop your community, uncover new traits, and keep forward of the most recent information within the trade. Bear in mind to strategy the present with an open thoughts and a willingness to study. By following the following tips, you possibly can keep organized, profit from your time, and give attention to constructing real connections. 

In regards to the Writer: Britt Kascjak, BlogPaws Director of Content material & search engine optimization, is an award-winning freelance author whose background in digital and social media advertising and marketing spans 15+ years. She’s been a content material creator within the pet trade for 9+ years along with her personal blogs: Shed Occurs, The Kas Pack, and Lucifer the Rescue Pup the place she shares her life and out of doors adventures along with her 2 canines and three cats. Learn extra…