There was a time when business was only conducted face to face, over a meal, and sometimes followed by a cocktail. Typewriters created invoices, and emails and texting did not exist.
Our day-to-day life looks quite different now. We rely on technology to complete sales, share our news, market our products and connect with customers.
We typically are together in our office daily, compared with people who can Zoom from home, but at times we even need to take that a step further to make deeper connections with our customers and feel the pulse of the industry. Trade shows bring us that level of connection.
The first trade show in history, The Great Exhibition in 1851, lasted for 5 months in London with 6 million visitors. No one is asking you to take a leave of absence to travel—though maybe that would be nice—but getting away for a few days does have its benefits.
The top 10 reasons why people go to trade shows include:
1. Creating customer connections
2. Discovering new brands and techniques
3. Watching the competition
4. Building press relationships
5. Seeking inspiration
6. Finding jobs or projects
7. Generating sales
8. Launching new products
9. Learning more about the state of the industry
10. Marketing to a new audience
The main show where you can find us every year is Build 24, sponsored by the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (AWCI). We will call booth 808 home from March 24-27 at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin resort in Orlando, Fla.
Build 24: AWCI's Convention + Expo showcases products, services and solutions from all market segments, including drywall, ceilings and acoustics, lath and metal framing, plaster, EIFS, insulation, software and more. The convention and expo bring people together from across the industry for a variety of education sessions and networking receptions.
After that, we will be at AIA24 from June 5-8 in Washington, D.C. The American Institute of Architects’ (AIAs’) show has us mingling with attendees at booth 3322. There is nothing like this event that defines the future of the built environment.
At these shows, you can discover all of our products, like the new Snap Lock bridging bar. It’s a relatively simple product that takes the “argh” out of installing bridging between studs.
The tools that we need to succeed extend beyond our manufacturing walls. Sometimes we have to build connections to interact with architects, distributors and contractors and network with other vendors. These days, you can email, call and even message us with our online SMS feature for a quick response, but nothing replaces true human interaction, at least a few times a year.