There is no better teacher than experience, and you will never gain more experience in a shorter amount of time than through a convention or exhibition. The networking and educational opportunities are nearly endless as long as you make a great first impression, learn the culture and keep your mind open to education. Here are the four key lessons that you will learn from attending exhibitions.

It’s Who You Know..Beforehand

The companies that perform the best at the exhibition are likely the companies that did the most research before the exhibition. If you know the decision makers by name as they walk up to your booth and can speak in an educated way about their needs, don’t you think that they will respond more favorably to your offerings?

If you have trouble inspiring yourself to take on this task, simply listen in on the booths with all of the traffic. You may see a product or a service that is disruptive or groundbreaking, but you will definitely hear the camaraderie and chemistry that can only come from familiarity.

Flexibility is Key

The bigger the show, the more likely it is that you will be bumped around quite a bit. You must be ready for your floor space to move a day before the main show. You need to be prepared in case your main electric grid goes bad or the surge protector that they give you overloads. How you respond to emergencies will determine the overall success that you have at an exhibition, so make sure that you take a team of people who can think on their feet. Under no circumstances should your supply side emergencies be allowed to make their way into the customer facing exhibition. Flexibility means sales.

The Importance of Having a Quality Exhibition Stand

Attending conventions with custom built exhibition stands from experienced builders will give you an instant advantage over your competition. With a more impressive visual presence, your potential customers will naturally apply the halo effect to your products and services as well. As your first impression for people who do not know you, and your shield against buyer’s remorse for people who do, a great exhibition stand is perhaps the best ROI activity that you can participate in during a competitive convention.

Your Competition Can Be Your Collaborator

While you are trying to hide ideas from your competitors and sniff out “agents” that you believe competitors are sending to your booth to scoop your ideas, you will find out that most successful companies are much more likely to be collaborators. There is another level of energy that you can access if you come to an exhibition looking for ways to share information with others rather than hide it.

Great ideas are all too common; the real money is in the distribution of those ideas. If you have not made your first sale off of your technology, then trust us, no one wants to steal it. Share your products with everyone who comes by the booth, and if you run into competitors, take the time to share information to see how you might be able to collaborate in the future.

The lessons above are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the magic of an exhibition. If you have yet to experience one, book a ticket immediately, open your mind, and prepare to have one of the best experiences of your business life!