Fastener Blog - Industry Chatter

Fastener Show Preparation

Are you getting ready for the Las Vegas Fastener Show? Do you have sstrategy? No, I'm not talking about which bar you are going to end up at by the end of the night (although, that too is a strategy). I'm talking about what networking you are going to do. Do you have meetings already set up? Are you going with a stack of prints? Or are you on a search for a new supplier of some type of fastener product? If you aren't thinking ahead, you lose. There is not a better place or a better vehicle to make business contacts than at the Vegas show. Shame on you if you don't do a little thinking before you get there.

I'm staying at Mandalay Bay. I know, I know...my room will cost me $209 and I could stay at a lot cheaper place (before cab rides, etc.) right down the strip and I could save $50/night. But for $50/night I guarantee you I will see enough people coming and going from the show to make my money back many times over. You have to network. You have to make good contacts be it suppliers, customers, or any type of client. And for all the people I will run into near the show I tell you an extra $50/day is a steal.

Here is another little secret I will let you in on. I have used this every year at the Paris show and I hope I can find an opportunity to use it at Mandalay Bay. I find a nice, comfortable seat right on the hallway that leads to the show entrance. I get to the show about a half hour before it opens, sit down with a coffee and wait for the steady stream of suppliers and distributors to enter the show. I get there about 8:30 and stay till about 9:20 and then I enter the show and walk through it. In that 50-60 minute period I have the opportunity to run into at least 100 people that I do business with, work with or want to do business with. Heck, I could work that one hour and the whole show would be worth it. I have made more contacts in that half hour before the show starts than a lot of people make throughout the whole show. Again, this is our little secret.

If by chance you log on to this site....feel free to pass it on to other people who might want to post a note regarding our industry. THE FASTENER INDUSTRY!!!

posted by Traveling Salesman @ 10:55 AM