The first step is to prepare, prepare and prepare. You are going to be spending a whole day, perhaps 2 or 3 days travelling, walking and talking. Time is limited, you are spending precious time away from work and you need to plan a productive day(s) so they are not wasted.
First of all get a list of exhibitors. These are normally available from the event website. Don't wait until you get there to get a catalogue, it will be too late and your day will be unproductive!
From experience you will be combining your visit with seeing existing suppliers you deal with, looking for inspiration and possibly new suppliers and products, meeting friends and colleagues either from another office in your company or friends you know from Social Media, and maybe ex-colleagues just for a "catch up." So you need to be meticulous in your planning as this will take a fairly large chunk of your day if not planned properly. If you are planning to meet with people, then pre-arrange a time and place, have their telephone number just in-case you need to change the time or meeting area on the day.
Whether you work paperless (keep everything on your tablet/phone) or like to use paper, this process is the same. first of all I would read through the list and using a highlighter mark off those companies that are your must see exhibitors in one colour. Then mark off those that are secondary in another colour, maybe an existing supplier just to see what's new, if anything, or companies that may have been recommended to you or you have read about and would like to see the product first hand. If possible, as some exhibition companies do this, get a plan of the venue showing where the exhibitors are, and mark these from your list in exactly the same way. If there isn't one available, type or write your list in a numbered order so when you arrive, you are not wasting time walking around trying to find them from your list.
Next step is your travel arrangements and it is going to be a long day. The important thing is get to the event early. This is probably a once a year event, so it doesn't matter if you have to leave and get home at silly hour, or spend a night or two in a hotel, so be committed, it is a business day. If you are employed and your employer is allowing you to go or encouraged you to go, ask if you can take some time off at a later date, if not, treat it as an education day (you can never stop learning!), you will make new contacts (may help for future employment) and be seeing new and exciting products that you can refer to if you get asked by one of your customers.
The exhibition website normally recommends the best travel routes, so be guided by that. If you are driving, find the best place to park before you go and allow plenty of time. If you are going by public transport, pre-book your tickets so you are not messing about in the morning in queues trying to pay, and again, allow plenty of time. I would also check when booking tickets if there is going to be any disruption to your journey with engineering works or road works that could delay your journey.
Travel light and wear sensible shoes! Lets start with clothing. Venues can get quite warm, so I recommend wearing thin layers so you can add or remove items of clothing during the day. Exhibitions are usually during the colder months, so if you are having to wrap up in a large coat, scarves etc, make use of the venues cloak room, you don't want to be carrying them about with you all day. Wear comfortable shoes!! You are going to be in them all day, your feet will ache, they will hurt, and if your not careful, you could end up with blisters from not wearing the right footwear.
I suggest you take a small bag, something like a messenger bag or a rucksack. This will be useful for any clothing you may remove, your tablet, wallet/purse, note pad and pens, mobile phone etc. The less you carry the more comfortable you will be. Most important of all TAKE YOUR BUSINESS CARDS!! Not just for exhibitors, but you never know who you may meet. It could be a new client, a work contact or a possible new employer, be prepared, be professional.
Take bottled water with you and something to snack on, you need to stay hydrated and your energy levels maintained. Café and eating areas can get busy so you don't want to waste your time queuing, so taking snacks and drink with you can get you through until the queues have subsided.
Once at the venue, stick to your plan. From your preparations for the day you should know roughly how long you need to stay on each stand so you can get to see all those on your highlighted list. This all sounds very regimented, but there is nothing worse next day when you know you missed out on seeing brands because you ran out of time! If planned properly and you stick with your plan, you should have an enjoyable and productive time.
My last tip is don't get yourself loaded down with brochures, catalogues and leaflets. Nothing more enjoyable than getting a goodie bag from a supplier, until you realise that you now have 10 and you are loaded like a pack horse! Samples, don't get carried away with these, it is unnecessary unless you need it within the next couple of days. If there is a specific brochure or samples you want, leave your details and ask them to send. Many companies now do e-brochures which they can now email to you. Golden rule, if it doesn't fit in your small bag or is heavy, you don't carry it!
I hope these tips will be useful, but if you have any that you think I have missed or you can recommend, just leave them in the comments for others to read.
Should you be going to Decorex in London this year, which is being held at Syon Park 17th - 20th September, come and find me on Titley and Marr quality printed fabric stand A65. I would love to meet you.
I also represent Art of the Loom, Sandberg Wallpaper, Rebel Walls, Gerard Lewis Designs and Trade Window Shutters. For further information and the areas I cover, please visit my website which also has web links to the brands.
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