Tradeshows are common occurrences in the promotional products industry. Despite the transition to digital communication, distributors continue to place a high value on face-to-face communication to grow and improve their businesses.
We value tradeshows because they allow us to review and discuss products in person and compare options under one roof.
Other benefits we acquire by attending tradeshows:
- Get eyes on all of the new and trending products.
- Communicate and collaborate with suppliers about industry trends and issues.
- Visit with new suppliers.
- Get technical information or specification on a product.
- Many tradeshows offer free education sessions, exhibitor seminars, and networking events to grow your business.
- Network with colleagues and suppliers.
- Strengthen industry relationships or partnerships.
One of the most significant benefits of tradeshows is having products in hand. These large events offer excellent networking opportunities and are the ultimate idea kickstarter!
Kitting
Kitting is a great way of presenting promo products to an industry-specific client. During a tradeshow, we gather a large number of samples from suppliers. One benefit of these show floor products is to kit them together based on industry.
For example, if you gather hand sanitizers, a notebook, a planner, and pencils from a tradeshow put them together to create a sample kit for a school client.
Or you can get several samples from different suppliers and compare which is better to put in your sample kit.
The process of kitting also allows us to get creative. Here are a few ways to kit items together from a tradeshow:
- By Color: Kit promo items together by specific colors. Each client, from schools to healthcare providers, has a particular set of colors for their company. Skip the back and forth and showcase a kit with their specific colors in mind!
- By Event: Inspire your clients with event-specific promo. Koozies, water bottles, lanyards, and apparel are great things to include in kits.
- By Trend: Offering your clients what’s new and trending gives your company a competitive edge. Kit the latest promo gear together to show clients the endless possibilities with the most recent products hitting the market.
- By Brand Awareness: Kit a few items for staffing uniforms, info for company branding, and more. According to a PPAI report, brand awareness ranked as the highest sales by program category in 2021.
Try approaching these events with a creative take as the tradeshow season approaches! By participating in and attending these industry events, your company can effectively grow your business and greater strengthen the industry.
Not sure what tradeshow to start the new year?
Visit us on January 10-12 in Las Vegas, NV, at The PPAI Expo! And don’t forget to stop by SAGE Experience, our live education directly on the show floor. You’ll meet our SAGE experts, master the ins and outs of your favorite SAGE tools, and get your questions answered during each interactive session! Learn more here.
