Seek Opportunity Like A Pro

Learn how to set yourself up for success from a seasoned expo exhibitor.

By CANDIS MOHR, CAS, AAA Plumber

There is no right or wrong way to attend or exhibit at the expo, but there are certainly ways to make your expo experience the best it can be for you and your team. Lucky for you, Houston Apartment Association Product Service Council Secretary Candis Mohr with AAA Plumbers is a seasoned expo exhibitor, who also serves on the HAA Expo Committee.

Whether you are attending or exhibiting this year, here is what you need to know to set yourself and your team up for a successful day at the 2021 Education Conference and Expo.

1. Wear Comfortable Shoes

We all want to look our best on the tradeshow floor, but this is not the time to wear those brand-new shoes you’ve never worn before. It’s even not the time to wear high heels or wedges, because after a few hours of walking and standing, you’ll have what I call achy feet syndrome. This really goes for men and women. There are so many shoes out today that are stylish and comfortable. I highly recommend you either wear your old faithful shoes that have been broken in or to invest in a pair way before the show to make sure that you won’t have blisters or feet exhaustion at the end of the day. I’ve been a victim of this so many times because I want to wear the cute shoe, but this isn’t a fashion show, it’s a marathon of a day. So, be comfortable!

2. Plan For Parking – Bring Cash

At the NRG Center, make sure you have at least $15 with you to pay for parking. They will turn you away if you don’t! To try to find an ATM around NRG is such a hassle. Getting to the expo can be hectic, because we’re all rushing to get to the tradeshow at the last minute, so it’s really important to get cash before the day of the expo.

3. Bring Business Cards!!

If you left everything at home, the best thing to bring with you to the expo are business cards. We talk to so many people throughout the day, and your business card will help people remember who you are days later. I keep business cards in my back pocket or in my lanyard. When people start talking about the jobs they need done, I have a business card ready to hand them. Your business card is the final connection at the end of a conversation. You also don’t want to miss the opportunity to close that interaction with a future supplier partner or client just because you don’t have your business card. To take this tip a step further, following up after the expo is so important when those conversations you had during the expo are still fresh on your mind. The people you meet are expecting you to follow up with them. Business cards are a great reminder to follow up. Also, so many supplier partners will be doing giveaways, and the way you enter is through putting your business card into their drawing. So, you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to win a prize of some sort when visiting booths.

4. Staggering Teams

Staggering teams has always been important for exhibitors, because only so many people can work a booth at a time, whether it be a single or double booth. For management, not everyone can be away from their sites at the same time. It’s so important to stagger teams so that everyone has quality time on the show floor. This year in particular, we are offering two different shifts at the expo. There will be an A shift and a B shift, so it’s important to sign up your teams to the different shifts. That will naturally help you stagger your teams. Since we are still in the midst of a pandemic, this will help with the traffic on the show floor. In staggering your teams, you also want to make sure you are participating in the scavenger hunt to win money. Make sure your teams are visiting the booths that are on the featured supplier card so you can enter to win and to show those featured supplier partners a little bit more attention because they have paid to be part of the scavenger hunt.

5. Set Business and Personal Goals

The industry is a family. There might be some people you haven’t seen in person in a couple of years due to the pandemic, but maybe you’ve kept up with them over email. The expo is an opportunity to continue to cultivate those relationships. That can be a personal and a business goal. Before you arrive, look at the map of who is exhibiting and pick the top five booths you want to visit that will benefit you and/or your property. It can be overwhelming to show up to a huge tradeshow without a plan. Setting those goals will help you form a game plan. It’s important to have both personal and business goals set out because, first and foremost, we represent ourselves before we represent our companies. If a personal goal of yours is to put yourself out there more, this is the perfect place to practice getting out of your comfort zone.

On a final note, Candis wants to encourage HAA members to do exactly what the HAA Education Conference and Expo theme suggests: seek opportunities at the expo this year. At the expo, many opportunities will be presented to you, but it is up to you to seek them out and act on them.