There’s no better place to see and touch new products than a trade show. But planning your trip is key to overall success. Here are some pointers from the PATS team.
Trade shows are a great place to discover new ideas and products, and they often act as the launchpad for the ‘bestsellers’ of tomorrow. Pet product manufacturers and suppliers see these events as a vital part of their marketing strategy because they are an ideal place to showcase their latest innovations.
Attending these exhibitions as a visiting retailer can prove very productive, as they provide the opportunity to find out what’s new and then discuss the products in detail with the relevant supplier. And events like PATS are ideal for allowing visitors to see all the new products under one roof.
But it’s important to make sure that time at trade shows, and the expense of getting there are spent wisely. And that’s where a bit of planning can help to make a day away from the shop pay handsome dividends.
Janine Tozer, from Not Just Pets in Bath, admits to taking a methodical approach to attending trade shows.
“I like to prioritise my trip. Before I actually get to show I know who and what I want to see,” said Janine. “This approach means I will achieve a lot from my visit because my meetings will be productive.
“However, I’m not totally blinkered because it’s important to spot new products that haven’t been on our radar. Discovering things we weren’t aware of becomes an added bonus to the trip.”
Attending trade shows is very important for pet retailers and although being away from the shop can cost time and money in the short term, they can pay handsome dividends in the future. So you must make the most of these opportunities.
Planning your trip to an exhibition like PATS is key. Think about what you want to achieve, and how to go about it. Make a note of which exhibitors you want to see, and if possible call them beforehand to arrange a meeting on their stand.
The PATS website lists all the exhibitors and their stand numbers along with a floorplan. It’s worth spending some time familiarising yourself with how the show is set up even if you haven’t been to the venue before. Once there you’ll soon find your way around as the directional signs are prominent throughout, and all the stands are well numbered. The show catalogue is also a good guide to finding the location of each exhibitor.
Study the show previews in the trade magazines as they’ll give you a great insight into what to expect, timings of informative seminars and other important show information.
The next big show is the two-day PATS Harrogate event, which opens on Sunday. The Sunday opening proved popular with many independent retailers last year because it meant they didn’t have to close their shop or find replacement cover. And some visitors took the opportunity to make a weekend of their trip to Harrogate, spending the Saturday sight-seeing in the area.
Trade exhibitions are designed to help the retailer make the correct buying decisions, and often you can take advantage of exclusive show offers. And remember, the exhibitors want to see you and show off their products, so it puts you in a good bargaining position.
To register for your free entry to PATS click here
