Spending a few days away from home at the Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show can make a big difference in the day-to-day operation of your company all year. While you’re busy catching up on what you missed while in Indy, take time to consider all the ways you benefited from the experience. Ask yourself these questions and you’ll no doubt find the answers point to doing it all again next year.
Did you learn anything?
If you attended any Education Day seminars, then the time away from your business was most certainly worth it. The goal of these seminars is to help improve your technical performance, customer service, employee development, and overall quality of life for you and your company. Many states approve specified sessions within the educational program for your required continuing education units or professional development hours. If that applies to you, not only did you learn something, you fulfilled a requirement while being uninterrupted by the daily grind of running a business.
Even if you didn’t attend Education Day, you probably still learned plenty at the event. With 500,000 square feet of exhibit space filled by more than 500 exhibitors, odds are good you saw new and potentially helpful products for your business. Or maybe you got a firsthand understanding of a product or technology you didn’t understand previously. Some people are visual learners and seeing the exhibits is an education in itself. Others are verbal learners and take advantage of having the product experts on hand in the booths.
Did you buy anything?
Maybe you learned so much about a product or technology that you bought it right at the show. That’s the case for 81 percent of attendees who report making a purchase or firming up a purchase decision because of what they saw at WWETT. Or maybe the information you gained prompted you to plan for a new equipment purchase later in the year. Meeting in-person with expert representatives from companies is a valuable benefit of attending a trade show. And, yes, sometimes vendors offer special “show prices” or discounts.
Did you meet anyone?
Maybe you met the editor of PRO. Maybe you met the person you’ve been talking to on the phone for years when you called a supplier. It’s nice to put a face with a name and a business card in your pocket. Maybe six months from now you’ll remember that Clem from Columbus was dealing with the same issue you’re dealing with. You’ll dig up his card or search your phone for the contact info you scanned in at the show and dial. Sure, he remembers you and he would be glad to share how things turned out for him in this situation in order to help you deal with your problem. You never know when “who you know” is going to come in handy.
Did you gain anything intangible?
When you work in an industry viewed by some as a “dirty job,” attending a trade show can be a huge ego boost. Did you take any employees or family members to the show for the first time, and were they amazed? It can be fun to see a person suddenly “get” how big and important your industry is. That newfound industry pride translates into pride in a job well done upon returning home. Instead of having to endure potty jokes from some folks back home, the businesses around the Indiana Convention Center treated you with immense respect. And there’s just something about networking with fellow contractors that refreshes one’s enthusiasm for the industry.
Did you boost your street cred?
Another intangible gained from attending a trade show is an air of professionalism. Customers who called when you were gone and were informed that you were at the show probably came away thinking, “Wow, he really takes his business seriously. He’s a real professional.” Some PROs get even more mileage out of the trip to Indy by sending a brief press release about it to the local paper’s business section sharing the news that a local company owner attended a major national trade show. Posting to social media about the show can also get the word out.
Did you solve a problem?
Being in a room full of people who do what you do means there’s a great wealth of knowledge to tap into. Sure, Education Day seminars and exhibitors are great sources of information, but so are the PROs you met at breakfast, in the hotel lobby or on the exhibit floor. Part of that “we’re all in this together” mentality is a willingness to share experiences and help fellow PROs solve problems. With 13,000 people from 45 countries in attendance at WWETT, countless problems are solved each year. Maybe even yours.
Did you have any fun?
Attending a trade show isn’t all about work. It’s about relaxing at the end of the day with peers and toasting the industry that brought you together. It’s about sharing stories and having a laugh with people who understand you and what you do. That’s why the WWETT Show agenda always includes the Industry Appreciation Party with beverages and live music. If you go to the show every year, you’ll find you really look forward to seeing some of the same people every year. It’s always fun to reconnect with friends you’ve made in the industry, and make some new friends each year too. So mark your calendar for the 2016 show … because your friends will be there!
