How trade show attendees can master the networking mindset for more impactful trade show results

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In previous articles, we've talked about how exhibitors should leverage networking principles for better trade show experiences. in this article, we'll discuss the types of event attendees — and how each person can acheive their individual trade show goals and objectives. But first, we need to define the 8 types of show attendees along with the 3 main overarching categories. This will allow us to create a true matrix that will let us fully understand the trade show attendee population. Each segment has their own metrics for success and knowing how all the pieces fit together is what will enable you to walk the floor with confidence.

For any given trade show, conference or event, here are the 8 main types of people that you will run into:

Employees for a manufacturer who is exhibiting at the show

Employees who are working a show may or may not be on booth detail for the entire event but there's a great chance that the only time you'll see this group walking the floor is when they're running to the bathroom or when they're scarfing down food trying to catch a break from all the noise and booth demands. Depending on their seniority, they may get to walk the floor for an hour or so and if they are top-ranking, you'll probably see them out and about during the last day.

Employees for a manufacturer that is a part of the industry but is NOT exhibiting at the show

These attendees make up a bulk of the trade show floor population. They are in the space and in-the-know and for whatever reason, they are not exhibiting this year. These attendees are walking the floor to catch trends, to see how the space is evolving, to keep tabs on competitors, and to meet with partners and resellers on the fly.

Employees for resellers who participate within the space domestically

Very few resellers are large enough or powerful enough to need booth presence at any given show. Most are not and it simply makes more sense for these employees to walk the floor and to meet with manufacturers at their given booths. As anyone who has worked numerous shows knows, these attendees are the unicorns that everyone is hoping to bag. Buyers truly do make the world go around when it comes to trade shows! There is a notable difference between buyers and reps but for simplicity sake, we are going to lump rep firms into this general category as well.

Employees for distributors who participate within the space internationally

Same as above but with more international flair and flavor. Usually — but not always — disti is for International. Speaking from experience, there will always be asymmetric information when it comes to international distributors. Unless you are an expert in your field and have years of experience, the odds of you randomly running into the top international partner on a show floor are low. Sometimes you get lucky but that's not really how it works.

Employees for vendors and suppliers who want to sell to the exhibitors

Trade shows are a magnet for business and while the exhibitors are there to sell, they are also sitting ducks for everyone who wishes to sell to them. Which makes sense — where else are you going to find such a collection of potential new clients all neatly lined up in rows. This segment makes up a much larger portion of the population than anyone thinks. This is not the segment that the event organizers actively promote but this is in fact the segment that keeps shows viable.

Members of the press and content creators / influencers adjacent to the industry

Second only to buyers, this segment is the next best thing for exhibitors — especially when exhibitors plan their product launch schedules around trade show dates. Trade shows are hard and exhausting for everyone but press go full-on and have every 15 minute block accounted for. If you're an exhibitor and you haven't scheduled a meeting in advance, the odds of you bumping into press randomly are very low.

Event staff, speakers and other show talent

These are the people who make the event happen. They are the glue that holds everything together. And while you will rarely see or recognize anyone from the event staff (their job is to fade into the background in order to let everyone else shine,) it is best to think of the speakers and other associated talent as the public face and representative of the show itself.

Enthusiasts, hobbyists and the "general public"

Most shows are not open to the general public but die-hard fans and enthusiasts always find a way to get in. Any general consumer who is taking the time to go to an industry-specific trade show is a fan and evangelist that any exhibitor should be honored to meet and talk with. These are the people who are the industry's biggest supporters and this is where word of mouth marketing really starts from. This segment makes up a very large portion of the total even for shows who claim to be industry-only.

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Along with the 8 types of trade show attendees, there are 3 overarching categories

Irrespective of the type of attendee, there are 3 overarching categories that should be used to classify the entire trade show population. And these parameters are based on time and experience. When you combine these 3 categories with the 8 types of attendees, then you can be incredibly effective and efficient in maximizing your trade show success and impact.

New to the Industry

If you have been working within the particular space for 2-5 years — regardless of whether you are an exhibitor, a reseller, a vendor or an influencer — then you are new to the industry. You've probably been to a particular trade show a few times and possibly an adjacent show or 2. There will be people that you recognize in the crowd but your overall footprint is still limited in scope. You have a decent industry network but you're not walking around like a boss yet. But at least you don't feel like you've been dropped into a completely foreign land. You know generally what to expect and what is expected of you.

Brand new to the Industry

In any given event or show, there is a healthy population of first-timers. And this holds true for every type of trade show attendee — even for the general public. Everything will feel overwhelming and you will constantly feel lost within a sea of strangers. Even if you've attended shows before for a different industry, you will still feel like an outsider. While all shows are the same in structure and nature, each individual industry-specific show has it's own jargon, hierarchy, rituals and unspoken rules. It takes time to figure it all out and to process it all.

Old hat

These are the old timers who all started off as brand new back in their day and who all rose through the ranks as they went from being new to the industry to being seasoned veterans of the space. If you look closely, many of the event speakers came from the industry and have attended the event so many times that they are literally now part of the event fabric itself.

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Putting it all together. The Steps for Success.

There is no single type of trade show attendee or category of attendee that is above and beyond any other guest. You may believe that an attendee who has participated 20 times has an advantage over someone who is brand new to the industry but each overarching category has its own inherent strengths and weaknesses and each is blind to their own limitations and habits. To be truly effective at a trade show, here's what to do and how to put all these pieces together.

Step 1

The first step for trade show success is to define who you are and where you fit into this matrix. Are you a new vendor who wants to sell to the exhibitors? Or are you an old hat executive who simply is going to walk the floor quickly to keep tabs on the shifting sands of the space? Me personally, I'm a new speaker who represents the event staff and who helps the show execute its mission.

Step 2

The second step is to understand your role and your objectives. The clearer that you are, the more focused that you will be in achieving success. If you are an exhibitor, talk to your team to truly understand your role and how you can best serve your company's overarching trade show objectives. If you are a reseller, what are the current trends that you are seeking to capitalize on? What new products are you looking for to round out your portfolio of offerings and what brand is on the rise that will add additional valuation to your other holdings? The more specific that you can be, the better that you can benchmark against to ensure that you are meeting the expectations.

Step 3

The third step is to understand that this is all a dance. And that your role and objective is radically different than someone else's. You are simply part of a much larger ecosystem and for the show to work, everyone needs to play their part. If you're an exhibitor, let the vendors sell to you. If you're a buyer or an enthusiast, let the exhibitors sell to you. If you're a competitor, let your colleagues see the awesome new products that you're launching.

Step 4

The 4th step is an augmentation of the third but this time it factors in experience. If you're brand new to the show., understand the dance by doing some pre-game homework. Talk with other members on your team to learn what to expect to minimize your surprise. If you are old hat and you've been to the show a million times, make it a point to transfer knowledge to newer teammates and go out of your way to be gracious and hospitable for people who are just starting off. As part of the dance, it's your responsibility to lead.

Step 5

And lastly, the 5th step is the most simple. Based on the matrix and your understanding of how you fit in and what your goals and objectives are — while knowing and understanding how everyone else fits in and what they need to be successful — be direct. When talking with other attendees, state your needs and objectives clearly in every conversation. When someone asks you how your show is going, let them know it's going great. Let them know that you are new to the industry and that you are looking to speak with distributors from APAC (if that's part of your goals and objectives.) And then ask them if they have any recomendations. You will be amazed at how often random strangers will go out of their way to help when you clearly state what help looks and feels like rather than making them guess or read your mind. And you will be even more surprised just how often the response sounds something like this: "Well that's funny. I'm the lead buyer for so and so and we're actually looking for new XYZ...." That's the true power of a trade show! 

Success

And of course every show will have its idiosyncrasies and will vary from the matrix slightly — but this format will get you dangerously close to meeting and exceeding your wildest trade show expectations. While being a source of inspiration and help to everyone around you. When you know what you want and need and when you are able to understand what success looks like for everyone else that you run into, then it is very easy to be a huge positive force that makes the entire show better for everyone.

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Mike Dias is one of the few global leaders in Trade Show Networking. He has spoken at numerous conferences on "How to Network With Confidence Before, During and After the Event." He offers experiential networking workshops for event attendees. But more importantly, he helps companies maximize their trade show spend by ensuring that their teams are prepared, ready, and able to create and close opportunities. If you or your teams need more trade show sales & wins, let's keep talking.