Today is the first day of the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, an exciting and profitable annual event that brings together kitchen and bath professionals from across the retail market. Whether you’re a first time attendee or a seasoned veteran, it’s important that you plan and prepare for this week’s event accordingly.
Here’s how to stand out from competitors, enhance your professional development and make the most of your KBIS experience.
Have a Plan (and Stick to It)
Karl Champley, who has attended over 200 trade shows, says arriving prepared is the key to maximizing your tradeshow experience. So, determine your schedule beforehand to save you time when navigating the show.
This includes planning your route. Nadia Aksar at BNP Media’s Plumbing Group says she didn’t consider the location of each booth when making appointments at her first KBIS show. This left her running from building to building to remain on schedule, adding stress to an already chaotic day.
To avoid a similar scenario, consider downloading the KBIS app. The app provides access to a detailed trade show map, plus a built-in agenda builder that helps you keep track of all your events.
Know Your Goals When You Walk Through the Front Door
As you plan for KBIS, also consider your long-term professional and sales goals for the year. This will ensure that you choose the sessions and events that will provide you with the most benefit.
One goal might be to learn about upcoming design and interior trends. As demonstrated by Expert Kitchen Designs, a Virginia-based contracting studio, KBIS can teach you about intricate trends and customer tastes regarding color, form and finish. Tuning into these trends while at the show, and taking note of the ones you see, can enhance your ability to meet client expectations.
Speakers, Panels and Events We’re Looking Forward To
Here are a few presentations this year that we are excited about:
- Cindy Allen, editor in chief at Interior Design, is giving the keynote speech at the 2018 KBIS, called “Pop Goes the Future: Top Trends Bursting onto the K&B Scene.” If you’re interested in the trends and strategies that will shape design in the coming years, this is a must-attend presentation. Allen is an expert in the world of interior design, so don’t miss this opportunity to hear her speak.
- Todd Bairstow, founder of Keyword Connects, has a presentation titled “5 Ways Mobile Technology Has Changed Online Marketing for Kitchen & Bath Businesses,” in which he will discuss how kitchen remodelers can adapt to changes in mobile technology.
- John Lang, head business coach for kitchen and bath buying group SEN Design, will discuss tips for elevating your showroom’s selling power in a presentation titled “Your Most Effective Display in 22 Square Feet or Less.”
- For countertop trends, you might visit a session dedicated to helping salespeople ask the right client questions as they pertain to bathroom surfaces. Neneh Biffinger, a market representative at Cambria, will lead this talk.
How to Network Like a Tradeshow Veteran
In Detail Interiors, an interior design firm specializing in baths and kitchens, calls KBIS an opportunity to be re-energized and inspired, and to discover innovative solutions to design dilemmas.
Moreover, one of the key benefits of attending KBIS is to network with colleagues new and old, and to generate leads and prospects. In fact, Interex International Exhibits says that 93 percent of KBIS attendees go to make new contacts, while 85 percent are there to generate leads.
Here are two things you can do this week to maximize the number of new connections you make:
- Keep the exhibitors list handy, and don’t be afraid to use the KBIS Connect service to book meetings with prospects and potential suppliers.
- Also keep an eye on KBtribechat, a community within the kitchen and bath industry aimed at advancing professional development. This community also has an annual meetup at KBIS, so that’s worth checking out if you’re looking for a way to meet like-minded professionals.
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