Trade shows are not always about flashy trade show graphics and elaborate trade show booths. Sometimes a trade show is about getting on the ground floor and enjoying everything that specific trade show has to offer. This goes for both trade show attendees and exhibitors as well. Here is the perfect example.
The IBMA trade show
The IBMA or International Bluegrass Music Association trade show is one of the largest shows of its kind. The goal of this trade show is to connect acoustic music lovers from all over the planet and it works flawlessly.
This is one trade show where people from all over the world are on hand to show, touch, play and become a part of the world of bluegrass music. It is not unusual for attendees and exhibitors to both fall in love with the products that are being showcased at this particular trade show, and it is even more common to find people spending hours at one booth marveling at one item up for sale.
New and Old
Yes this trade show will showcase all of the best “new” acoustic instruments on the planet, but this trade show also offers some classics that you can’t find anywhere else. You could think of these instruments as being “used,” but that would be undermining them. These are instruments that have proven their time on this planet by performing for millions of people. The higher price tag on these vintage instruments will tell you a thing or two about their worth.
Why Does This Work?
You may be saying to yourself, “So what’s the big deal here? Why does a trade show like this attract people from all over the globe?” The answer to that is easy. This trade show is more than people trying to sell a product or a service. It is a huge social gathering of like minded individuals who have a common interest. Both attendees and exhibitors are there because they love acoustic music. The vintage instruments add a touch of history and there is something interesting to learn at every single booth.
These are all things that you can take away from a successful trade show and apply to your own industry. Selling should not be the number one goal of your trade show booth. Exhibitors need to become one with the attendees. They need to enjoy themselves, the show and share any information about the show in general. That may even mean suggesting an attendee look over what the competition has to offer at another booth. Things like this stick in the mind of an attendee and that is what makes one trade show better than another.
