Trade Show Trailblazing

Trade Show Trailblazing

For a little over a year I have been fortunate enough to be a part of a booming and exciting industry. The variety of products, the energy, and the success of a young generation in a new industry are a few of the reasons why I love my job. I have had the opportunity to experience events that bring all of these factors under one roof. The experience, knowledge, connections and opportunity that come from traveling to tradeshows for the vaping community has been invaluable.

This year my sales team and I have traveled to Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago, Houston, Chattanooga, Phoenix, and Winston-Salem for industry tradeshows. Each show has had its own unique atmosphere. Houston and Chattanooga had car shows in the same venue which was unexpected but it brought group of people to the shows which may not have come on their own. Every show has a number of giveaways which is a great way for companies to get their name out there to people who may not have previously known about them or purchased their products. There was a “cloud competition” at every show which provides an interactive way to get everyone at the show involved and excited. These venues are packed with aisles upon aisles of vendor booths. Each booth is different from the one before it. Seeing the hard work, dedication, money, and creativity that each company pours into these events is evident as you make your way through the crowd. Also, seeing an entire convention center filled with vapor clouds is quite the sight.

As the Customer Service Representative my favorite aspect has always been getting to meet our existing customers. Because we are an online vendor our methods of communication are limited to phone and email. Getting to meet customers face to face that I have spoken to numerous times was truly a once in a lifetime experience. When we met with these customers we were able to see first-hand how our company has helped their business grow as well as where we may be able to do more business with them. Many of us even met up after the shows for dinner to talk about how to gain more business from each other. Another amazing experience was being at the shows and being approached by people who said “RTS Vapes! I love you guys” or “I order from you all the time”. Being recognized at these events speaks volumes for our company.

I was able to fine tune my sales abilities and build my confidence at this year’s trade shows. Traveling with experienced sales people was certainly to my advantage. At the first few shows I was in the background watching the senior sales staff as they gained new customers and by the last show I was taking the reins on many potential customers. After each show we began following up with our leads and there is no doubt that our presence at these trade shows was not only an amazing experience but beneficial for the company.

Thanks to the company and industry I work with I have been given life skills and unforgettable opportunities that I will carry with me wherever I go. If your company has been on the fence about what you will gain from attending trade shows I hope that this entry has provided some insight into how invaluable the experience is. For a more personal look into RTS Vapes’ tradeshow travels follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Instagram!