Trucker Show Tips
It’s easy to get caught up in the bright lights and the sounds and overwhelming atmosphere of being in a national gathering, such as the upcoming truck show in Louisville, KY. There’s lots of people, tons of equipment, handshaking, meeting and greeting, MATS, and three days filled with excitement. It’s a bit much to all absorb in a short time frame, and what you need to do is make sure you don’t get caught up in the glitz and miss out on some real opportunities to make the most of this weekend that can really help you and your business.
You might find following all these strategies a bit stressful. That’s ok, just using a few of them will greatly enhance your experience in Louisville.
11 Tips/Strategies for making the most of Your Mid-America Trucking Show Experience
- Before you go, determine your needs
Knowing this is critical. If you go to the Mid-America Trucking Show without focusing on your top priority, it’s highly unlikely you will maximize your experience. What are your greatest needs? Making your rig last longer? Concerned about the new fuel regulations? What about technology? Make a list of 8-10, then prioritize them, and focus on no more than three.
- Can you succinctly tell anyone what you do?
“Tell me about your business.” Was all are asked that, frequently; and nowhere is this more important than at a trucker show. What do you do? What’s unique about your business? How do others benefit from what you do? Condense all your answers into no more than 30 seconds. Be consistent with it. Answering that question clearly and consistently will leave a positive impression on your trucker colleagues, and will give you more confidence in yourself.
- Check out the floor plan
Where are the vendors you’d most like to meet? Where are they? Determine the ones most likely that fall within your priorities, and make sure to visit them first. Greet them, tell them why you sought them out and tell them about yourself and your business. You never know where that conversation might lead.
- Determine your top 3 needs.
This is more focused than Step #1, which is an overall evaluation of your business model. They can all be related, but maybe not. After checking the floor plan and speaker schedule, figure out who can best solve these needs, then determine where you should go and how you should approach these folks. What do you want to say? Are you behind in an area and don’t know how to catch up? Have you struggled with problems regarding a certain issue, such as hiring, and you just can’t seem to resolve.
- What top three vendors whose product/service most intrigue you.
Maybe they offer a service or product unfamiliar to you. Maybe it’s something you’ve thought about, and now here’s your chance to ask some questions of them. You don’t have to buy anything from them, but you may be able to help each other in the future. Referrals are gold.
- Who would you most like to meet?
At an event like this, it’s a real and rare opportunity to meet with top industry insiders, professionals, and creators. Shake hands, tell them how much you enjoy their work, and just ask them a few questions about their service or product. That’s why they are there, and they will appreciate your attention.
- Check out the speakers beforehand and see what topic most appeals to you.
Most show attendees review the speaker list before determining who they want to see. But make those choices before you arrive. Read their bios on Linked In. Maybe there’s some kind of personal connection you’d like to strengthen or use as an icebreaker. This will give a mental map of your priority and help determine what you’ll get out of the session. Is there someone you’ve heard before, or read about, or heard on the radio or a podcast? Listen, ask follow-up questions, and if you can, hang out afterward and strike up a conversation. Again, it’s why they are there.
- Make new connections.
Find three new vendors, speakers, or high-profile person, and start a conversation or relationship with this person. You don’t need to want or need anything. Just connect, with the idea that maybe sometime down the road you may be able to help each other.
- Take some time to reconnect.
For most, this won’t be their first trucking show. If you’ve established some relationships, look to strengthen them, and get updates on what’s going on in their lives. If it is your first, listen to others, and just engage in informal conversation.
- Take Some Personal Time
This is different from reconnecting You will likely see friends there. Take this opportunity to spend some time as just old friends catching up on what else is going on in their lives, maybe even to the point of missing out on a session or two. There’s more to the show than business. With the number of truck stops that have disappeared, making personal time with trucker friends becomes even more critical. Maybe you can even skip out for a couple of sessions and take in some local flavor. You know Louisville Sluggers are made here, right?
- Follow-up with another connection
The show doesn’t end when you walk about the door. If you’ve made a professional connection, reconnected, or just enjoyed a cup of coffee with a new acquaintance or old friend, drop them a line and let them know how much you enjoyed meeting or reconnecting with them and see when you can get together again. This will strengthen the relationship and will make you stand out from others. They will remember the extra courtesy.
Whether traveling for fun or pleasure, make sure you map out a plan. Where you’re headed, drive time, possible stops, such as stopping to visit friends/family along the route. A lot of factors can change those plans, but in most cases, you’ll have a more enjoyable and satisfying trip if you prioritize. This planning is even more crucial at the Mid-America Trucking Show. Connections and info you come away with can reshape your business and your life.