Page 40 - MetalForming November 2009

Michael Bleau has served manufacturing and consumer- related industries since 1986. Prior to forming Industry Scope, a strategic b2b and b2c sales and marketing consultancy, in 2002, he held executive positions for several automation and press manufacturers. Michael regularly consults with manufacturing companies on strategic planning, sales and marketing, brand and product development, PR and sales-channel development. Industry Scope
tel. 810/397-1429
mbleau@industry-scope.com www.industry-scope.com
If you are heading to the show in Chicago, then by the time this issue hits your desk you’ll most likely be in one of two camps: an exhibitor rushing through a last-minute checklist for booth and sales prep or an attendee finalizing meeting and symposium ses- sion plans. Either way, you have a full schedule at this year’s combination of the FABTECH, AWS and METAL- FORM shows in Chicago. It is going to be huge.
At press time there already are more than 10,000 preregistered attendees with the opportunity to visit some 3400 exhibitors. Shows like this are the equiv- alent of a huge feast of candy to a kid; an almost endless spread of deliciousness. So, just like a kid with candy, the temp- tation is to pack in as much of the show as possible into a few days. Naturally you want to experience it all, but remember that time as a kid when you were left alone with the Halloween candy? I do. At first, eating a wrapper or two in the rush wasn’t a problem but it did not take long before I realized that quantity didn’t equate to quality. Actu- ally, at that time I only ended up with an aching stomach and didn’t come to any intellectual realization until much later in life.
My point: If you want to be more sat- isfied on the plane ride home, cut your “to do” list in half, prioritize, make the hard choices on what you must accom- plish, then leverage the remainder of your time to focus on networking. Of course, while you are in symposium tracks and visiting booths you will have the opportunity to meet new people, but while these casual contacts made throughout the daily rush can lead to more meaningful interactions, they do
not equate to the opportunity to really connect with peers at networking events.
Networking events, whether sched- uled hospitality suites, other sponsored business gatherings or the chance meet- ing during the plane ride or at the show during lunch is where you have an excel- lent opportunity to exchange real, valu- able information and start the foun- dation for new business relationships. So take these opportunities to build your social capital. Where else will you potentially cross paths with thousands of like-minded individuals? This is where you can find a variety of peers who can help your business and whom you can help through the exchange of ideas, discussion of problems, etc. These few days are your best opportunities throughout the year to make such valu- able, career-affecting contacts before heading home to the daily grind, so don’t let the scope of the event bog you down.
Structured hospitality events are designed for the ebb and flow of ming- ling guests, making this is a perfect place to make connections. Such gath- erings can be the genesis of real, lasting business relationships. If you sense a valuable relationship for both parties and feel it’s worth spending more time exchanging ideas over a meal, suggest dinner that evening or breakfast or lunch the next day.
When engaging new people, be relaxed, open and genuine. It’s under- stood that we all are at these events to make business connections, but jump- ing from one person to another based on how you perceive their value or the weight of their title will quickly label you in an unfavorable way. There can
38 METALFORMING / NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009
www.metalformingmagazine.com
THE BUSINESS OF METALFORMING MICHAEL BLEAU
Tradeshows: Making Meaningful Connections