A trade show is an event that is usually hosted in a big city where the biggest conglomerates gather to show off their latest technological discoveries, their services, and the products they have created. It is a gathering where you will find all the greatest experts in a certain industry, you will find fans of those experts and companies, enthusiast and the media that follows such technological improvement. Not only it is a place where you can have a very good time watching all those presentations, but it is also a chance for you to pitch your idea.
It is the only time and place where you finally under the spotlight where you can pull the ears and eyes of enthusiasts and professionals to hear about what you have invented. So, if you want to grow your brand and you want to market your brand new product, attending a trade show is a must.
However, considering that there are at least a hundred such shows that are huge and thousands of smaller ones, it can be quite confusing which one you should attend. Naturally, you should go on the one that is related to your niche. It does not make sense to go to an electronics exhibit while your product or service is related to something that is the complete opposite.
While we cannot give you the answer which is the perfect one for your invention, we can at least give you a list of the best shows that may or may not fulfill your needs and requirements.
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Pack Expo
This Expo is the biggest event related to packaging which is usually filled with more than fifty thousand professionals of this industry and with 2,500 suppliers and companies who showcase their products and services. This Expo is usually hosted in Las Vegas or Chicago, it shifts from year to year.
So, if your product is related to automated packaging, filling or sealing, automated labeling, other robotics that may increase efficiency and operation ideas, this is the place for you. Prepare your idea and pitch it to the biggest experts you find there and you might have enough luck to get a few connections and numbers.
Source: Flexible Packaging Magazine
Consumer Electronics Show
If you are tech-savvy and tech inventor this is probably the most important gathering in the world when it comes to electronics. Not only is the biggest electronics gathering, but it is also one of the biggest trade shows in the entire US. It gets more than 150,000 visitors, both professionals, and enthusiasts and has more than 3,500 exhibitors.
You will certainly be up to date about everything related to computers, mobile phones, electronics in vehicles and so on. You will also be a witness to brand new and exciting video game consoles such as the PlayStation and the Xbox, new smart TVs, smart fridges, etc.
INPEX or Invention and New Product Exposition
This is considered to be the largest invention trade expo in the United States. It is always held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At this gathering, fans, enthusiasts, and experts have the freedom to exhibit their brand new products and to pitch their ideas. The companies attending there will pay attention to those ideas and offer marketing or licensing to help innovators with their ideas.
It usually has somewhere around 1,500 attendees, but it hosts more than 400 exhibitionists. Compared to other expos, INPEX one is quite an older tradition as it reached its 30th anniversary just a couple of years ago.
World of Concrete
World of Concrete is the number one expo that focuses on the concrete industry. Just like many other gatherings, it is hosted in the Las Vegas Convention Center. This place is the number one pick for most because of its huge space and accessibility. World of Concrete has been active for more than 40 years and has more than 50,000 visitors every single year and has about 1,000 companies that exhibit their products and services.
It is the perfect place where you can pitch your idea related to this industry.
Source: CGMagazine
E3
If you are a gamer or a video game developer then you certainly cannot miss out on E3. It is the expo where all the biggest video game companies and publishers gather in one place and show off their brand new games, their remasters and their new engines. You will get previews about all the new advancements in the video game development technologies and you will also have the chance to pitch your idea to a publisher that might consider hiring you or maybe even buying it from you.
Benefits of visiting a trade show
Now that we went through one of the biggest gatherings that happen all around the world, it is time to tell you about all the benefits of visiting such places, especially if you are still not convinced whether it will be smart for you to pitch your idea at an expo.
Brand Awareness
There is no such thing as building enough brand awareness. Trade shows are most beneficial for start-up businesses because of the easy access to thousands of attendees and professionals that might be interested in your idea. Even if nobody shows great interest in what you have to say, you are still marketing your brand. Next year you will have a lot more influence because your brand name will be familiar to the people who are revisiting the trade show.
Source: On Location Marketing
New connections and relationships
Not only will your brand be spread through the attendees and companies, but you will also have the chance to build new relationships and find new connections that you might use in the future. If you are a beginner in a certain industry, having allies is very important. The less competition you have, the easier it will be for you to breakthrough as a company. Meet with important people such as CEOs, marketing agents because they potentially might be your partners in the future. Make sure that you leave a good impression while you mingle with the leaders of the industry.
