What is the purpose of Real Estate Trade Shows?
Have you ever asked yourself why go to any trade show?
To do any trade show successfully requires a lot of resources and work for a company. Employees must plan PR, prepare and approve a budget, design and produce displays, purchase equipment, train staff, reserve lodging, formalize travel plans, write and print brochures—the list goes on and on. Then there’s the work done at the show itself: coordinating staffing times, giving presentations, exchanging business cards, conducting raffles, planning meals, and networking at every opportunity.
ZipperAgent just finished exhibiting at the NYC Real Estate Expo, and we needed to address all these things before the show. Once we got back, we dove right into the post-trade show work: traveling home, scheduling meeting, giving product demonstrations, writing sales orders, evaluating the trade show, and doing the follow-up, follow-up, and more follow-up.
Trade shows and Expos no matter how you look at it are a lot of work for the exhibitors. So why do we bother?
Sales
One obvious answer is to increase sales. ZipperAgent goes to trade shows, like most businesses, because we have a product to sell and trade shows allow potential customers to have a hands-on experience with our product. Sometimes this will result in closed sales right at the show. More often it allows us to quickly expand our customer database and set appointments. This will, in turn, lead to future sales.
Synergy
It is not all about sales though. ZipperAgent goes to trade shows to network with other companies where we feel can create a partnership that would benefit our customers. During the normal lulls in the trade show, we actively go around the floor and talk with other vendors to see how we can cooperate to provide you with a better product. Often this means several hours of meetings with other vendors after a long day at the show.
Innovation
Seeing the latest innovation and trends in real estate is another great reason to go to trade shows. Reviewing what direction things are moving in and being prepared to stay ahead of our competitors is more than enough reason to go to a trade show.
Networking
Networking is another great reason to go to a show. Our products and services may not benefit everyone to the same degree. A siding salesman, for example, does not need all the features ZipperAgent provides. They may, however, know some real estate agents that it would greatly benefit. There is also value in networking with our current customers who attend the shows and renewing old acquaintances with vendors from prior shows we have attended.
ZipperAgent Schedule
ZipperAgent is committed to doing as many trade shows as time allows this year, and our present calendar is full! Why not stop by our booth at one of these upcoming expos?
| National Association of Realtors Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo | 5/16&17/2018 | Washington, D.C. |
| Long Island Board of Realtors | 6/7/2018 | Woodbury, NY |
| Inman Connect | 7/16-20/2018 | San Francisco, CA |
| Florida Realtors | 8/8,9/2018 | Orlando |
| Texas Association of Realtors Annual Conference | 9/7-10/2018 | San Antonio • Hyatt/CC |
| 2018 NAHREP National Convention & Latin Music Festival | 9/9-11/2018 | San Diego, CA |
| CALIFORNIA REALTOR® EXPO | 10/10/2018 | Long Beach, CA |
| National Association of Realtors Annual Convention | 11/2-5/2018 | Boston, MA |
