If you want to get some new ideas about how to make your ag business more profitable and more efficient, you can watch online videos, read industry magazines and get help from experienced friends in the field. But, there’s another, more effective, way to propel your business forward, help you make serious connections and learn about the latest innovations that are often overlooked: attend an ag event.
Agricultural shows are much more than just small-town fairs (but those do have their bonuses too!). Modern ag events are excellent for expanding your business and networking with potential clients. At these shows, you can attend conference talks, share research and get demos of new equipment. No matter what you think you know or what you want to learn, conferences and events offer amazing insight into the future of our industry.
In this blog, we’re going to look at the most beneficial reasons for attending ag events and expos.
1. Promote Yourself
When you’re attending events, it’s the perfect chance to promote yourself and your business face-to-face with potential customers and clients. You can talk about techniques you have mastered, products that you are producing, as well as some of your achievements in the last year. Any information that you can give clients that will help them see why you’re the person to work with will help promote your business and get the word out about you and your work.
If you’ve got a stand, make the most of it. Not only is it a great way to increase awareness about your company - it’s a great way to get interested parties’ contact info.
We recently created a custom lead contact form and thank you email series for one of our clients to use at an industry trade show. Now, they can collect contacts and data from the form using their mobile phones or a tablet and have potential new customers’ entered straight onto a lead nurturing email series.
2. Meet Other Experts
There’s a lot of information out there on the internet that can provide us with everything we need to know about the agricultural industry, however, it’s not the same as getting in-person info on the latest innovations and news. At these events, you can talk to people who are experts in the agricultural field and have years of real-life experience to pass down to the next person who chats to them.
If you have a specific problem with your business then what better way to try and solve it than by talking to other experts. Chatting to those in the know gives you the low-down on what to do, what to avoid and who else at the event can possibly help out.
3. Try Out New Technology
Many of the larger nationwide trade shows and agricultural events feature a lot of the latest technology, tools, and research in the field.
If you’re eager to learn the latest research findings, you can attend lectures organized by industry experts and learn about anything new that has been discovered. Booths are active at these events to show off any new technology by giving demonstrations. You can also get free samples of new products that may or may not be on the market yet.
Ag’s always evolving and growing - so to stay ahead, it’s essential to stay in the loop with new innovations. By attending events, you can get a running start on what to invest in to help your business grow.
With the opportunity to talk to experts and other farmers at these events you can learn different ways to use what you already have more efficiently. Remember, to get the most out of an event, you should share your knowledge with others as well as asking them to share their knowledge with you.
4. Make New Connections
While you may have businesses you’re on great terms with located near you, expanding your network and your brand awareness to other places will really benefit your business in the long run.
Conferences that are in a regional space is a good starting point if you are looking to connect with people who are closer to your area. Some conferences will hold networking events which will give you a chance to connect with other people in the industry and talk with people interested in your business over meals, exhibitions and product demonstrations.
If you are going to these networking events be sure to bring some business cards or pens to hand out. A notebook to jot down any notes that come to mind, as well as the names of the people who you gave a business card to so you can remember who they are and what it is they specialize in.
5. The Opportunity To Travel
When thinking about attending an agricultural conference or event you shouldn’t overlook the fun aspects of the opportunity. Yes, ag events are usually work-related and there often isn’t much time for leisure during them, but you can still enjoy yourself.
Conferences are often located in different cities around the country so you will get to visit a lot of different places, try new food and see some of the local attractions. There could also be some events that take place out of the country meaning that you get to fly overseas and experience a whole new culture.
As part of the conference, there will often be social events that you can attend like dinners, trips or parties. These events can often be quite formal and perhaps even a little bit dull but some of them can be relaxing, friendly affairs where you can sit back and enjoy your time around like-minded people.
These events give you the opportunity to meet with people who enjoy similar interests to you and you might even go home with some new friends along the way.
If you’d like to know more about how to attract more customers to your business, get in touch
and see how our Marketing Maximizer can help you.
