IAAPA Expo is a great event for you and your FEC, however it does require a lot of hard working and planning to make the most out of the opportunities.
There are many things you may not think to do or forget in the rushes between meetings and events.
Here is a list of things to keep in mind when attending the expo:
Bring your own water bottle. Staying hydrated might seem like a simple idea, but it is crucial to staying healthy, maintaining focus and keeping your energy for the long days. Always having a bottle of water and refilling it regularly in the breaks between meetings will be very helpful in allowing yourself to make the most out of IAAPA.
Wear comfy shoes. You’ll likely have to walk fair distances and spend extended periods standing around across the duration of your time at IAAPA. That’s why it might be in your best interests to wear, or invest in, comfy shoes. Whilst it might not seem that important at the beginning of the trade show, as it moves towards the later days, you may really regret your shoe choice.
Have a schedule (and stick to it!). Having a schedule is key to being successful at IAAPA. Knowing exactly who, what when and where about your meetings is 100% necessary.
Make it is all written down in advance, so you can plan logistically what you need and where you need to be. Once you have a schedule, it is more important to stick to it. There is no point in having a schedule if all you're going to do is ignore it.
Account for lunch and bathroom breaks. Everyone, no matter who you are, will need to eat and use the bathroom multiple times in a day, especially at IAAPA.
While it might sound a bit over the top and excessive, putting them into your schedule is a great way to ensure that you’re not too overloaded.
Divide and conquer. If you are coming with other people, it is a good idea to meet with them and ensure that you aren’t meeting with the same people or business twice.
It is important to cover as much space as possible and not waste time in meetings which have already been held.
Know your objectives and don’t get distracted. Before you arrive at IAAPA it is important that you and your FEC to know exactly what you want to get out of the trade show. This should lead to objectives or goals being set, of which it is crucial that these are kept in the forefront of your mind.
Bringing yourself back to these goals is also a great way to prevent yourself from getting distracted and straying away from what is important to your business.
Be open to new ideas and concepts. Just because there is some new technology of different products you are unaware of, don’t hesitate to enquire about them. You never know what could be useful to your business, and just because you don’t know about something doesn’t mean it isn’t useful.
Say yes to all networking events. You are at IAAPA to make connections and relationships potentially leading to business partnerships.
You never know where casual conversation will lead to so don’t let any opportunities to attend networking events pass up.
Bring a note pad and take notes. At IAAPA you will have countless hours of conversation, much of which might not be important for you to remember, however when there are things you must remember, having a notepad and pen will come in handy.
Overall, as you can tell from this list, IAAPA is quite an intense time, however it is also filled with great opportunities for yourself and your business. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself when you can and make the most out of your time there.
The Embed team will be demoing the Mobile Wallet at Booth #1336, IAAPA Expo 2019 November 19-22 in Orlando, FL and schedule a demo here.