Today is the last day of the three day Printwear and Promotion Show (P&P). Despite having written this year for the magazine of the same name, I couldn’t bring myself to traipse all the way up to the NEC in Birmingham and stand in a draughty hall collecting business cards. It is the same every year, I register for tickets, I never go. Why? Well here are my key reasons this year:
- March is the start of the busy season; phones are red hot, the email server bulging. Why not do the show in January?
- It is in Birmingham (enough said).
- If I want to speak to our suppliers that exhibit I normally pick up the phone. If I really want to talk to them we have lunch.
I am not completely anti-trade shows, considering only yesterday Jo and I popped into Sports Merchandise at Chelsea FC, but they are a tedious experience that Google and a telephone have made less relevant in modern business.
Maybe next year?
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t go to Printwear and Promotion. I did – I went on Sunday I and sent my staff on Monday and Tuesday.
By going it gave me the chance to renew old acquaintances, meet new faces, find out about new products and new ideas. I send my staff not just for the same reasons but to confirm to them that they are part of a vibrant and solid industry – that they are a part of an industry they can be proud of. Most of all we go to give our support to that industry.
It is very easy to critisize something – it’s a simple matter of running your fingers over a keyboard. It takes far more effort to support. But thousands of us gave that support again this year. Exhibitors spent many thousands of pounds and months on planning. People flew in from many parts of the world and the rest of us spent time and money to get there.
What we got out of it was down to the individual but what our industry got out of it was our combined support.
I’m sorry, for whatever excuse, you decided not to give yours.
I agree it provides an opportunity “to renew old acquaintances, meet new faces, find out about new products and new ideas” with the convenience of these opportunities being in the same place at the same time.
I am by nature a cynic (you may have guessed) and see these fairs as lacklustre and ultimately an opportunity for the organisers to make money from exhibitors. I would rather commit my time (and my staff’s time) to sales in March and, should I need to deal with suppliers, use the wonders of modern communication technologies rather than drag myself up the M40.
Printwear and Promotion is a great show for:
People just coming into the industry which there are plenty of.
Seeing what’s happening in the industry.
Finding new products and suppliers.
I think is a useful show (which could be improved). I just wish it wasn’t in Birmingham every year.
Whats wrong with Birmingham? You are so Arrogant!
Sorry to offend, I don’t really think there is anything wrong with Birmingham, per se, but the time it takes to get there is certainly an issue for us. It would be nice if could be held in different cities, like the capital, once in a while!
I was going to attend myself but I couldn’t bear the thoughts of closing my doors for the day and losing potential sales. maybe next time! I heard it was an all right time all and all.
I disagree. Tradeshows are important opportunities for business owners to exchange ideas, give away imprinted products, and learn more about their industries.