Preparation is Everything

I'm not usually one to draw upon sports for my metaphors but if the athletic shoe fits... As I was watching the first round of the NFL playoffs this weekend, and as I prepare to go walk the aisles of the Winter Fancy Food Show next weekend, it occurred to me that many of the same preparations for one could apply to the other. Having spent more than a decade as a buyer and now another decade or so as an editor, I have not only walked many, many miles of trade floor aisles in several countries, but I have developed some good working theories about how to make the most of my shoeleather and come away from a show feeling like I found what there was to find. I remember very well when I was a buyer/manager in New York and other buyers would be in town for one trade show or another. We were a destination for many buyers and they would descend on us with note pads and tape recorders in hand, trying surreptitiously to glean the sources of the products on our shelves. Often, some fledgling buyer from the provinces would exclaim over our selection, innocently inquiring, "where ever did you find such a thing?!" I would be amazed - not that they asked, but by the fact that the object in question had been found at the very show they were in town to attend and had attended before. I discovered in talking to these buyers that they get so caught up in meetings with vendors they already do business with, and in seeing their friends that they miss half of what the show has to offer. With that in mind, I humbly offer some tips on working a trade show. Savvy veterans will forgive me as I indulge here, but for those who are new to the business, or have had poor luck in unearthing great new products at the shows, the following is my two cents worth of advice.

First, wear comfortable shoes. I'm being half facitious here because there is some planning to do before you ever get to the show, but then planning one's wardrobe requires advance thinking as well. In fact, wear comfortable everything. You should never be distracted by what you have on. Clothes should be loose fitting and just enough so you are neither too hot nor too cold. Remember, they don't usually turn on the air conditioning until the first day of the show, so if you happen to be in on set-up day, don't be fooled into thinking that will be the temperature. Also, consider the comfort of what you are carrying too. You'll need something to put all the brochures, catalogs and samples you collect and it should be as light weight as possible. It will be heavy enough by the end of the day so don't start out with a heavy leather briefcase. Be sure also to have plenty of the supplies you'll need - paper, pens, business cards, perhaps even a small calculator, and pocket to keep them in. Be sure to always have an extra pen or a refill. Try and develop a strategy for the show. Is there anything specific you are looking for? Is there a department in your store that is weak and needs help? Is there a holiday coming up that needs to be considered? Try to keep appointments to a minimum or you risk spending the show hours criss-crossing the exhibition area trying to make it to one meeting after the next. I believe this is the chief reason why buyers so often miss what is at the show. Start at one corner of the show and walk each aisle. For many it is a good idea to walk in pairs with one set of eyes scanning one side of the aisle and yours on the other. If your manpower is limited, split up but reconnoiter frequently to compare notes, sending your partner back to look at items that you may not be 100% sure about, and to make sure that you are not doubling up on orders. At food shows, be careful with all the samples that are offered to you in the aisles. A good rule of thumb is to only taste what you are truly interested in. Beginning the day gobbling down chocolates and other sweets will have you crashing by the afternoon. Try to stick to savories early in the day and save the desserts for later in the afternoon. Of course, this is not always practical as the exhibitors are not necessarily laid out that way, but you can always take a sample, promising to try it later. Sometimes tasting something back in the privacy of your hotel room is a more enjoyable and a more telling method, without the pressure of the candy maker in front of you. 

Also, know your limit. Don't force yourself to stay until the very last moment of each day if it means you are exhausted and will be in worse shape the next day. Go at your own pace and take breaks when you fell you need them and drink plenty of water. Try to avoid a lot of coffee and sodas as they will ultimately drag you down. The key here is to stay as fresh as possible, to be alert and pain free with nothing to distract you from the task at hand. After the show, sort through and meet with your collegues to review the show as soon as you possibly can, while the show and the products you found are still fresh in your mind. 

If you can make a plan before the show, be as comfortable as you can during the show, collect as much information as you can, and once you are home again, organize your findings and document what you intend to do, you will no doubt find these trade shows much more interesting, more fun, and a lot more productive for you and the store. And did I mention comfortable shoes?

  

It's Your Turn

I'm loathe to admit it but every year I find myself making NewYear's resolutions, or goals as someone suggested, a far less daunting term. Fortunately, mine aren't of the I-want-to-become-a-completely-different-person variety. My goals tend to be somewhat more realistic, such as make more soup, improve my Spanish (notice how I didn't say "master" Spanish), and be more disciplined about my work (my editor will like that one). No triathalons, no 300 situps a day, and I'm not going to set out to complete the Great American novel by summer (it will take at least until the end of the year). In fact, my loftiest goal is to re-read the entire Shakespeare canon, also not unrealistic considering how much I read anyway and how much I like the Bard, and I've attached no specific time frame to the goal so I can take as long as I want. If I were still a retailer, however, my professional goals would be quite different. These are tough times and although I believe things are slowly getting better, the key word here is slowly. We're not out of the woods yet and in all likelihood we will never again see the unfettered spending of pre-2009 economic meltdown. Therefore I would resolve to communicate better with my customers through signage, blogs, social networking sites, newsletters, and personal contact. As an owner or buyer I would resolve to spend more time on the sales floor fluffing the merchandise, talking to customers and staff, and even rotating through the departments once in a awhile. I would resolve to run my business lean and mean, culling out superfluous items in the store and focusing on my core business. I would resolve to strengthen my realtionship with vendors, negotiating better deals, getting more exclusive products, and learning everything I could about their products. I would resolve to streamline my operations, cutting out needless paperwork and procedures and simplifying the flow of goods through the store as much as possible. I would institute on-going staff training, including information about new products, old products, and cross-training people in different departments. I would be certain to have an extensive library of food books - cookbooks, reference books, and essays about food - and then share it with the staff, perhaps even making some of it required reading. I would resolve to become more active in my community, seeing how I could participate in local functions, street fairs, etc., all with the aim of giving my store a higher profile and keeping in step with the beat of the city. I would resolve to travel abroad more, both to trade fairs like SIAL and Anuga, as well as holidays wherein I might learn something new about a foreign culture and their table. I would resolve to travel more within my own region, seeking out artisans and purveyors of locally-grown and produced goods. And, of course, I would resolve to read The Gourmet Retailer every month to keep up on new products, merchandising ideas, and everything else one needs to know in this business. Last season on "Dancing with the Stars" (yes, I watched DWTS - it was either that or leave the house), one of the contestants compared the dancing competition to his own milieu when  he said, "it's like riding in the rodeo. You're never really ready, it's just your turn." Life can be like that, and in retail it's your turn everyday to make a great impression on your customers, on your staff, and in your community. I wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2010 and I look forward to seeing all of you this year in the aisles of one trade fair or another. Cheers.