Patrick McFarland's Expert Guide to Trade Show Mastery in Transportation

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Hi, hello everyone.
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Welcome to On the Move, a show where we share transportation and marketing success stories.
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I'm Jennifer Karpus-Romain, Executive Director at the Transportation Marketing and Sales Association, which is a trade nonprofit educating and connecting our sales professionals in transportation and logistics.
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Today on the show we have Patrick McFarland, Senior Director of Marketing at ITS Logistics.
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Welcome to the show, Patrick.
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Thanks for having me, Jen.
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We are excited to have you here and I wanted to bring you on the show because I wanted to talk about all things industry, trade show strategies and I know that's something that ITS Logistics has really dived into or dove into the past couple years, and so when I was setting up this podcast, I was like I know who I can call and talk to.
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So first things first.
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How do you evaluate what shows to test out when you go to build your strategy?
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Sure, sure, I'll give you a little bit of background.
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First, we hadn't really done trade shows prior to two years ago, so this was a newer strategy for us.
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But I can tell you, when I was first doing our research, kind of kicking this program off, and ultimately it was to not oversimplify it, but it's really for twofold.
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One was to kind of build our brand.
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Even at a billion dollar company, we're still relatively unknown to the industry, being only 24, 25 years old, so wanted to get our name out there and build our brand and sponsorship and we knew going to trade shows would be one way to help elevate that, that our our brand.
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So, um.
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And then the other one is obviously getting in front of shippers, customers, uh, vendors as well, carriers as well, but ultimately is to to drive revenue, to get leads, to build relationships right.
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So when we first considered doing this and how I was going to evaluate where we're going to go to, to be honest it was pretty straightforward.
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One we did the research and we looked at the existing trade shows that were out there, especially for the industry, and we focused on the ones where our competitors were to be honest, and then after that, where our customers were going, where our shippers are going, where the people we wanted to talk to, the ones that they were attending, either if we knew they were speaking or if we knew they had historically been there, or we reached directly out to them and said, hey, what trade shows do you guys go to?
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So that'd be the two ways we originally used to kind of target which ones to go to, who's going, who's been there, people we want to talk and, and, to be honest, where our competition was.
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I think those are really good metrics.
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I mean especially, yes, thank you for giving that insight to you, because, of course, that is why I called you, because I knew it was a newer strategy but something that has worked really well for you guys.
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But always good to give that scope to our audience.
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And so now that you guys have done it for a couple years, how do you evaluate, like, what milestones do you need to hit to return to a show up, your engagement?
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how does that kind of factor in?
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yeah, absolutely so, now that we've been doing it for a couple years.
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And now I mean, for instance, like we're going to a couple coming up here tpm and manifest in q1, and those are shows we've now been to two times before, so, um, but there's definitely a couple that we're not going back to, right, and without naming names, I'd basically say, once we've gone there and experienced the show, we've seen it in person, we've seen what our sponsorship looks like, we've seen what the trade show floors look like, the activity on the trade show floor, the cus, the, the shippers that actually showed up there, the vendors, the carriers, um, then it really comes down to were there enough of them?
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Right?
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Did we actually have now?
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And not only that, I mean, I can think of one show that we've gone to twice and we won't be going back to in the third year, and it has all the right companies and has all the right supply chain titles, but we just weren't able to find a way to have meaningful interactions to make it worth it.
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To be honest, that's really what it comes down to, right?
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And so the ones where we can find the people we want to talk to, we can have real interactions, meaningful conversations that moves our relationship forward.
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Those are the ones where we definitely want to go back to At the end of the day, did we drive revenue, did we build opportunities and did we get our brand and our name out there?
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And those are the key metrics we use to kind of evaluate and those are the ones we're going to go back to or continue to invest or even grow investment in some cases.
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I'm glad that you mentioned Manifest, because I have right here that we are doing a TMSA networking event at Manifest, at the ITS Logistics booth, so if you want to join us you can scan that QR code.
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Really excited about it.
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It will be 10.30am to 11.30am on February 11th.
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Tmsa Quick Bytes Big Connections.
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You'll get to hang out with me and Patrick and our TMSA friends so excited about that.
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I do think that it's good when you're evaluating like, okay, I love that you said that you know there was a show that had all of the right things, we went into it thinking, okay, we're going to meet these people, but we weren't able to have meaningful connections.
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And I do think that part of that is one of the biggest I see in terms of marketing, sales and trade shows is that there's not like a formalized pre during a post show strategy to even be able to evaluate that, because a lot of times what I hear is, oh, my God, I met so many people, it was great, but I didn't have time to follow up.
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Well, you need to make the time.
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That's part of it.
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So it's good that you're like oh, we didn't find ways to meaningfully connect, because that means that you're still doing the strategy piece of that, but it's just you weren't making those connections.
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I think if you're only engaging at the show and you're not building out that pre and post strategy, you're really missing out on the process.
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What do you think about that?
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Oh my, yeah, absolutely.
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That's something we learned early on, like I don't want to say the first couple we did in the very first, you know, a couple of years ago.
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But yeah, we, we kind of we found out who was going and we tried to reach out as much as we could.
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I mean, a key part of that is to one identify who's going to be there.
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And that's hard, right.
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I mean rarely does a trade show actually give you like a full list of attendees, right?
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So you got to do the work.
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Man, there are no shortcuts there.
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I have a great staff.
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You know Ash Toms.
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She runs our trade show strategy here.
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It's work.
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You got to do your work, work.
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You got to see who's been there.
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You have to figure out the companies.
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Then you have to figure out the contacts.
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Obviously, if you can do some networking prior and you actually know they're going to be there, reach out to them, that's ideal.
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But in some cases you really just kind of got to guess a little bit.
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And so that's either figuring out who's, if they've sponsored there before, if they've attended previously, if anyone's speaking there from the company, or, at some point, if the trade shows do give you at least a list of the companies that are going to attend.
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Then again, you got to use some kind of some kind of platform to go and try to get the contacts that the most likely supply chain titles are going to be there.
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And then, um, absolutely, then you got to do some pre-show marketing messaging.
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Right, like, hey, we're going to be at the show, we're going to be be at the booth, we're doing this event, we love to meet up, and so that works.
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You definitely want to pepper them a little bit with some pre-show email campaigns to just get your brand in front of them.
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Let them know you're going to be there, let them know if you have anything exciting you want to talk about.
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You're unveiling a new technology, you have a certain exec that's going to be there.
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You have a speaking engagement, you have an event, so give them something of value.
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And then you obviously want to talk about the solutions you can offer and hope it, hope it's something that they're looking for, right?
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Um, then you have to engage with your sales team, because marketing emails only go so far, right?
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So now you really have to engage with your sales team.
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And then the sales people that are assigned to those companies and those contacts.
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They have to do some pre-show research, and again it's it's not easy.
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There's no easy button for this.
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You got to do the work, so now it's them proactively reaching out with a personal email, with a phone call, with a linkedin request, whatever that is, in order to try to, uh, engage with them, let them know you're going to be at the show.
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And then it's all about scheduling, pre-scheduling appointments, right?
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So, whether that's like a full-on meeting awesome, awesome Maybe it's just like a lunch or a coffee, cool, at the very least.
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Maybe it's just a booth stop by.
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Or if you're going to have an event or you're going to do something there, you can invite them to that, right?
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So, yeah, and then it's game day ops man.
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So once you're there, you've done all the pre-show work, you've let them know you're coming, you've tried to set up a pre-meeting, but now you're there and now it's whoever you didn't get in front of.
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You've got to do the work and you have to send people out on the floor and you have to go and find them.
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And again, the whole point of this is to really they're a shipper, they have a need, we're a provider, we have a solution, and it's just trying to get in front of them and having a meaningful conversation.
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I mean, end of the day, that's it.
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And then to your point now what?
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So now we've done the pre-show work, now we've had the event, we've done all the work there, we tried to have all the meaningful relationships and connections we possibly can, and now it's post-show follow-up.
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So you can't just let it die right.
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So again, now here's where marketing and sales have to be truly uniquely um, you've got to be in locks up, you have to be in communication.
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Um, make sure that you're following up.
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If you had a great conversation there, maybe you just got a business card.
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Or maybe you just made a digital, you know, a linkedin connection.
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Um, now, what right so if you didn't have a great interaction with them there, but you at least know who they are and they know who you are.
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Now you have to follow up, and now you have to get in their inbox, you have to get on the phone with them and then hopefully meet to a post meeting after that.
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But again it really comes down to a meaningful conversation where we can talk about our solutions, they can talk about their problems and hopefully find a way for us to work together.
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I think that's all really good advice and it is important to really think through all three pieces of that.
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I also think it's important to know who can do what and who excels in what area.
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So it and I say that because this is something I'm learning too so I am, you know, the main representative of TMSA.
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When I go to trade shows and I in the past would mark all the booths that I wanted to go to and introduce people to I shouldn't publicly say this, but I especially because you're a board member I don't go to all those booths because I'm really bad at approaching somebody and starting a conversation like that.
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Not that I don't, but it's just not my strong suit.
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It makes me very uncomfortable.
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I don't know what to say.
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I can talk about TMSA, it's just that very don't, but it's just not my strong suit.
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It makes me very uncomfortable.
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I don't know what to say.
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I can talk about TMSA, it's just that very like the 10 seconds.
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It makes me uncomfortable.
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And because I've been someone who's worked a booth and I hate when people come to me when I'm trying to work and sell things and they're trying to sell me things.
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So I don't like to have that experience.
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What I did at the end of last year is I actually did what you said schedule the meetings ahead of time.
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And what a game changer.
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Because I was like I know who I want to meet and so I'm going to find them.
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But then I was like, yes, but you are very uncomfortable, awkward, when you find them on the spot.
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If you know you're meeting them, you're less uncomfortable.
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So I feel like there's a piece of being pretty honest with yourself, of like where your strong suits are and, of course, training yourself to be better in those areas that you're not.
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Or if you have a team like who on your marketing sales teams are better at approaching conversations, who are better at follow up, who you know there's all kinds of that.
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But I feel like, yeah, because when you're there, you have to find them and be comfortable.
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And if that's not something that you aren't, how do you get better at it?
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Train your team to be better at it?
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But then how can you help yourself be better in the moment?
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By prepping, and so that's something that I have learned over the past.
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Like eight months is oh, wow, like I do so much better when I and I feel more prepared and better like, okay, like, even if the only people I meet are these six people that I have really great meetings with, you feel better about yourself going into the show too.
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No, no, absolutely You're.
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You're, you're completely right, you have to.
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Not, not everyone's built for trade shows, right, you clearly have to be an extrovert, you clearly have to be okay just walking up to people you've never met before and having and trying to have a real conversation, right, that's another thing on the pre-show work, uh, is is identifying.
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Even when you identify that, the companies you're looking for in there and the supply chain, people that are actually going to be in attendance, um, do a little research, find out about it, find out what they're, maybe maybe have some upcoming rfp, maybe they have some needs, maybe they've talked about some pain points publicly, like, do a little research.
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So, so you're actually bringing some value to that conversation.
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And I'm just, hey, I'm, I'm so and so at such company and, yeah, we do everything.
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How can we help, right, um, so so, yeah, you want to.
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Again, it's the whole goal is to have a meaningful, a meaningful interaction with someone and hopefully lead to to an opportunity to work together.
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But, yeah, it's trade shows not for everybody, it's not for the meek, it's not for the introvert.
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You, you have to get out there for sure to be successful in that environment.
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Yeah, and I like that you said that to the research, because I do.
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I.
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I think if we approach shippers with a hey, we can do everything for you, they're like I don't want, I don't need you to do everything, I need you to do what I need you to do.
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I don't care that you can do everything, can you do what I need?
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And so I do think doing that research is really important because that's they don't care what you can do, they care what you can do for them.
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And so saying, oh, like we can do everything doesn't?
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I don't think that resonates the way that people think it does for the end user in that conversation.
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Yeah, exactly, and let's be honest.
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I mean, in some cases you hope that shippers, our customers, are coming to trade shows because they have some kind of need, they're looking for some kind of solution, but not always.
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Sometimes they're coming to network, sometimes they're coming to speak, sometimes they're coming there, they're actively looking for someone.
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And then you know, as a provider we're like hey, we're here, how can we help, how can we ship the freight?
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And so you have to acknowledge that and hopefully there's an opportunity to work together, but not always, and that's fine.
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So then at that point you just kind of you just kind of network, and you just make them aware of who you are and what you're available.
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And then after that it's like let me know if you ever need help, and and and go, move on to someone else absolutely.
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Um.
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So when we talk about that post, I normally turn my apple watch off when I do these, but apparently that's do that chain, it's pulling up, I'm just gonna take off.
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Um, so we talked about.
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Okay, then you can't forget about that post, that follow-up, and so I'm curious, like how quickly does your team reach out to the people you've met?
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So, like you have the business card, you go to your room at night, whatever time that is later for other people than it is.
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Are you then emailing them?
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Are you LinkedIn them, linkedin messaging them like immediately?
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Are you waiting a couple of days?
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Like what is that cadence?
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What is coming on too strong and what is hey, no, I'm top of mind, so I'm going to reach out.
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I think you have to gauge the interaction.
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I mean, in some cases, like literally, we've got to quote freight on the floor.
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So in that case you're immediately emailing, you're immediately connecting on LinkedIn, you're immediately exchanging contact information and you're potentially quoting a solution form.
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Other times, yes, maybe it's just a LinkedIn on the day of like, hey, I know, I just met this person, I just got their card, maybe I'll fire off a quick for quick emails and hey, it was great meeting you, you know, and, and that's it.
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Or maybe just a link and hey, again, it was great meeting you.
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Look, look looking forward to interacting in the future and that's kind of it.
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Um, for more meaningful follow-up, I'll typically, uh, and the sales org and and whoever attends the shows on our behalf, we'll typically kind of let give a couple days, let them get travel.
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Typically, anyone that goes to a trade show, you know you're in it, you know two, three, four days all in so by the time you get back to work, you're traveling and then you're usually behind on emails and business and meetings, and so it kind of takes people a couple of days to to catch up.
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So kind of that couple day window, and then you want to reach out with a meaningful interaction like hey, or hey, a follow-up, like hey, we talked about such and such.
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I'd love to actually, you know, talk to you about that more.
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Let's get in person, let's get on a phone call, let's have another meeting like that.
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So give me a little bit of time to to kind of get caught up and then yeah, and then come at them with with how you can actually help and try to engage with that next step of the conversation.
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Absolutely.
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And we talked about kind of that need of alignment between sales and marketing, because both of these groups have a piece of that puzzle.
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I think marketing can bring in all the leads from a show, but if the sales team isn't either equipped or have the capacity to do that follow up in a meaningful way, then so much is left on the table.
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So what's your advice for teams really struggling with that alignment to kind of work through that?
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I will say, in the two years I've been doing this, it's probably one of the bigger challenges, right, marketing and sales and making sure your sales team is engaged with the follow-up process to take advantage of that.
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I mean, at the end of the day, it's a big investment, right.
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You pay for the sponsorship, you pay for the booth, you pay for the travel, you pay for your people cost and being there.
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So it's you don't do this lightly, right?
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And so if you really want to get the, the return on your investment, it's the engagement and the follow-up is huge.
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Um, I would say the most success that we have is is definitely when the sales people that are going to be doing the follow-up are the ones at the trade show.
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We've had some scenarios where maybe it's not their customer and you have trade show.
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You know the salespeople there and they'll do a handoff.
00:17:26.314 --> 00:17:29.931
They're like I talked to so-and-so, it's a great conversation and here's their business card follow up.
00:17:29.931 --> 00:17:41.390
Those are the ones that are more challenging, right, so, so it's it's definitely better if you have the actual salespeople that are at the shows are the ones that are going to be doing the follow ups and trying to get those meetings afterwards.
00:17:41.390 --> 00:17:44.613
That's where we have our most success, for sure, but that's not always.
00:17:44.613 --> 00:17:46.154
You know the dream scenario right.
00:17:46.154 --> 00:17:48.056
So sometimes you do have to have that handoff.
00:17:48.076 --> 00:17:52.334
So at that point, it's just clear communication from marketing, from trade show attendees.
00:17:52.334 --> 00:17:53.597
Clear communication.
00:17:53.597 --> 00:17:56.911
This was the conversation, this is who we talked to, this is the opportunity.
00:17:56.911 --> 00:18:00.422
Maybe a warm handoff like hey, bob, it was great meeting you in the show.
00:18:00.422 --> 00:18:01.423
This is sarah.
00:18:01.423 --> 00:18:02.645
She's gonna be following up with you.
00:18:02.645 --> 00:18:03.768
She actually to help you.
00:18:03.768 --> 00:18:05.190
This is what she's bringing to the table.
00:18:05.190 --> 00:18:09.384
I know we talked about this and she's going to be your person going forward.
00:18:09.384 --> 00:18:17.872
So clear communication, exactly what was going, what was said in the conversation, what the opportunity is, and then a direct and clear handoff.
00:18:17.872 --> 00:18:20.963
So everyone's kind of just engaged throughout the entire process.
00:18:20.963 --> 00:18:22.547
That'd be my best advice.
00:18:23.207 --> 00:18:29.580
I think that's really good advice and, as the marketing side of things, do you help with that messaging, do you?
00:18:29.580 --> 00:18:48.964
So I know, back when I was in this seat, we would go to different industries, and so I had some sales reps that were stronger in some industries than others, but they would still have the leads, and so I would be like OK, these are the things to talk about over here, and I'd give like a bullet list to like help them when they are getting up in those conversations.
00:18:48.964 --> 00:18:52.007
Is that something that you find your sales team resonates with?
00:18:52.007 --> 00:18:53.969
Or they like stop telling me how to do my job.
00:18:54.949 --> 00:19:05.616
Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, the success and the ROI on trade shows is kind of up to us as a group marketing and sales together.
00:19:06.337 --> 00:19:19.895
But a lot of the times the marketing people the ones that are the ones that are setting up the booth, setting up all the trade show, making sure everyone's there, doing all the events so, yeah, we're heavily engaged and heavily invested in the success of that follow upup right.
00:19:20.817 --> 00:19:26.134
So yeah, you can only remind a salesperson to follow up so many times before you.
00:19:26.134 --> 00:19:34.431
You know it's annoying for both sides, but at the end of the day it really comes down to just good, clear communication, good, clear handoff and salespeople.
00:19:34.431 --> 00:19:51.692
I mean, dude, we have some phenomenal salespeople and I know if there's an opportunity and they know it's real and they can see it, then they're going to do everything they possibly can to have those meaningful conversations, have those next steps in the meetings and hopefully at some point, you know, get into an RFP or book some books of business from that interaction.
00:19:51.692 --> 00:19:55.208
So yeah, at the end of the day it's definitely a group effort.
00:19:55.208 --> 00:19:58.173
There's a lot of people invested and involved in the process.
00:19:58.173 --> 00:20:09.118
But alignments, clear communication, clear handoffs and then yeah, and then let salespeople do what they do, which, hopefully, is build relationships and bring opportunities to the table and close business.
00:20:10.025 --> 00:20:16.586
Absolutely, and you mentioned that marketing are really the people who are driving that booth, like setting up the booth, doing the booth, do you?
00:20:16.586 --> 00:20:19.392
How do you know what you want to put in your booth and how do you evaluate year to year?
00:20:19.392 --> 00:20:20.453
And like can you use the same booth for every show?
00:20:20.453 --> 00:20:22.597
Or do you, how do you know what you want to put in your booth and how do you evaluate year to year?
00:20:22.597 --> 00:20:25.203
And like can you use the same booth for every show or do you have to change things up a bit?
00:20:25.203 --> 00:20:29.855
And do you still have to pay for the extra padding underneath the carpet?
00:20:29.855 --> 00:20:34.672
Because that was always my I, my, I couldn't.
00:20:34.672 --> 00:20:36.695
I would always tell myself to wear comfortable shoes.
00:20:36.997 --> 00:20:45.944
I'm not paying extra money for padding yeah, and I have that conversation every time we we price out what we're going to be doing at each next trade show, and I always freak out.
00:20:45.944 --> 00:20:48.153
Every time she brings me the price list.
00:20:48.153 --> 00:20:49.417
I'm like how much does this cost?
00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:53.128
yeah yeah, no, you're right, it's um, it's a lot.
00:20:53.128 --> 00:20:55.976
It's crazy how much they can charge for some of those names anyway.
00:20:55.976 --> 00:20:57.586
Um, yeah, what do you have at the booth?
00:20:57.586 --> 00:20:59.029
Um, we've had a couple of different booths.
00:20:59.029 --> 00:21:08.173
We have kind of a booth A and a booth B, for sometimes if we have two trade shows at the same time, so we have like a varsity and a JV one, a backup.
00:21:09.384 --> 00:21:10.167
We did change.
00:21:10.167 --> 00:21:17.167
We had one that worked for the first year and we learned a lot, so we did design another one for our second year and that's the one we're currently using.
00:21:17.167 --> 00:21:18.009
It works great.
00:21:18.009 --> 00:21:22.219
Uh, it allows some flexibility to go from like a 10 by 20 to a 10 by 10.
00:21:22.219 --> 00:21:28.281
We have different pop-ups depending on if we're going to an industry vertical, say automotive, maybe we have a different pop-up for that one.
00:21:28.281 --> 00:21:36.931
Or we usually have a tv and it plays different types of videos for the that's more relevant to the audience for that individual trade show or specific trade show.
00:21:36.990 --> 00:21:44.566
So, um, you definitely want to tweak it and change it up and I mean you want to have some cool swag, right, you want to have something where people stop by, even if they don't really.
00:21:44.566 --> 00:21:47.119
You know, there's not a match, there's not a fit, and that's fine.
00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.950
Uh, you know, they walk away with something kind of fun and nothing else.
00:21:49.950 --> 00:21:51.354
They, they have the its.
00:21:51.354 --> 00:21:56.049
You know squeezy ball, right, they'll have the its brand in their, in their office, sitting at their desk squeezing it.
00:21:56.049 --> 00:21:57.031
They'll be thinking about us.
00:21:57.031 --> 00:21:59.134
So you want to have some good giveaways.
00:21:59.134 --> 00:22:11.757
Another thing I don't think we really got into it and it might be one of your questions later but you also want to have some kind of event, some kind of draw, some kind of value you're going to give to people to spend some time with you, right, and you and everyone else.
00:22:11.865 --> 00:22:12.707
Everyone has an event.
00:22:12.707 --> 00:22:16.237
They have a steak dinner, they have a happy hour at a bar.
00:22:16.237 --> 00:22:28.230
So that's a key part of it too is having a fun event where you can again just engage with those people and have a meaningful interaction, a meaningful conversation, start to build a relationship, start to build some trust.
00:22:28.230 --> 00:22:29.795
At the end of the day, that's what it all comes down to.
00:22:29.795 --> 00:22:31.230
We're not recreating the wheel here.
00:22:31.230 --> 00:22:34.787
It's all about relationships and trade shows and events at trade shows.
00:22:34.787 --> 00:22:41.692
They're just more opportunities to build real relationships and connections so that if they do have a need in the future and you are someone that can help them.
00:22:41.692 --> 00:22:44.586
With it, you can have a real conversation and hopefully lead to working together.
00:22:44.586 --> 00:22:47.615
But yeah, have a cool event where it's fun and everyone has a good time.
00:22:48.545 --> 00:22:55.929
Yeah, I think that's definitely helpful, and I know you mentioned too, like anything that you can promote at the show is great.
00:22:55.929 --> 00:22:59.314
So, new product is somebody speaking, do you have an event?
00:22:59.314 --> 00:23:02.878
Like all of those things just set you apart and makes it a little bit more newsworthy.
00:23:02.878 --> 00:23:04.101
I know like.
00:23:04.101 --> 00:23:28.047
So in my past life I also covered events as a journalist, and so those were the things that were the most interesting to me and if it was actually timely, I feel like a lot of more industrial spaces they'll be like we have a new capacity, capacity we've been doing it for three years like that's not really new, though that's old news and so, um, and that's actually part of why I ended up on the marketing side of things.
00:23:28.106 --> 00:23:45.407
I'm like I want to help you and so I had to like retire a bit, um, but so those types of things are really great too, because, as your media, they're looking at press releases, they're looking at that type of stuff and also don't be afraid to put out press releases about your event, about your product.
00:23:45.407 --> 00:23:54.885
So that way you're engaging and you're able to release that information as part of your pre, during and post show strategy as well, because I feel like that's a piece that people forget.
00:23:54.885 --> 00:23:58.510
They're like okay, we're at this show, okay, but what are you doing at the show?
00:23:58.510 --> 00:24:01.315
How is that meaningful and how do you engage in that?
00:24:01.315 --> 00:24:04.298
So those are always great ways to get what you're doing out too.
00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:05.361
Absolutely.
00:24:06.526 --> 00:24:08.670
And then so you mentioned cool swag.
00:24:08.670 --> 00:24:13.358
What is your metric on what makes cool swag memorable?
00:24:15.465 --> 00:24:22.267
To be honest, it's your audience kind of decides that what, what, what does your audience show up and what it's like?
00:24:22.267 --> 00:24:25.336
We've done squeezy containers and, for whatever reason, people love those.
00:24:25.336 --> 00:24:31.288
Anyone will come by and be like, oh, can I get one of those cool containers and it has an ITS logistics logo on it.
00:24:31.288 --> 00:24:37.147
It has a Container AI logo, which is our supply chain container management visibility platform.
00:24:37.147 --> 00:24:39.894
Great, give them away all day long.
00:24:39.894 --> 00:24:42.286
Um, squeezy balls I think those are always fun.
00:24:42.286 --> 00:24:45.279
I like to, you know, catch them and throw them and hand them off.
00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:47.007
People who doesn't like a little squeezy ball?
00:24:47.007 --> 00:24:47.248
Right?
00:24:47.248 --> 00:24:50.538
But yeah, higher, higher end stuff.
00:24:50.538 --> 00:24:54.472
We don't really do much of that, but, um, more, it's just the stuff that people actually engage with.
00:24:54.472 --> 00:25:03.538
Um, and again, you want it to be nice enough to where they actually keep it, hopefully at their their desk and have have your branded item in front of them.
00:25:03.538 --> 00:25:05.854
So they you say top of mind, right?
00:25:07.724 --> 00:25:13.218
I think that my two things that I think about is is it functional?
00:25:13.218 --> 00:25:25.028
Because I don't want something I can't actually use, something I can't actually use.
00:25:25.028 --> 00:25:25.930
And then two, can I give it to my kid?
00:25:25.930 --> 00:25:42.035
Because I travel a good amount and he wants presents everywhere I go, and so the best trade shows are the ones that I can have a whole collection of things that I can hand off to my kid, and he knows of many logistics companies because he has in his toy box, yes, the stress balls.
00:25:42.035 --> 00:25:54.527
He has a million cups, he has hats, he I mean, he wears the tmsa t-shirts from last year to school um, and, yeah, bags, every like drawstring bag.
00:25:54.527 --> 00:25:59.674
So much trucks and monster trucks and cars, all that stuff, that's all really helpful.
00:25:59.674 --> 00:26:01.257
I got a pizza cutter once.
00:26:01.257 --> 00:26:02.818
That was really really cool.
00:26:02.818 --> 00:26:04.340
Use it all the time.
00:26:04.340 --> 00:26:15.964
So, like I like things that are functional and that I can hand off to my child so I don't have to buy more cars you are 100 correct.
00:26:16.005 --> 00:26:29.635
There is a plethora of kids, of supply chain execs that have all kinds of branded crap of their houses because of that yeah for sure my, like my nieces will come over and they'll be like what are our options today after tmsa?
00:26:29.675 --> 00:26:33.250
events is actually the worst because I'll like everything gets shipped back to my house.
00:26:33.250 --> 00:26:36.625
So if there's like extra sponsor swag stuff, they'll like go digging in the.
00:26:36.625 --> 00:26:37.788
I'm like those aren't for you.
00:26:37.828 --> 00:26:40.194
I'll reuse like dig one.
00:26:40.194 --> 00:26:46.057
The mints oh my God, they fight over mints like crazy, especially the ones shaped like trucks.
00:26:46.057 --> 00:26:49.128
Big, big deal over here.
00:26:49.128 --> 00:27:07.079
So I'm curious to you like so we've talked a lot about like this selling aspect of going to trade shows, but there's also a lot of trade shows out there, such as TMSA, that is for professional development, and so does ITS aim for conferences that are able to do both.
00:27:07.079 --> 00:27:14.074
Or is it better to have, like okay, we're going to really dedicate the professional development at this one to two shows and the rest are designed for sales?
00:27:14.074 --> 00:27:23.079
How do you kind of break up that and make sure that you're still training your team so they have that professional development opportunity but then also have the ability to like sell and get the revenue?
00:27:24.021 --> 00:27:27.309
yeah, no, I think it's two very different strategies, but I think they're both important.
00:27:27.309 --> 00:27:33.199
Obviously the first and primary is to go out and have meaningful actions and get in front of, you know, customers and shippers.
00:27:33.199 --> 00:27:38.645
So we, from a commercial standpoint, we definitely prioritize those and we definitely have a ton of those that we go to.
00:27:38.645 --> 00:27:44.317
Um, I think we're doing probably eight, eight to ten this year, um, and we've done that for the last couple of years.
00:27:44.317 --> 00:27:46.109
So so, yeah, those are the priority.
00:27:46.109 --> 00:27:48.767
And obviously there's the commercial uh, you're looking for a return right.
00:27:48.767 --> 00:27:54.085
Yeah, the professional development ones, the the networking inside of the organization.
00:27:54.085 --> 00:28:00.095
We go to a handful right when, um, tia, um, dat has a really good conference, we go to.
00:28:00.095 --> 00:28:02.920
We have a couple of our customers that kind of have their things.
00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:10.134
We go to those as well and that's for networking but as well as kind of a professional skill building as well.
00:28:10.134 --> 00:28:16.773
But yeah, then there's something like TMS right, where it's 100% networking but also just professional development.
00:28:16.773 --> 00:28:18.069
You have to have those right.
00:28:18.069 --> 00:28:20.712
If you're not getting better, you get worse.
00:28:21.424 --> 00:28:23.931
So you know me, I'm obviously on the TMSA board.
00:28:23.931 --> 00:28:27.506
I've been a member of TMSA for going on eight plus years.
00:28:27.506 --> 00:28:31.318
It's a great organization and absolutely that's the one thing where I can go.
00:28:31.318 --> 00:28:35.516
I'm not going to go to TMSA, I'm not going to go pick up another customer, but I am going to go and network.
00:28:35.516 --> 00:28:42.828
I am going to go and learn what's going on in the industry.
00:28:42.760 --> 00:28:49.279
I'm absolutely going to learn some new skills and I'm going to build relationships with other people in the industry so I can use as a sounding board for when I'm trying to figure out the challenge I'm trying to overcome.
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:54.713
It's like now I actually have some people I can reach out to that are having that same experience and might have some advice for me.
00:28:54.713 --> 00:29:00.928
So, yeah, professional professional development is a huge, is a huge deal in this industry, especially in supply chain.
00:29:00.928 --> 00:29:07.811
It's so specific and niche and unique and we have all of our own language and media and just everything in it.
00:29:07.811 --> 00:29:11.634
So yeah, so an organization like TMSA is phenomenal for professional development.
00:29:11.634 --> 00:29:18.738
So, yeah, I'm definitely going to focus on the commercial ones, but it's nice to have one or two where you're also doing some professional development and networking.
00:29:19.638 --> 00:29:33.672
Absolutely, and I really like the ability to space those out, because we want people to come to TMSA and if you're interested, elevate is June 8th through 10th in Austin, texas.
00:29:33.672 --> 00:29:46.348
You can scan that QR code down there but we want people to come and be emerged, we want them to network and to learn and, of course, we have vendors too that you partner with, you can build your efficiency, you can build out, you know different capabilities and really figure out what you need um.
00:29:46.348 --> 00:29:52.671
But if you came to tmsa just to try to sell, then you would kind of miss some of that stuff because you would be focused.
00:29:52.671 --> 00:29:59.819
So I do think investing in professional development making sure that's part of the overall strategy for the year is really important, um.
00:30:00.482 --> 00:30:23.336
So I was just curious how you kind of break that up and um make that happen, which is great yep still important and so my last question for you of the day is the question that I ask everyone that comes on the show, and that is, if you could go back in time and advise a younger patrick and this is anything professionally or personally when would you go back to and and advise a younger Patrick and this is anything professionally or personally when would you go back to and what would you tell him?
00:30:24.845 --> 00:30:28.894
Oh man, buy Apple stock, microsoft stock, Tesla stock.
00:30:28.894 --> 00:30:36.596
Let's see outside of stock advice or sports betting tips, you know what?
00:30:36.596 --> 00:30:41.208
Just be engaged, put yourself out there, try a bunch of different things.
00:30:41.208 --> 00:30:55.710
I know anytime I've given advice or mentoring someone younger up is coming up in the industry, specifically in marketing, I will always say do an internship, 100 percent, do an internship because it exposes you to so much early on in your career or even when you're still in education.
00:30:55.710 --> 00:31:13.101
So I mean a lot of times I'll tell someone to go do an internship in a marketing agency and that's great because you're exposed to all the different types of things and not only will you probably be drawn towards something hey, account management or design or PR, right media relations but you probably see the things you don't like.
00:31:13.101 --> 00:31:15.917
Like, I'm never going to be a graphic designer, so I'm not going to go in that direction.
00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:24.157
So so that exposure, doing an internship is a huge thing and then, honestly, after that it's finding trade organizations and networking is a big part of it too.
00:31:24.157 --> 00:31:33.859
Getting your name out there, meeting the people that are in the industry, learning from other smarter people that are more experienced and kind of been there done that is a huge leg up, especially early on in your career.
00:31:33.859 --> 00:31:50.718
So, yeah, so I mean not to bring it back to TMSA, but, yeah, younger people getting in the industry, an organization like tmsa is great because it allows you to network and just build out, um, the, the people you know inside the industry and they can be future employers, they could be, you know, future customers, who knows?
00:31:50.718 --> 00:31:56.458
So so yeah, networking and finding trade organizations is a big deal I think that's really good advice.
00:31:56.878 --> 00:32:01.416
I I too, when people are younger, like coming out of college and stuff, like I'm all.
00:32:01.416 --> 00:32:12.221
Don't be afraid to work at a small company where you're going to have your hands in a bunch of different pots, because you're going to figure out, like you said, very quickly what you like, what you don't like, um, and just have exposure.
00:32:12.482 --> 00:32:29.943
Like I know I had, um, a friend, we worked somewhere together, did all kinds of things, and then he went somewhere where he was just an email marketer and he was like, wow, I'm bored because like all of a sudden you go and and of course there's jobs that make sense and I he was able to expand later on, but that was like.
00:32:29.943 --> 00:32:42.775
He was like this is just one thing, and I'm used to doing so much of it and it was just one piece of the puzzle, and so I think it's important to have exposure to a lot of different things and figure it out and move forward.
00:32:42.775 --> 00:32:49.167
So I think that's really good advice to younger Patrick, but also anyone else that would be coming in, of course.
00:32:49.654 --> 00:32:50.778
That can be a lot of help.
00:32:51.602 --> 00:32:59.968
Yeah, yeah so and then, yes, of course TMSA or any organization that's going to make sense.
00:32:59.968 --> 00:33:02.980
Of course TMSA or any organization that's going to make sense.
00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:09.781
I finally figured out how to explain TMSA to children that it's like being in Cub Scouts, but like as a grownup you know, coming together with like-minded people who have your same interests.
00:33:09.781 --> 00:33:28.625
I know a lot of our sales and marketing teams are really small in the industry so you don't get to sit and talk with people about what you go through and figure out what's working and finding those people that are able to really have those conversations and volunteer with those people, potentially join committees.
00:33:28.625 --> 00:33:33.287
All that stuff really just amplifies what you're able to do as a professional.
00:33:34.095 --> 00:33:38.226
Nice Like Cub Scouts, but for sales and marketing professionals in supply chain TMSA.
00:33:39.378 --> 00:33:40.021
Oh yeah.
00:33:40.021 --> 00:33:51.867
So third grade in our school is when you have career day, and I went last year and I focused too much on the transportation and not enough on the association part.
00:33:51.867 --> 00:33:53.259
The kids were very lost.
00:33:53.259 --> 00:33:57.242
My sister is at the table next to me and she just started screaming that I was on YouTube.
00:33:57.242 --> 00:34:01.384
And so then all the kids, because this show goes on YouTube and I'm like I'm not unboxing was on YouTube.
00:34:01.384 --> 00:34:05.693
And so then all the kids cause this you know, the show goes on YouTube and I'm like it's not the like I'm not unboxing gifts on YouTube.
00:34:05.713 --> 00:34:09.286
It's not going to be as exciting as you think, but yes, I am on YouTube, thank you.
00:34:09.286 --> 00:34:22.518
And so, but I now will have another niece and then by the time Enro gets to third grade, I think I'll have my messaging down, but I explained it to cause he.
00:34:22.518 --> 00:34:30.264
He knows TMmsa but he doesn't know what it stands for, but he knows that that's what mommy does, um, I think by the time he's in third grade I'll figure it out, but I'm like it's like Cub Scouts, but for adults, and talk about sales and marketing.
00:34:30.264 --> 00:34:32.297
He's like cool that is.
00:34:32.498 --> 00:34:39.360
That is a fun thing and anytime anyone watching this I'm looking directly at you now go home and ask your kids to explain what it is that you do.
00:34:40.702 --> 00:34:44.168
Yeah, he, he actually goes.
00:34:44.168 --> 00:34:49.244
My mom's the boss, that's all he says, and I was like, okay, can you not do that though?
00:34:49.244 --> 00:34:55.043
And then, um, yeah, he was concerned when I took a vacation, like, well, what happens?
00:34:55.043 --> 00:34:59.039
I was like it still runs, but like we figured it out.
00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:04.588
Um, but, yeah, yeah, that is really fun to ask your kids what you do.
00:35:04.588 --> 00:35:08.443
You'll be surprised at some of the answers they come up with, for sure.
00:35:08.443 --> 00:35:12.996
But, um, yeah, thank you even teenagers.
00:35:13.358 --> 00:35:17.947
Like even asking my teenage kids to explain what it is I do is pretty funny they're.
00:35:17.947 --> 00:35:19.858
They're not accurate, it's fine.
00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:21.543
Well, have you ever had?
00:35:21.565 --> 00:35:23.079
like I don't understand what I do.
00:35:23.974 --> 00:35:30.478
That is why I had my parents come to Elevate last year, because they also could not explain what I do.
00:35:30.478 --> 00:35:40.222
And so I'm like, and I even remember being there and they beat me to New Orleans and they're like, we just met somebody and we told them that you're the director of marketing at TMSA.
00:35:40.222 --> 00:35:43.208
I'm like that is not what I do anymore.
00:35:43.208 --> 00:35:48.242
I used to be a director of marketing and now I work for TMSA, but those are two different things.
00:35:48.242 --> 00:35:53.016
Um, so I think they're getting better now that they got to come and see.
00:35:53.016 --> 00:35:55.382
Um, my dad tells people I have a video crew.
00:35:55.382 --> 00:35:57.626
I'm like, also not me, the show.
00:35:57.626 --> 00:36:00.521
The show has a video team, not me.
00:36:00.521 --> 00:36:01.704
They don't just follow me around.
00:36:01.704 --> 00:36:03.036
Don't say that to people.
00:36:03.036 --> 00:36:07.184
Everybody's learning.
00:36:08.788 --> 00:36:09.449
That's all we can do.
00:36:09.449 --> 00:36:11.621
Keep telling them, someday they'll pick it up.
00:36:12.423 --> 00:36:14.418
Absolutely Well.
00:36:14.418 --> 00:36:18.443
Thank you so much for coming on the show today and telling us all of your trade show tips.
00:36:18.443 --> 00:36:21.503
Happy trade show kicking off season.
00:36:21.503 --> 00:36:26.907
I will see you in manifest and um, looking forward to all that.
00:36:26.907 --> 00:36:37.257
And if anyone watching is interested in learning more about ai, next week's episode is with jeff price, who loves ai so much and he's always a wealth of knowledge on the topic.
00:36:37.257 --> 00:36:42.748
Super excited to show you, guys, what we have talked about in ways to improve your efficiency.
00:36:43.275 --> 00:36:46.320
So thanks so much, and I'll see you guys later.
00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:47.063
Bye-bye.
00:36:47.182 --> 00:36:47.443
Bye.