RETAILING
Your DEMA Game Plan Starts Now by William Cline , Publisher & President of Cline Group, TX
T HREE MONTHS MAY SOUND like plenty of time, but the dive businesses that get the most out of DEMA Show begin planning before they ever arrive in New Orleans. Registration, ho- tel reservations, and travel plans should already be underway. Those basics get you to New Orleans, but they are only the first step. The businesses that receive the greatest return from DEMA Show do more than show up. They arrive with a plan. Secure The Basics: If your registration, room reservation, and travel schedule are not already in motion, now is the time. Waiting can limit hotel choices, increase airfare, and make your schedule harder to manage. Review arrival and departure times carefully so you do not miss important meetings, seminars, training sessions, or networking oppor- tunities. Define Your Mission: Before studying the floor plan, decide what success looks like. Are you looking for new equipment lines, better margins, new travel partners, staff training, business services, marketing assistance, or fresh ideas for 2027? Choose three to five clear objectives so your time is spent with purpose. Build An Attack Plan For Your Staff: If more than one person from your company is attending, divide responsibilities in advance. One person may focus on equipment and pur- chasing. Another can investigate travel partners and desti- nations. An instructor or training manager can concentrate on seminars, agency updates, and professional development. An owner or manager may focus on business services, tech- nology, marketing, and industry relationships. Meet briefly at the end of each day to compare notes and refine the next day’s priorities. Plan Who To Visit: Do not rely on chance meetings. Review the exhibitor list and floor plan now, identify your must-visit companies, and schedule appointments where possible. Group nearby booths together so you can move
through the floor efficiently while still leaving time to explore new products, destinations, and ideas.
Choose Education Strategically: Seminars, training sessions, and ex- hibitor presentations can be some of the most valu- able parts of the Show. Choose sessions that di- rectly support your busi- ness goals. Look for ideas that can improve sales,
training, risk management, travel programs, staffing, customer retention, or marketing. If several employees are attending, divide the educational schedule and have each person sum- marize the most useful ideas for the rest of the team. Prepare Better Questions: “What’s new?” is a conversation
starter, but it should not be your entire strategy. Ask about dealer margins, minimum orders, delivery schedules, warranties, staff training, demonstration programs, group incen- tives, marketing support, customer service, and product availability. Travel sellers should ask about commissions, group- leader benefits, deposit schedules, cancellation terms, seasonal opportu- nities, and promotional materials.
Capture The Value: Create a simple system for recording contacts, pricing, product notes, promised information, and follow-up tasks. Business cards and brochures are only useful
when someone is assigned to act on them after the Show. Record why each contact mattered, what was promised, and what should happen next.
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