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November 25, 2024
It’s SHOT Show® Time! Scheduling Meetings is a Critical Task – Start Now
Although SHOT Show® is still months away, the key to making the most of this industry-defining event is to start planning now. Countless details need to come together to ensure a successful experience for attendees, but one of the most critical tasks for retailers is scheduling meetings with vendors. While this may seem straightforward, organizing multiple days of meetings can quickly shift from a sprint to a marathon if not carefully managed.
Before we begin, if you haven’t registered for SHOT Show yet, do it now and get it out of the way. You know you’re going, right? One big benefit: Access to the SHOT Show Planner. It’s a complimentary online tool that can also help you find products and services before, during and after the Show. It also syncs with the SHOT Show Mobile App so you can view your list of favorite exhibitors and view or update your agenda on the go.
You’ll also receive the latest updates and reminders tailored to SHOT Show attendees that you may not be aware of otherwise. Think of it like putting the monotonous logistical stuff on cruise control so you can focus on planning your daily SHOT Week activities instead.
Categorize by Meeting Type
To begin, it’s essential to identify the types of meetings that will provide the most value for your time. Here are three primary categories to focus on (feel free to adjust them based on your goals):
- Capitalize on purchasing opportunities with vendors/manufacturers you already have relationships with.
- Plan promotions and events for the coming year with your existing vendors/manufacturers.
- Establish new relationships with potential partners.
Next, create a list for each category, noting which vendors or manufacturers you want to meet with and collecting their contact information. Building new relationships may take more effort than expected, as there are thousands of potential suppliers to consider. Start your research early to identify which ones are worth adding to your inventory!
Map out a Detailed Plan
With your lists ready, it’s time to put together a detailed plan. Now, this is really easy if you already registered for SHOT Show because you can simply open the 2025 SHOT Show floor plan, search for vendors from your list and add them to your online planner using the SHOT Show Planner.
If you’re not registered yet, you can still start with some pen-and-paper planning. And even if you are registered, this will be very helpful. Here’s how:
Start by opening the 2025 floor plan and print the floor map so you can note locations. Alternatively, you can download and print the SHOT Show Vendor List and Map from the 2024 SHOT Show tracker. Why the 2024 tracker? Because the updated 2025 Show Tracker is still in production so, while we’re heading into 2025, many of the major vendors tend to stay in the same locations year after year. Once you have the map, grab a piece of paper for each day you’ll be attending the show—one for Tuesday, one for Wednesday and so on.
For each day, mark down the area of the show floor you plan to focus on, along with the vendors from your lists in that area. Repeat this process for all the days, distributing your meetings evenly and keeping vendors near each other to minimize walking. Remember, walking eats up valuable time, and time is your most limited resource at the SHOT Show. The less time spent trekking between booths, the more time you’ll have to meet vendors.
Once you’re registered for the show and have access to the SHOT Show Planner, you can easily go back and add your list vendors directly to your personalized show planner and start building your agenda.
Build a Meeting Schedule
When building your schedule, plan each meeting hour by hour. If you think the meeting will take an hour, budget for 90 minutes. For a 30-minute meeting, plan for an hour. Always give yourself extra time, as meetings often start late or run longer than expected. And don’t forget to schedule a lunch break. Staying hydrated and fueled will help you maintain energy throughout the day.
Once your plan is in place, start contacting vendor representatives to book your meetings. The earlier you do this, the better chance you’ll have of securing a well-organized and manageable itinerary. Even with the best-laid plans, things may not always go perfectly, so be flexible. Keep your meetings within specific areas of the show floor, and if possible, delegate tasks to your team members. With over 800,000 square feet of vendor space, it takes a coordinated team effort to fully take advantage of the opportunities available during the event. Assign each team member a list of vendors and a section of the show floor and regroup at the end of each day to review and prepare for the next.
SHOT Show can be incredibly rewarding but success requires strategic planning and coordination. By following this approach, you can strengthen existing relationships, discover new profitable brands, fill your calendar with manufacturer events and start 2025 with the products and partnerships needed to thrive. For even more tips, tricks and advice on how to make the most of your attendance view the “SHOT Show Prep for Profit: How to Maximize Your Return on Investment” webinar recording, for a deep dive into the ways to make your time at SHOT the best it can possibly be!
SHOT Show is fast approaching, and this year promises to be the biggest yet, with over 800,000 square feet of exhibitor space to explore! To turn your time on the show floor into real profits, you’ll need more than just a plan—you’ll need a winning strategy. In this webinar, NSSF Retail Advisory Council Member Hank Yacek walks you through a step-by-step game plan to conquer SHOT and set your store up for a year packed with growth, productivity and profit.
Categories: BP Item, Bullet Points, Ranges, Retailers
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