Welcome to the INDA Small Business e-Report, brought to you by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry. With IDEA 01, the largest North American gathering of the industry this year, set for March 27-29 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, FL, it is vitally important for small businesses such as yours to have your plans together for your show participation. This issue will focus on that checklist so you can get the most out of your trip to Miami (other than stopping by South Beach), whether you are an exhibitor or an attendee.
IN THIS ISSUE …
Welcome to the INDA Small Business e-Report, brought to you by INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry. With IDEA 01, the largest North American gathering of the industry this year, set for March 27-29 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, FL, it is vitally important for small businesses such as yours to have your plans together for your show participation. This issue will focus on that checklist so you can get the most out of your trip to Miami (other than stopping by South Beach), whether you are an exhibitor or an attendee.
IN THIS ISSUE …
IDEA 01 STEP 1: MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED
There's nothing worse than showing up all pumped up for the first day of a great trade show and then having to wait on an interminable line to get your badge. The whole process goes a lot faster if you are pre-registered, so take the time to go to www.inda.org and get your name and company into the computer so they will be expecting you. Think of it as an RSVP, only you don't have to bring a bottle of wine. In addition, make sure everyone in your company who is planning to attend is registered, especially the big boss even if he typically refuses to commit to when or if he is showing up. Better safe than sorry.
IDEA 01 STEP 2: GET A ROOM
Sure, the weather is great in Miami Beach in late March and the atmosphere is sometimes one big party, but you still need a place to hang your suits and ties and to catch a few hours sleep every night. The good thing about the location and timing of IDEA 01 is that it is at the end of the Snowbird season, so all the senior citizens have packed up and gone home, and all the college Spring Breakers are back at school studying to be our future leaders, even those at the textile schools. Miami is blessed with dozens of excellent hotels, and many of them are within walking distance (or a short cab ride) to the Miami Convention Center. Use a travel agent, use INDA or use some connections, but make sure you have a room before you show up because we're pretty sure they won't let you sleep on the beach.
IDEA 01 STEP 3: KNOW WHO IS COMING
Ever seen those guys wasting valuable show time by looking at the show directory on the first day to see who is there. Shame on them! You should have a plan of attack from Minute One of Day One. An updated list of exhibitors can be found at www.inda.org and we know for a fact that the March issue of Nonwovens Industry will have an excellent preview of IDEA 01, including exhibitors. Use these resources, then map out a plan.
IDEA 01 STEP 4: DON'T SHOW UP UNINVITED
Once you know who is going to be at IDEA 01, reach out to those most important for you to see. A trade show is a busy time for exhibitors, who are all looking to maximize their not-inconsiderable investment by seeing as many customers as possible in three short days. So stopping by to see who is free is not the best game plan. Schedule appointments for every hour, and then keep them. Another thought: Maybe it is not just the more than 300 exhibitors you want to see. IDEA 01 will attract more than 7000 nonwovens professionals; surely there are a few of them you would like to sit down with to talk business.
IDEA 01 STEP 5: REV UP THE PR MACHINE
If you are exhibiting, make sure everyone knows it. While it is now too late to get your news into the show issues of the major trade magazines (you should have been reading your INDA Small Business e-Report in previous months when we told you to send your press releases out), all is not lost. INDA and Nonwovens Industry magazine are once again publishing the Today's IDEA Show Daily Newspaper on all three days of IDEA 01. There is no charge to run your news releases, so send them immediately to Michael Jacobsen at mike@jacorpub.com. There's a March 1 deadline. There are also advertising opportunities for exhibitors of all sizes and budgets in the Today's IDEA to help your message rise above the clutter. Contact Rod Zilenziger at 201-825-2552 or rod@rodpub.com to get involved.
IDEA 01 STEP 6: COLLATERALIZE
Okay, "collateralize" isn't really a word, but we use to it remind you that you are going to need to have something to give away to those hundreds of prospective customers who will be stopping by. Whether it is a high-tech CD catalog/business card or a simple two-page brochure outlining your strategy and products, remember whatever your giveaway reflects on your company and is the image your clients will bring back to their offices after the show. So invest a little, put some color in that brochure and make sure the pictures are in focus.
IDEA 01 STEP 7: DESIGN YOUR BOOTH
This should basically be done by now, especially the larger displays and those where equipment is being shipped in from all over the world. Our advice is to just pay attention to all those order forms you get from the show management and make sure if you need electricity or a phone line or a red carpet, you order it in advance when it is less expensive and more likely to be processed properly. Trying to design your booth and order services at the show can be a nightmare, so adhere to the five Ps of trade show (and everyday) life: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
IDEA 01 STEP 8: FOLLOW UP
It would be a classic waste of time if you went to IDEA 01, spent three days and nights meeting customers and potential customers, and then went back to the office and never got in touch with them again. Before the show even begins, have in place a plan on how to capitalize on the leads coming out of IDEA 01, and then do it! Once the energy of a trade show wanes and the reality of making a buck sets in, it is the company that is ready to move on its opportunities that will look back with fond memories of their three days in Miami in April, 2001.
EVERYONE'S INVITED TO THE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Small business attendees and exhibitors at IDEA 01 will be particularly interested in attending the highlight event of the show, the inaugural IDEA 01 Achievement Awards. The ceremony, to be held in conjunction with the IDEA 01 Opening Keynote Session on March 27 at 11:30 a.m. at the Miami Convention Center, will recognize some of the companies that have truly made a difference in the nonwovens industry in the past three years. The encouraging part for our readers is that while Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark are among the nominees, so are smaller companies such as KT Industries, Mogul Spunbond and Western Nonwovens. You'll come out of the event motivated for the three days of IDEA 01.
SMALL BUSINESS QUIZ:
With so much of our thoughts focused on IDEA 01, this month's quiz naturally deals with marketing, which, after all, is what a trade show is all about. How would you answer this question: What is essential to marketing?
a. "a sixth sense"
b. market research
c. customer awareness
d. experience
e. testing
Since marketing is meant to reach your targeted customer, the best answer is "c, customer awareness." How are you going to design and execute a marketing plan designed to drive sales if you don't have a clue who you customer is and what he wants? A little "b, market research" wouldn't hurt, either. You certainly can't rely on "a, a sixth sense," because while it was a good movie it makes for a lousy marketing philosophy to guess at what will work.
SMALL BUSINESS FOCUS: ILAPAK IS DOING IT BIG
This month's prime example of a small company doing it big is supplier Ilapak, Newtown, PA. Founded in 1970, the company supplies flexible packaging systems for the packaging of wet/dry wipe products, surgical pads and other nonwoven products. With 250 employees, Ilapak has quite a global presence thanks to its 11 facilities around the world, including Italy, Israel, England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Russia and Poland. Here, president Andrew Axberg lends his view on what it takes for a smaller company to make it in the global nonwovens business.
Key Technological Advantage: According to Mr. Axberg, through investment in product development, Ilapak is able to offer the packaging styles required in a diverse market. Its most recent development includes the rigid plastic lid for pop-up wet wipe applications, which replaces the standard peel and re-seal label.
Think Big: "The biggest challenge facing Ilapak is our ability to adequately cover the global nonwoven market," Mr. Axberg says. "To answer this challenge, Ilapak has opened up new sales offices or will work through qualified agents to better serve the market."
Words Of Wisdom: Due to the customization of nonwoven products, Mr. Axberg feels smaller companies might better be able to answer market needs for smaller volume production requirements. "The advice we would give to any company in the nonwovens business is to make sure you follow the market. Assuring your strategic project development follows the market requirements will always give your company the competitive advantage," he says.
Attendance Is Mandatory: "Considering our global success with wet wipe packaging since 1988, we decided that the next key move would be to join INDA and exhibit our equipment at
IDEA 01" Mr. Axberg explains in an unsolicited comment. "While Ilapak closely follows the nonwoven market, being at the forefront during the international trade show will further expand our knowledge of market requirements."
THAT'S ALL, FOLKS
So what are you still sitting there for reading this? Go get your IDEA 01 plans together. We'll see you next on March 15 with some last-minute show advice, but in the meantime don't hesitate to contact INDA if you need some help. We would love to hear from you, whether you have a thought you want to share with the hundreds of INDA members reading this newsletter, or if you want to tell others how you are a small company existing in a big world. Just email us at mjacobsen@inda.org and we'll pass it along.
See you next time. Enjoy.
Michael Jacobsen
Editor
INDA Small Business e-Report
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