SURVIVAL GUIDE THE FANCY FOOD SHOW. what you need to know...to not totally blow it. by tanyamfk. Copyright Buildabiz Inc.. All Rights Reserved 2017.

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1 THE FANCY FOOD SHOW SURVIVAL GUIDE what you need to know...to not totally blow it. by tanyamfk FOUNDER OF BUILDABIZ, INC., ENTREPRENEUR SHERPA, DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Copyright Buildabiz Inc.. All Rights Reserved 2017.

2 THE FANCY FOOD SHOW SURVIVAL GUIDE Know your deadlines Set reminders for 1 week in advance, 1 day in advance, and day of the deadline- because you re busy running a business. Assume Nothing No news is No news. Assume nothing. If you don t have a confirmation then it doesn t exist. Save all confirmations, ask for them if you don t have them, get names of who you talk to. Have paper trail for everything! Pack a necessities bag Badges, business cards, confirmations, reservations, contacts. May seem obvious, yet they are the most forgotten set of items. Pack an Oh Sh*t bag First aid kit, breath mints, office supplies, safety pins, power banks, and the like. Want our Precious Cargo Checklist? Register for our FREE Webinar! Know your Transportation routes If you re not a local, getting around in New York can confusing and complicated. Just because you may be close by doesn t mean it s a quick trip. Know your transportation options and route times. **Note- there is NO Parking structure at the Javits Center. Plan a daily schedule for the show Set up, arrival, breaks, lunch, meetings, classes, networking events, tear down, all of it! Otherwise you ll end up tired, hungry, late and lonely. Have 2 pairs of comfortable Shoes Your feet will get sick of one pair, so switch to the other pair once a day and keep happy feet.

3 Bring Lunch Everyday Man cannot live on samples alone (and lunch lines are long) Pack Refillable water bottle Water filling stations are provided, but don t assume cups will always be there Dress in layers Feeling the morning AC one minute and the heat of a sales rush the next. Be prepared for it. Don t rely on wifi availability Too often it is difficult to access and slow. Keep your booth organized Not only does it give a good impression but it will help you keep your sanity. Set a reminder every two hours to do a booth regroup Make a Start of Day and End of Day checklist of duties There s a lot of energy and chaos at the event making it easy to forget the most obvious of tasks. Make a checklist of what to turn on (and off), what to set out (and put away), and what to prep, inventory to count, etc. This way you are ready when the day starts and efficient when the day ends. Review each day with staff (wins,losses, game plan) Talk about the days events while they are still fresh. Make sure notes that were made are clear and complete. And then get everyone on the same page for the next day. Train your booth staff thoroughly before you get to the venue and give them proper information to reference. Your staff needs the confidence and capability to be extensions of you. Give them plenty of time and direction to prepare their best impressions of you. Eat breakfast every day Grumpy undernourished people don t make sales

4 Define what a successful show is Know what your objective is for attending the show - Is it sales, awareness, meetings, distribution? And make sure your whole staff is aware of this goal. Make your goals specific (sales vs. sell 200 units, get meetings vs. meet with at least 4 distributors, meet with Kehe vs. meet with distributors) Know your numbers It could be the difference between a lead and a sale. Keep the conversation going by knowing the right details. (Wholesale, Delivered, MSRP by region, promo allowance, etc.) Create Cheat sheets Company/product information, lead times, areas of distributions, show promos Choose which events you will attend There are classes, seminars, networking events, shows, demos and more. Research what is best for you and your team and make a plan for attendance. If you don t plan for it, the day will get away from you and you ll miss out. Take advantage of free services There are marketing & press opportunities, work areas, help centers, coffee provided by Specialty Food Association and more. Know what they are and take advantage of them. Plan to walk the floor This is a huge building full of people in your exact industry. Save yourself hours of articles in trade magazines and get out there. See, taste, and experience for yourself what s hot, what s new, and what s competition. Get out there, be known and make relationships (aka networking) Employ technology where you can Is there an app that can replace repetitive or mundane tasks? Research what is available and learn to use it before the show.

5 want to do more than just survive? TANYAMFK FOUNDER OF BUILDABIZ, INC., ENTREPRENEUR SHERPA, DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST The 5 Most Important Things you Should be Doing at Fancy Foods to Increase Sales and Not blow it! TanyaMFK is the founder of Buildabiz, Inc. An experienced marketer in CPG and all forms of digital media, Tanya spends her days speaking to and coaching the most successful business owners across multiple industries. ANNIE ZAHN NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR, PUMPKIN TREE ORGANICS may 9th, am PST 12pm EST 5pm BST Got a booth at Fancy Foods and don t want to totally blow it? Join us, two ladies that have exhibited at 100 s of shows, including Fancy Foods, Natural Products Expo, table tops, industry events and more. During this free Webinar, you ll learn: The one thing so many exhibitors ignore that can make the difference between a meh show and the best show ever The 3 most effective pre show marketing techniques-so many businesses get caught up getting ready for the show that they skip these valuable opportunities Tips and Hacks to Master your Booth and get the leads you want. click here to register!