There have been a lot of health and fitness exhibitor shows in Ottawa lately—but I haven’t been very good with spreading the word. In the past, I’ve attended these events as an exhibitor and sometimes as a presenter but most of the time, simply as an attendee. So why didn’t I go to a single show this year?
Because I’m a trade show junkie.
To clarify, I will quote from Merriam-Webster online:
“Junkie: 1. a narcotics peddler or addict
2. a person who gets an unusual amount of pleasure from or has an unusual amount of interest in something.”
That’s right: initially, shortly after arrival at such a show I’d experience this ‘buzz’ that comes from checking off boxes on my promising mental list of intended takeaways:
• Compare and contrast vendors’ products and services
• Opportunities to sample fun, nutritious food and beverages
• Networking opportunities to meet others I can collaborate with or refer clients to
• Catch up with my nutrition graduates who are successfully working in the health field
• Opportunities to meet or listen to ‘celebrities’ within the holistic health field
Did I fulfill my goals? Well, it depends how you look at it. Sure, I had collecting flyers, business cards, product samples and contact information from dozens of exhibitors. I tasted foods and chatted with others. But like many well-entrenched in their professional field, I have a healthy skepticism about new stuff, new info and new people who seem to appear out of nowhere but claim to be ‘experts’ in their modality of health. So it usually takes more than one short exposure for a product or person to make an impact on me. In addition, the task of sifting through the bag of material gathered can be a drain of energy after such a day.
If you come home exhausted, drop the bag of collected goodies in a corner, with the best of intentions to act on some of the new discoveries ‘tomorrow’, you’re experiencing over-saturation and overwhelm that is part and parcel of experiencing a trade show. This is normal. But if you go out and do it all over again the next time a trade show of interest rolls into town, then you are no further ahead because you haven’t acted on the first one.
Support for the Trade Show Junkie
Abstinence for an addict is easier said than done. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you are doing something good for your health simply by attending and collecting all the freebies. Take action! Meet and greet, but ask lots of questions. “Have you ever worked with someone like me? What were the results? Where did you go to school?”. I’ve met with clients who’ve come to me after dissatisfaction from making some impulsive decisions at a health show, decisions that cost their health and their finances. Take your time. If the offer sounds too good to be true, too cheap or ‘fluffy’, it probably is.
Next, make a point of reviewing the collected literature as soon as possible, discarding what doesn’t really interest you (such as info from the real estate agent who handed you a package of trail mix), and make some calls. Visit the home base of these vendors. Do you get the same ‘feel good’ energy at the store or clinic that you felt at the show? Trust your gut. Don’t be afraid to say “No thank you” and keep looking if you are disappointed by the real thing.
Go ahead and enjoy the trade shows with the above strategies to help you manage your newfound enlightenment. As for me, you probably won’t see me exhibiting at many health and fitness trade shows in the future. I prefer getting to know one potential client at a time. I feel that if, by the end of our first consultation, either one of us feels we are not a good match to help you attain the health you deserve, you will be under no obligation to continue working with me. I invite you to meet with me in my home base, and take an hour to find if and how I can help you through nutritional counseling.