09/22/2022
7 Things That We Learned at Our First Barber Expo!
1. Have a team. This is crucial to maximizing your time at events like these. There is only so much one person can do. You don't want to miss out on opportunities because you have to go to the bathroom or a line starts at your booth, and people don't want to wait.
2. Be prepared to be there the whole day. This particular barber expo was 8 hours and lasted from 12-8. That's a long time. We ended up leaving early, but there's no telling what would have happened.
3. Collect customer info. Regardless of your business model, having customers' information is valuable. It allows you to reach out to them, build a rapport, and turn a non-client into a client. Attendants get tons of business cards at this event. There's no telling if they will keep yours or call you once it's over. Having their info gives you the opportunity to take action if they don't.
4. Bring snacks. This goes back to being there the entire time. You don't want to be operating on an empty stomach, but you also don't want to leave and miss potential clients. Having snacks to hold you down is the right way to go. And if you have a team, someone can run and get food while the others watch the booth!
5. Show up early. The worst thing that can happen is you show up only to find something you're unprepared for, and now you are scrambling to fix unforeseen problems before the event starts. If you show up a few hours early or even the night before, that will help resolve some of those issues ahead of time.
6. Prepare for the worst. Sometimes we take risks expecting them to pay great dividends, but they do the exact opposite. Then we are left in a terrible situation because we didn't prepare for what could happen. Before jumping into anything, ask yourself if you can survive even if it ends horribly. Your answer should determine what you do next.
7. Make an impression on everyone. While most people were there to watch the barber competition, we spoke with quite a few individuals. Some weren't interested initially but lingered around our booth enough for us to spark a conversation. It all worked out in the end. With so many people at these events, you never know who they are, who they know, or what they plan on doing. So our advice is to talk to everyone and leave an impression. You never know what could come of it!
