January was off to a busy start as our Business Development Manager, David Schultz, and Account Manager, Josh De Perio, traveled to Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week in Grapevine, TX, to set up a NewStream booth.
Our Sales & Marketing team loves the opportunity to attend expos across the United States to learn more about our served industries and how we can better serve our OEMs and new prospects.
Upon their return to NewStream, we sat down with David and Josh to gain insight into their experience setting up a booth at HDAW.
This is the first booth NewStream has had at an expo in quite some time. How was your overall experience?
David: The HDAW provided an excellent venue to showcase our services. We had a great time setting up our new booth and showcasing our services to the Heavy-Duty Aftermarket audience.
Josh: It was overall a great experience! Being able to present ourselves at such a large, extravagant expo was great! For it being my first time being at one of these, granted with SRC HD as well, made the experience much more enjoyable. Bouncing ideas off the guys at SRC was a blast.
As our Business Development Manager, you work to establish new business for NewStream. Did you find that having a booth made it easier to meet prospects?Â
David: I’ve had a lot of success connecting with prospects while attending/ walking shows over the last few years. However, it was great to have a nice exhibit space to utilize when meeting with prospects.Â
I wouldn’t hesitate to exhibit again in the future; it’s a great way to bring attention to who we are and what we do at NewStream.
You began your career at NewStream as an Account Manager. What was your experience of not only going to an expo, but running a booth on behalf of Newstream?
Josh: It was a huge learning experience for me. A very welcome one too. I have not been to an expo of this magnitude before, so it was a bit jarring, to say the least. David mentioned that he has been to some larger ones in Las Vegas, Louisville, etc, and they are 10x the size.
Being able to dip my feet into an expo like this is hugely beneficial for me. And I want to thank Jennifer and Sara for trusting me, even in my early months at NSE!
NewStream doesn’t have booths at expos very often. What would you have done differently to make the process easier?
David: Of the items that we had control over, I wouldn’t do anything different regarding our exhibit. We had a nice booth that was easy to transport and to set up/tear down.
From a marketing standpoint, we did everything we could to encourage traffic to our booth. We offered branded swag and a drawing for a premium item. If anything, I would consider advertising in the Exhibit Guide to bring awareness and generate traffic to our booth.
Josh: I would definitely suggest having a third person. Just because it is easier to bounce ideas off another person, it makes talking to potential prospects much more personable.
Expos can be overwhelming, with all the displays to see and booths to visit. What advice can you give to attendees or businesses that have their very first booth?
David: Whether attending or exhibiting for the first time, I would try to enjoy the event and the opportunity to connect with others in your industry. The expo provides a fantastic venue to engage with suppliers, customers, and potential prospects.
Josh: A definite attention grabber. For example, SRC HD had a chipping contest at their booth. The demographic of this expo caters to golfers. Being able to connect with potential prospects on something you have in common is an advantage to get that business in the future.
Thank You to Our Partners and Attendees
Thank you, Josh and David, for taking the time to provide us with insight into NewStream’s booth and how it can benefit any business!
