2018
9 Ways Distributors and Attendees Can Make the Most of the ISSA Trade Show
Tuscaloosa, AL – With the ISSA Show North America less than a month away, now is the time to take steps to make the most of the show.
Attending a trade show requires some planning.
To help distributors and attendees get the most out of this year’s ISSA show, we turn to Michael Wilson, Vice President of Marketing for AFFLINK, a leading sales and marketing organization for Jansan distributors, and by his own admission, a “trade show veteran.”
Here are some of Wilson’s suggestions:
1. Register in advance for the show. This saves time, and usually there are savings for early registration.
2. Know who will be there.
3. Make a list of the personal and business goals you want to achieve at the show.
4. Pick a list of people you want to meet at the trade show and add this to your list of goals.
5. Dress the part. Trade shows have gotten very informal. But wearing a sharp sports coat for men or a polished outfit for women typically opens more doors for you.
6. Stop giving out business cards. In fact, don’t carry them. All too often, they just get lost. If you are interested in following up with someone, get their business card or contact info.
7. Take advantage of the last couple of hours of the day. Sure, everyone is tired, but people are more likely to remember you if they meet you closer to the end of the day.
8. Avoid busy booths. It will be hit or miss whether you will be able to talk to someone you want to meet — or get to talk to anyone at all.
9. Back in your hotel room, organize the materials you gathered at the show and note why you collected them.
“Finally, enjoy the show [and] take advantage of any parties,” adds Wilson. “Just remember, even at the parties, be on your best business behavior.”
AFFLINK Releases Company Fact Sheet
TUSCALOOSA, AL -- AFFLINK, a global supply chain manager, has released a company ‘Fact Sheet’ after it found that many attendees at the recent ISSA trade show have heard of AFFLINK, but are not that familiar with what it is or what it does.
The Fact Sheet covers a variety of items about the organization and the services it provides distributors throughout North America.
According to Michael Wilson, Vice President of Marketing for AFFLINK, the company decided to publish a Fact Sheet as a result of meetings held at the recent ISSA Tradeshow in Dallas.
"We found that many attendees at the [ISSA] show have heard of AFFLINK, but are not that familiar with what it is or what it does," he said. "For instance, many we talked to thought we were a buying group, just focused on the jansan industry. We are much more than a buying group and we serve several industries including healthcare, packaging, hospitality, safety, and industrial."
Among the many items listed on the Fact Sheet that apparently are little known about AFFLINK include the following:
- The company is more than 40 years old;
- Has a street in Tuscaloosa, AL named after it, AFFLINK Place;
- Has more than 200 manufacturing "preferred supplier" partners;
- More than 200 distributor members in 430 North America locations;
- Developed the free ELEVATE process, an online consulting "dashboard" for procurement managers and distributors;
- Developed an e-commerce portal for distributors called Shopfront that now markets over 250,000 products;
- Is a member of the US Green Building Council and a BOMA 360 Ambassador, a status that recognizes organizations dedicated to serving the commercial real estate industry.
Wilson adds that the Fact Sheet lists several awards, recognitions, and certifications the company has earned from leading trade publications, manufacturers, distributors, as well as healthcare and other organizations.
"We could not have accomplished this without the advice and support of our distributor-members around the country," says Wilson. "Ultimately, they are AFFLINK, and they helped make so much of this happen."
AFFLINK connects more than 200 manufacturers of facility maintenance, packaging, safety, office, food service, and MRO supply solutions with nearly 700 independent distribution experts.
For more info, visit www.afflink.com
AFFLINK Announces New Distribution Member
AFFLINK, a sales and marketing organization with over 200 members in the janitorial, packaging, safety, office and industrial market sectors, announced that Triple F Distributing has recently become an AFFLINK member.
Triple F Distributing is certainly no newcomer to the world of distribution. Headquartered in Oahu, Hawaii and founded in 1978 by Fred Salassa, the company was built on - and continues to operate today - under the same philosophy: “Build solid relationships by providing excellent service at a fair price.”
Triple F Distributing provides its customers with over 4,000 items including restaurant and bar supplies, foodservice and catering products, apparel, as well as green and traditional cleaning solutions and products to businesses throughout Hawaii, including its many islands.
“Triple F is certainly a major player in Hawaii,” says Michael Wilson, vice president of Marketing at AFFLINK. “We are honored to have them as the latest member of the AFFLINK family.”
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