Hello Sproggies!
How are you all? I'm swamped in boxes and mess and paper since returning from Fort McMurray this past weekend.
Twice a year Fort McMurray Tourism hosts a MASSIVE trade show. It's not the kind I've gotten used to here in Edmonton, it's GIGANTIC. It's RV's, and cars, and boats, and steam mops; and me.
Last April I took Sprogs on the road up to the Fort McMurray trade show and was totally blown away. I remember the trade show from my days living up there as a kid, but Fort Mac isn't the place it once was. When I left there there were about 36,000 people. Now it's pushing 100K.
Back then the trade show was on the old curling rink, and was mostly hot tub sales. Now it's three hockey rink sized halls and then more vendors in the hallways. It's amazing how much this small, once sleepy town has grown so much.
As an exhibitor, let me tell you, it's intense. It's three days, all day. Saturday you're there from 10-8. This is not the kind of show you do if you don't like your product. The Fort McMurray trade show is like the Olympics of all trade shows. You have to LOVE your product and be able to talk about it to 25,000 people, individually...with enthusiasm. Thankfully, for me this is not a problem. I hand pick all my store products, and I don't think I could sell them if I didn't. Also, as most people know, I could talk to a brick wall. I talk.... alot.
So up I went again this past weekend. What I love about this show is a few things. People are there because they want to see what you have. There is no messing around. The people of Fort McMurray mean business. Coming from there, I can tell you there's an attitude of "I know what I want, no messing around." See why I like it up there??
The other thing is that some people actually remembered me. I don't mean the people I went to High School who saw me and said, "didn't we get rid of you?" They remember you, and if you're good, they'll shop with you again. They appreciate that you're not just there to grab their money (it's not called McMoney for nothing), they want to build relationships with you. If you suck, for the most part, they'll tell you. Ahhh, refreshing honesty.
So Fort McMurray, I want to thank you for another amazing (and intense) weekend. It was so nice to see you all again, and I hope you'll have me back again next year! But until the next tradeshow I'll be up again to see my gorgeous nephew!! See you soon Joey! xxxx
How are you all? I'm swamped in boxes and mess and paper since returning from Fort McMurray this past weekend.
Twice a year Fort McMurray Tourism hosts a MASSIVE trade show. It's not the kind I've gotten used to here in Edmonton, it's GIGANTIC. It's RV's, and cars, and boats, and steam mops; and me.
Last April I took Sprogs on the road up to the Fort McMurray trade show and was totally blown away. I remember the trade show from my days living up there as a kid, but Fort Mac isn't the place it once was. When I left there there were about 36,000 people. Now it's pushing 100K.
Back then the trade show was on the old curling rink, and was mostly hot tub sales. Now it's three hockey rink sized halls and then more vendors in the hallways. It's amazing how much this small, once sleepy town has grown so much.
As an exhibitor, let me tell you, it's intense. It's three days, all day. Saturday you're there from 10-8. This is not the kind of show you do if you don't like your product. The Fort McMurray trade show is like the Olympics of all trade shows. You have to LOVE your product and be able to talk about it to 25,000 people, individually...with enthusiasm. Thankfully, for me this is not a problem. I hand pick all my store products, and I don't think I could sell them if I didn't. Also, as most people know, I could talk to a brick wall. I talk.... alot.
So up I went again this past weekend. What I love about this show is a few things. People are there because they want to see what you have. There is no messing around. The people of Fort McMurray mean business. Coming from there, I can tell you there's an attitude of "I know what I want, no messing around." See why I like it up there??
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| New to Sprogs! Cheeky 6 year old boy! |
So Fort McMurray, I want to thank you for another amazing (and intense) weekend. It was so nice to see you all again, and I hope you'll have me back again next year! But until the next tradeshow I'll be up again to see my gorgeous nephew!! See you soon Joey! xxxx
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| Baby Joey eating his Chewbeads |
