Trade Show Intelligence – A Lifetime Experience - Interview with Jonathan Calof
Trade shows, conferences, and workshops serve as unparalleled platforms for CI professionals to gather valuable information. These events bring together industry leaders, innovators, and competitors under one roof, providing a unique opportunity to gain insights that would otherwise take months to compile..
In a recent interview, Jonathan Calof, author and Competitive Intelligence expert, discussed the current state of the profession.
Navigating Trade Shows Effectively
Recognizing this gap, Jonathan Calof has penned a book aimed at helping CI professionals and other attendees navigate trade shows more effectively. The book offers strategies and techniques to mine the wealth of information available at these events. It also serves as a tool for CI professionals to assist other departments in their organization, fostering an intelligence culture within the company.
The Importance of Planning and Skills
Jonathan Calof emphasizes the importance of planning before attending a trade show. Knowing where to go, who to meet, and why is crucial because trade shows are data-rich and temporary. Effective interviewing skills, such as active listening and reading body language, are also vital.
Recording Information
Jonathan Calof advises setting up a method to record information consistently throughout the day. Given the information overload at trade shows, it’s easy to forget details by the end of the day.
Leveraging Connections
Working with friendly contacts at the show can also be beneficial. These individuals can help gather information, effectively expanding your reach at the event.
The Emergence of Virtual Shows
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to virtual trade shows. These online events require a different skill set than in-person shows, but they present a huge opportunity for intelligence professionals. Jonathan Calof believes that virtual shows will continue to exist post-pandemic, offering an additional platform for information gathering.
In conclusion, trade shows, whether physical or virtual, remain a vital tool for information gathering in the modern business landscape. With the right strategies and skills, these events can provide a wealth of insights and opportunities for businesses.
Broadening the Team
In the world of in-person trade shows, the Competitive Intelligence (CI) team is often limited due to travel and accommodation costs. However, virtual trade shows eliminate these barriers, allowing organizations to involve a larger pool of personnel in the collection efforts. This not only enhances the breadth and depth of information gathered but also fosters a collaborative culture within the organization.
The Potential of Virtual Trade Shows
While exhibitors may find virtual booths less effective than in-person ones, CI professionals have found virtual trade shows to be extraordinarily beneficial. The ease of access and the ability to connect with a wider audience make these events a valuable resource for gathering intelligence.
A Guide for All
Jonathan’s book emphasizes on the value of trade shows for all departments within an organization, not just CI professionals. With more examples applicable to different areas of a corporation, the book aims to be a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to maximize the opportunities presented by trade shows.
In conclusion, the shift towards virtual trade shows presents new opportunities and challenges. With the right strategies and a collaborative approach, organizations can harness the full potential of these events.
Dr. Jonathan Calof has been involved with trade shows for most of his life starting with staffing booths, building booths and later running event intelligence missions. He is a noted columnist on event intelligence and has authored and coauthored several books. Jonathan is the UNESCO Co-chair of Anticipatory Systems for Innovation and New Ventures and a full professor at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.
The Institute for Competitive Intelligence was founded in 2004 to provide professionals with a solid and flexible competitive intelligence training program to become a certified Competitive Intelligence Professional.
The Institute for Competitive Intelligence offers conferences, workshops and certifications and covers a wide range of topics from competitive and market intelligence to foresight, open source intelligence, patent intelligence, Technology intelligence, strategic intelligence, counter intelligence and much more. Within our conferences we regularly cover CI related fields, tools, impulse speeches and best practices.
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