Trade Shows are Opportunities to Learn

RCS Influencer Mike Pickel says that sending your team to a trade show, even virtually, helps them learn and grow professionally.  

Trade show attendance has always been part of our business plan. We attend the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) annual conference and trade show each year to talk with our suppliers, to see new products and to attend educational classes that help us run our business better.  

The International Roofing Expo is one that we always try to have at least one or two of our team members attend. This is the industry’s largest show and it’s where many of the product manufacturer’s will introduce the latest and greatest iterations of their products. In addition to the educational classes, the trade show floor here is always a great opportunity to see, feel and sometimes try to newest offerings.  

While the pandemic has put a halt to a lot of these large, in-person gatherings, many of the events have switched to offer virtual conferences. This creates an amazing opportunity for your team members who don’t normally get the chance to travel and attend these events. We are looking forward to the virtual portion of this year’s International Roofing Expo in March and are currently reviewing the educational sessions to determine what team members would benefit from attending. 

This is a great chance to allow your team to virtually experience the event and learn from the educational sessions, many of which will be available on-demand so they can be watched when it suits their schedule.    

While I don’t think the actual in-person experience can ever be replaced by a virtual event, I do think that we are now seeing additional opportunities for education and learning that never existed before. Take advantage of these new learning options for your team – it shows you are investing in their growth and the return on that investment will be huge for your business.  

Mike Pickel is co-founder of Texas Traditions Roofing. See his full bio here.