As the holiday season comes to a close and the new year begins, it's time to turn our attention to the second most wonderful time of the year–flooring trade show season. 

Attending flooring trade shows can be a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest products and trends in the industry, network with other professionals, and potentially find new vendors or suppliers to partner with this year.

If you're a flooring retailer based in the southwest, you won't have to wait long to dive into the action – the 2023 season begins next week in Dallas, TX with some of the best shows of the year!

To help you make the most of this opportunity, we've compiled a list of 6 tips you can use to get the most value out of the flooring trade shows in Dallas next week. 

1. Study the Calendar and Plan Ahead

Trade show season can be overwhelming without the proper preparation, so be sure to take some time to research the events you're planning to attend. 

If you’re interested in attending some of the events in Dallas next week, there are 3 great options to have on your radar:

Southwest Flooring Market 

The Southwest Flooring Market is one of the largest flooring trade shows of the year and provides a great opportunity to meet face-to-face with flooring manufacturers, suppliers, and technology companies.

For the first time ever, this year’s Flooring Market event will be taking place at Globe Life field, home of the Texas Rangers. 

Make sure to visit Broadlume at booth #221 to say hi and pick up some limited edition show season swag.   

• Dates: January 12-13, 2023
• Times:
  • 1/12 | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • 1/13 | 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
• Location: Globe Life Field - Arlington, TX
• Website: https://flooringmarkets.com/southwest-flooring-market/

The Dixie Group’s Evolve 

The Dixie Group (TDG), one of the fastest-growing flooring manufacturers in the country, will be hosting their Evolve trade show in Dallas, TX on January 12th & 13th. If you’re currently working with TDG or are interested in what their product offering will look like in 2023, this is a must-attend event. 

• Dates: January 12-13, 2023
• Times:
  • 1/12 | 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • 1/13 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
• Location: Hotel Vin (Tuscany Ballroom) - Grapevine, TXNo registration is necessary for this event

Shaw’s Dallas Market

Shaw will be hosting their Dallas Market trade show on January 11th-13th at the Embassy Suites in Grapevine, TX. Registration is required to attend this event. 

• Dates: January 11-13, 2023
• Times:
  • 1/12 | 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • 1/13 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
• Location: Embassy Suites - Grapevine, TX
• Website: https://www.shawshows.com/

2. Register Before Arriving At the Show

Although some of the events listed above will let you register on-site, getting registration out of the way before you arrive can be a great way to save time and avoid long lines. 

If I had a dollar for every frustrated flooring retailer I’ve seen waiting in line to register for a trade show, I, well I probably wouldn’t be writing this blog post. In most cases, by pre-registering, you can skip the registration process onsite and go straight to picking up your badge. 

This can be especially helpful if you're short on time or if the trade show is expecting a large turnout (like we’re expecting to see at the Southwest Flooring Market show this year). So if you want to make the most of your time at the events in Dallas this year and avoid any unnecessary delays, it’s a good idea to take some time and register this week.

3. Set Clear Goals

Ok, time for a quick story.

Before Broadlume was Broadlume, and we acquired FloorForce, Creating Your Space, Retail Lead Management, and RollMaster, I was invited to my first flooring trade show. To call it a whirlwind would be an understatement.

I spent 6 hours touching carpet and luxury vinyl samples, and before I knew it, the day was over. I remember asking my myself when I got back to my hotel room, "What the heck did I accomplish today?"

I broke the first cardinal rule of attending flooring trade shows: always always always set clear goals.

If you're going to spend valuable time away from your store by attending one of the many flooring trade shows on the calendar this year, it's important to think about what you’re looking to accomplish at each event.

Do you want to learn about new products and trends in the industry? Network with other professionals? Meet potential manufacturers or suppliers? Demo the latest and greatest flooring technology?

Having a clear set of goals will help you prioritize your time and focus your efforts at the trade show. And it doesn't have to be complicated. For example, you could simply write down the top 3 products you want to see in person, the top 3 manufacturers or suppliers you would like to meet in person, and the top 3 technology products you would like to demo in person.

4. Set Up Meetings With Exhibitors in Advance

If there are specific manufacturers, suppliers, or technology companies you want to meet with at the trade show, and there should be if you followed Tip #3, try to set up meetings before the show starts.

This simple step will allow you to make the most of your time onsite and ensure that you get a chance to meet with everyone you want to connect with.

As I mentioned in Tip #1, the Broadlume team will be attending Southwest Flooring Market and The Dixie Group's Evolve trade show next week. If you're interested in scheduling some time to learn how Broadlume can help you drive flooring sales and dominate your local market, shoot me an email and I'll help set you up --> dan.pratt@broadlume.com

5. Remember to Follow Up After the Event 

You took time away from your store to work on your business, so don’t let all the valuable connections you made at the trade show go to waste! 

Take some time after the event to follow up with the manufacturers, suppliers, and technology companies you met with. This can help you solidify relationships and potentially lead to new opportunities that will take your business to the next level.

6. Treat Yourself

Alright, you’ve spent the last 8 hours talking to manufacturers, demoing the latest and greatest technology products that will take your business to the next level, and networking with like-minded retailers. And the chances are good that you've worked up an appetite. So there is really only one thing left to do:

TREAT. YOUR. SELF.

Our 6th and final tip for getting the most out of flooring trade shows is to treat yourself and your team members. You took the time to work on your business, not in your business, and that should be celebrated.

If you're looking for some inspiration on places to treat yourself and/or your team, here are a few of our favorites in the Dallas area:

• Joe T. Garcia's - https://joetgarcias.com/
• Tributary Cafe - https://tributarycafe.com/
• Pappas Bros Steakhouse - https://pappasbros.com/home/

Attending flooring trade shows is one of the best ways to learn about the latest products and trends in the industry and meet face-to-face with the manufacturers, suppliers, and technology companies you want to partner with. By taking the time to plan ahead and set clear goals, there's nothing stopping you from getting the most value out of your trade show experience.