After taking a year off from an in-person gathering, GlassBuild America is back in business in Atlanta, GA next month. I went to the largest glass and fenestration show in North America just six months after entering the industry, and the experience was a real whirlwind! Maybe you’re a seasoned pro or a GlassBuild newbie, but regardless of how many GlassBuild shows you’ve attended, I have some tips for you for before, during and after the trade show. And the best part is, you can prep for, execute and recap your experience right from your iPhone. Here’s how.

Before You Go

• Make sure your phone is logged into all your social media accounts. Maybe you are used to posting from your work laptop, but don’t make the rookie mistake of having the perfect tweet without knowing your Twitter password. Log in to your company’s (or your own) Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts on your phone before you leave.
• Know your event hashtag(s). This is key to ensuring your posts are seen by others at the event! For GlassBuild each year, the show uses #GlassBuild, but some 2021-specific ones might start trending, too – keep an eye out for them. Pre-write a couple posts in your notes app and include those hashtags.
• Write a GlassBuild to-do list. Speaking of that Notes app, have your to-do list ready and available! In your iPhone Notes app, you can even make an actual checklist with tiny dots you can click when a task is done – it’s almost as satisfying as crossing off an actual item on paper. What do you need to keep track of? Everything! You might have a list of contacts you want to connect with or a set number of products you want to be sure to post about. Making a list of these contacts an products and their respective booth numbers in advance can save a lot of time, leaving more precious minutes for networking!
• Stay charged. Pack an extra battery or an external battery pack for your phone! (And don’t forget to charge yourself – pack some snacks for those hours on the trade show floor!)

While you are at the show

• Record some audio. Use the voice memo app on your phone to make notes to yourself or even get a comment from someone you want to turn into a great quote in a social media post.
• Get great shots. Use the portrait mode on your iPhone’s camera for gorgeous (but still!) product shots. For demos or anything that features movement or action, use regular photo mode – or even better, video. And don’t forget the selfies! Tag all media posts with #GlassBuild.
• Scroll the event hashtags and share the posts of others. This can help drive others to your account, where they might share your posts or give you a follow.
• Take a break from all that walking. Stop by the Industry Pavilion (booth 3625) to say Hi! or to relax for a few minutes. We’ll have plenty of comfy chairs for lounging.

After You Leave

• Follow up, follow up, follow up. Send a quick message to any contacts you made to thank them and to ensure they have your name and email address in their Inbox (and in their mind).
• Share your images. Upload your best photos into an album on Facebook or Flickr and write a short summary of your experience. This will be easy to link to from your other social media accounts or your company newsletter.
• Get ready for next year! While it’s still fresh, meet with your team to discuss what went well and where things could be improved for next time.

Have a great time at GlassBuild! I’ll be following the event hashtag and sharing FGIA members’ posts from the show to help them further their reach. If you have something specific you’d like me to share, please reach out!