Meeting the Right Professionals 101
Attending a home and garden show can be overwhelming. There can be anywhere from 100-1,000 vendors at any show. Do not let this stop you from attending, take advantage of it. View it as a way to take one day and meet with all the professional you need to about your project without setting appointments. It is on your time. Here are some tips and tricks to keep you organized and not overwhelmed when attending a home and garden show.
How to Not Get Overwhelmed
Home and Garden shows can be A LOT to take in. There are multiple vendors all selling and advertising the same thing. How do you not get overwhelmed in this situation? A great question to start with is what projects are you looking to get completed this year. List them in order by importance. These shows put out a list of vendors before hand. Download or pick up a list or map of the venders and go through them. Then locate the vendors that pertain to your project. There are bath, windows, kitchen, lawn and garden, new construction, and more! This is why it is important to know what you are looking for, before you get there.
Are You Just Looking or Looking to Buy
Before attending ask yourself how important each project is and if you are just looking for pricing and ideas or looking to get started. Both are great reasons to attend a show. It never hurts to get pricing and start talking to professionals early. If that is the case, I encourage you to browse and take your time. Being ready to buy is a different story. You need to be stopping in and talking to professionals, giving them your information to continue the discussion, or setting up times to meet and go over your project. Take a more proactive approach to the show.
Who is Credible
How do you know which business is credible? Almost all home and garden shows cost to attend. There are not a lot of businesses that will pay the fees and booth cost to get into the show and then scam customers. If this is something that you are concerned about, ask the business how long it has been in business and look at their reviews online. I am not saying that new businesses are not credible, I am saying if that is a concern before signing any kind of work agreement with them do some research on the company.
What to Do After the Show
After the show you might have 5-20 business cards from contractors that you are interested in. Contact by email or phone to send any information the contractors will need for your project. About half of the businesses you contact, will not get back to you. Make sure you consider quote prices and the fit of the company. Not every company will see your vision or fit your timeframe. If you consider all of these things then you will find the right contractor for you.
What you need to expect when attending a home and garden show is a lot of businesses selling a lot of different things. It can be overwhelming. Overall you will find the business you are looking for to handle your project there. It is a great chance to look at their work before hand and discuss with professional without setting an appointment.
A home project is a big deal. Treat it with care and attend a home and garden show to avoid setting individual appointments. Meet with everyone all in one place and start your project sooner. Here are some dates and links for home and garden shows in the Kansas City area.
Johnson County Home and Remodeling Show Nov. 1-3 2019 https://johnsoncountyhomeandremodelingshow.com/
KC Home and Remodeling Show Jan 31-Feb 2 2020 https://johnsoncountyhomeshow.com/
Johnson County Home and Garden Show Feb. 21-23 2020 https://johnsoncountyhomeshow.com/
For more tips on attending home and garden shows follow us on social media. @LDKLawnServices