Now, more than ever, it’s important to look for ways of expanding your business internationally. New opportunities are appearing on an ever more regular basis, as companies realise that taking their business global is the way to make a bigger splash and more profits. As such, there are more trade shows springing up than ever before. Barely a week goes by without an industry show happening somewhere in the world.
For anyone with designs on going global, it’s worth knowing where you should be looking to make connections, find suppliers and clients, and learn about new developments in your sector. It’s a good idea to check your diary, look at booking a spot, plan your trade show booth and nail your sales pitch in as many languages as you can muster. If you want to get anywhere in the world of business, you need to be ready to go anywhere in the world – including these five major trade shows.
Tech: Consumer Electronics Show
Held every January in Las Vegas, the CES is the place to be if you have an interest in tech of any kind. It’s here that you’ll find out which technology products will be in demand over the coming year; as well as what’s likely to be the big Christmas gadget or computing purchase. The freebies, as you can imagine, are amazing.
Clothes: China Clothing and Textiles Expo
As the name doesn’t suggest, the China Clothing and Textiles trade show takes place in Melbourne, Australia. Scheduled in November, it is laid on by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. For those in the fashion trade, it’s a chance to see outfits and accessories and to place large fabric orders that will eventually become outfits or accessories.
Video Games: ICE Totally Gaming
In 2017, the gaming industry will for the first time exceed $100billion in worldwide revenue, a number that’s likely to keep rising. London is the venue for the industry’s biggest show, with early February bringing together developers, creatives, and all the great and good in gaming. If there’s a gaming innovation happening, it’s on show here.
Pharmaceutical: ExpoPharm
If your business is pharmaceuticals, then you can’t miss the German-based trade show that showcases all the latest developments in pharma. In the country that is home to such names as Bayer and Merz, the conference happens annually, rotating between Dusseldorf and Munich — which is where the next fair will take place in October 2018.
Food: Alimentaria
April 2018 will see the next staging of Spain’s premier food show, one of Europe’s biggest annually. With close to 4,000 exhibitors from across the food, drink and hospitality sectors, and mini-fairs dealing with niches such as canned food, dairy and wine among others, Barcelona is the place to be if there’s room on your plate for more international custom.
There are, of course, many more than these, in destinations from Paris to Pristina, from Shanghai to San Francisco. New ones are being added to the calendar all the time, and whatever sector of industry you’re in, you’ll have your pick of events to attend. Don’t assume you’re too new to exhibit at a trade show; many startups find that these events are where they get their big, never-look-back break. There’s never a bad time for that!