The morning after

By now we have all returned from hopefully a warm and sunny Orlando and a very successful 2014 Golf Industry Show experience. So it’s not unusual to come off that show high and now have to deal with an unusual sense of emptiness.

Think about it. You’re invigorated and ready to keep going. You’ve spend a week meeting friends for breakfast or coffee. You’ve participated in networking that spanned throughout the day and night.

Now what?

It’s similar to the morning-after feeling superintendents have to deal with following a major professional golf event. In some cases, the preparation takes years. In the months leading up to the event the controlled chaos begins to kick in. And during the week of the event the feelings of excitement and elation are difficult to describe to those not in the industry. With the event over the tents come down and the attention fades just as quickly. You’re almost left with a lingering sense of event withdrawal. You’re left asking: “Where did everyone go?”

Attending the Golf Industry Show has a similar effect on our psyche.

Social media allows the hype of an event like the Golf Industry Show to steadily build well in advance. Vendors create and launch their campaigns to show the latest and greatest in equipment and chemistry. Attendees are busy discussing with friends and colleagues what they plan on doing during show hours. Classes, trade show booths, and even planning the week’s evening entertainment becomes all-consuming.

If you have never attended a Golf Industry Show, the feeling I get inside is hard to explain. For me, it seems like one really long, exciting day. You get tired, your feet hurt, your back groans from the constant stretching, and your throat goes hoarse from the seemingly endless conversations. Nevertheless, you just keep pushing forward – learning, networking and having fun.

So what do you do when you get back home? Here are some ideas for you to consider, and hopefully implement, in the days following your show experience.
 

To the cloud!

For those who attended, you spent the week networking with like-minded individuals from all over the world. If you didn’t utilize a mobile app at the show, you are probably emptying out that portfolio bag with at least a hundred business cards. Let’s get them into the cloud so you can continue networking with these individuals.

You can utilize an app called World Card Mobile. This app for both Android and iOS lets you literally take a picture of a business card and have it entered into your address book. This will save you hours.

Attending educational seminars and sessions, or just walking the trade show floor, can leave you with a mountain of pamphlets and packets when you arrive home. If you did not utilize Evernote at the show to collect all this, no problem. You can use an app called ScannerPro. This application allows you to photograph documents and automatically load them to either Dropbox, GoogleDrive or Evernote or all three. Having these documents uploaded into Evernote allows them to be completely searchable for future reference.
 

Get social.

For many of us, we will exchange social media contact information. When you arrive home, be sure to update your lists on Twitter to continue to remain connected with your growing network. Remain engaged with those you meet because they will become not only a valuable resource, but also great friends.

For vendors attending the show, arriving back home means it is time to see how successful your social media campaigns were at the event. Download the metrics and analytics to look closely at how your social media campaigns were received by show participants. If you utilized multiple platforms and hashtags to engage your target audience, then be sure to understand what works and what didn’t. Likewise, you have the opportunity to expand your social media network, and remember those individuals following you are going to be hungry for more – and new – information. Take advantage of the excitement and increased social authority you gained at the show to continue to engage and grow your business.

Getting back to the office the first day after a big show and doing the things I’ve outlined will soften the inevitable post-event letdown. It’ll also ensure the value of attending the show remains high and leaves you hungry for San Antonio and #GIS15.

Bill Brown, CGCS, is CEO of Turf Republic and founder of iTurf Apps. Bill has spent 20 years on golf courses, including the last 5 years at Hartefeld National Golf Club. He’s served as an officer and board of director for the Philadelphia Association of Golf Course Superintendents, as well as served on national committees. Contact him at billbrown@turfrepublic.com.