More about tradeshows

Where can you truly find product at wholesale prices? Trade shows. The answer is and always will be "trade shows". Yes, you can find product in eBay's Reseller Marketplace however, availability and a continued flow of product may not always be consistent. In addition, the Marketplace may not have the product available, which you prefer to sell.

However, go to a few trade shows and you'll not only learn more about the product line you wish to sell, you'll begin to forge ahead and cement the "ties that bind" with manufacturer's.

First, you have to have all your business ducks in a row. Set up a corporation, set up a business bank account and print out plenty of business cards. When you visit a trade show, you'll hand out dozens of business cards and you should present yourself as an established "registered" business.

Trade shows can last from just a few days to a full week and take place all over the globe. You might want to plan to attend a trade show in a locale, which has other attractions, as to combine a trade show experience with a short vacation.

Day one at a trade show should be a "walk about". In other words, walk up and down every aisle and put a check number next to the booth numbers, which look interesting to you. You will receive a trade show guide with an alphabetical listing of vendor names and associated booth numbers and appliable product lines.

Spend no more than a minute looking at any one booth of products, as you'll get back to that booth on day two and three.

Don't be afraid to pick up brochures and business cards during your "walk about" as you'll spend your evening time (on the first day) reviewing this information in preparation of your next few days of "vendor visits".