EXHIBITIONTIPS
SPONSORED BY ALDRIDGE SECURITY
Getting the Most out of Exhibitions
In The Locksmith Journal as you would expect, we regularly include previews
and reviews of exhibitions of interest to the industry. Exhibitions clearly
provide lots of opportunities to expand our networks and our businesses. But
how many of us also take the opportunity to expand our knowledge?
People often characterise exhibitions
merely as places where people on stands
try to sell us things, and while this is
true, there is often a lot more going on.
For instance, in the security industry
– in particular in locksmithing and
autolocksmithing, you will find that
training updates are available, and from
some of the most knowledgeable and best
known personalities in the business. That
alone is worth the time and effort, because
there can be no-one in this fast-moving
business today who isn’t aware of the need
to stay on top of all the latest products and
developments.
Many exhibitions also include
comprehensive conference programmes.
Sometimes a fee is charged, but often
there are free seminars and workshops
that you can attend as an exhibition
delegate and for the most part, it is worth
studying the programme to see just what
you might get out of these. You have to
look behind the obvious marketing stuff
and pick up on the opportunity to pick
brains.
Why bother?
With so much to see at exhibitions
you might ask yourself why you should
make time to attend conference talks and
seminars. The answer is quite simple -- to
expand your knowledge.
SHARING KNOWLEDGE,
STARTING DEBATES
Granted, some talks focus on specific
products and may feel like sales pitches,
but there are also many sessions which
genuinely focus on sharing knowledge
and starting debates about ways forward
in the sector. Furthermore, the variety
of talks on offer means that you can
get a snapshot or taster of new and/or
unfamiliar topics without committing too
much time to the cause.
Be selective. With so much choice it is
easy to attend too much. This often means
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THE MAY/JUN 2014 ISSUE
SPONSORED BY ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions
‘Leave the office behind. You will gain nothing from
the talk (or indeed the exhibition) if you are too busy
worrying about what is going on in the office’
you don’t get anything useful out of any of
the sessions as you get bored of sitting and
listening. I try to make sure I have a good
reason for each talk I attend, whether
it’s to find out about something new or
because I want to meet the speaker.
Do some preparation. Look up speakers
and check the abstracts for talks, as a well
written abstract can be a good indicator of
a worthwhile talk.
Leave the office behind. You will gain
nothing from the talk (or indeed the
exhibition) if you are too busy worrying
about what is going on in the office. Turn
your mobile off! It is not the end of the
world!
Sit next to someone you don’t know.
Seminars give you a good excuse to
network.
Be open to hearing something new.
Keep an open mind. Even if a topic sounds
boring or suspect, you might still find
some useful information.
Jot down useful information, but don’t
write down everything. Make notes
about anything particularly pertinent to
you – maybe a reference to where to find
out more, or key facts and figures.
Make a note of key questions arising
from the talks. If a question arises
during the talk, make a note. And don’t
be afraid to ask questions at the end of
a talk.
Link what you hear to what you
already know. Actively try to make links
between what you hear and what you
know. It is useful to assimilate new
information into our existing knowledge
base and see how any good practice
might be embedded into your work.
Don’t be afraid to contribute, but
don’t take over. Speakers often welcome
views from the audience, so don’t be
afraid to share yours, but don’t try to
dominate the session – others may want
to speak.
To read more, visit www.locksmithjournal.co.uk