Arrive on a wave, not by chance

By The Coffee Shops®. 

A new book from Randy Chaffee explores why trade show success starts long before attendees walk through the doors. 

In a recent episode of MetalCast™, host Karen Edwards sat down with industry veteran Randy Chaffee to discuss his new book, “The Closers Part Seven,” and the strategies behind turning industry connections into meaningful business opportunities. 

Drawing from decades in the building materials industry and hundreds of trade show experiences, Randy's central message is simple: successful events begin long before anyone arrives at the convention center. 

Randy explained that many attendees and exhibitors undermine their own success by approaching events without a plan. That mindset inspired one of the book's key concepts: arriving on a wave. Rather than showing up and figuring things out on the fly, Randy encourages attendees to start preparing as soon as an event is announced. "The show starts when it's announced. That's when it starts," Randy said. 

For contractors and other attendees, that preparation includes reviewing exhibitor directories, studying floor plans, identifying must-see booths and scheduling meetings before arriving. Exhibitors can benefit from the same disciplined approach by creating outreach plans and filling their calendars ahead of time. 

Randy shared his personal rule of thumb, explaining that he aims to enter a show with roughly 80% of his schedule already planned while leaving room for unexpected opportunities. According to him, preparation creates momentum and purpose, helping people maximize the investment of both time and money. 

As the conversation highlighted, trade shows are more than a few days away from the office. They are business investments that demand intentionality, clear goals and follow-through. Randy believes those who prepare effectively create opportunities before the event even begins. 

For contractors, suppliers and industry professionals looking to get more value from their next event, arriving on a wave may be the difference between simply attending and truly succeeding. 

Listen to the entire podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about trade show planning and preparation.