Overland & 4x4 Travel Show 13th February 2011, Warwickshire Exhibition Centre

I could send you the recipe

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but then I would have to KILL you

haha, i wouldn't know what to do with green food unless it is a chilli

What a good little show. Also good to put some names to faces - Chris S and RLD for instance - and all the others I know ... too many to mention. Also made some new friends with another trader who specialises in 4x4 tours in Spain. A rival for my Pyrenees 4x4 Tours? Not a bit of it, we all have different skills 'n' stuff we can bring to the party, so providing we're not directly treading on each others toes, then I for one am content to let the public decide. Overlanding and 4x4 travel is so diverse, no two tours (or tour companies for that matter) are ever the same.

A complete success for me personally business-wise, this forum of course, Tugs 4x4 which I'm always glad to promote, even another Landy Rally entrant signed up which is a real rarity at a show. In five years that's only happened once before!

Didn't hear a moan or a groan from a trader or member of the public all day, which speaks volumes - that has to be first for a show! Already confirmed the event will be back next year, excellent news. Long may it continue.

you are so right Tom , all of us offer something different, only a good thing me thinks for the client , yes

Yes a good show nice to meet toy Tom and Chris S Brendan Barbra and many more of Sam is on here nice to see you again sorry to miss other people next time will have to have a time to meet up there then we can all get to know one another

Looks like you all had a whale of a time doesnt it!! .. very good all!!

Looking forwards to being able to come to ones in years to come! (with a bit of luck it won't be over teh valentines weekend, and Mrs HB may let me go!)

Come on chaps lets see some photos, some of us were working.

MrLeadfoot wrote:

Come on chaps lets see some photos, some of us were working.

I only took one photo all day and that was driving out of the carpark - there was a fantastic looking 4x4 iveco daily crewcab camper - I'll dig the camera out in a bit

i try to avoid photo's.. find it puts potential customers off

Hillbilly Raider wrote:

i try to avoid photo's.. find it puts potential customers off

Only took one all day ... small but perfectly formed!

very nice

Think your idea of the video was good though, a real crowd puller. It's has to be the way to go. I know that's a fact as Waypoint were directly alongside and all they had was a large flatscreen, a ton of flyers and one person staffing the stand - and it worked! Took me ages to set up and pack it all away, their set up/break down time was all of 10 minutes!!!

That said, I was wearing a lot of hats (five in all) so that takes a lot more organisation and therefore display. Just shows how easy it can be though if you're promoting just one product or service.

The problem is that as soon as you meantion Tour company, people think we all offer the same kind of thing.
You can try and tell them different till you are blue in the face... video is the only way to show them how different we are.
Outdoor shows present a problem what with genies and such.. too much noise, this venue was ideal.

The other good thing with videos (other than the set up and pack up times) is that it gives people something to look at while you are talking to other customers and also gives something for those who don't actually want to talk to you at the time (whether they be scared of being "sucked in" or "pounced on" or just that they are shy) somethign to look at and leave an impression with them.

We used to do LOTS (15 - 20 a year) of shows with the company I used to work for selling forestry and firewood machinery - i realise it's not quite the same sort of thing but the principles are all very similar.

It took my previous boss a long time to realise why we were always teh ones to take longest to set up and take down - it's all about keeping it simple and letting the product do the sellign