GlassBuild America 2025 has come and gone, and most people I have spoken to think it was a great success. They had more vendors, more attendees and by far more social media people at the show than ever before. It was great to be a part of it and see how many companies and participants have followed up with social media postings.
Some companies posted daily activities at their booths, others walked the show and posted information about the vendors they visited, and how they will support their businesses in the future. I think that for the vendors, it was a good idea to plan events at their booths, post pictures of them meeting with key customers and talk about their products. Most of our customers do not get a chance to attend the show.
Using social media to bring the trade show booth to those who were not there is an inexpensive way to show your customers who you are and how you fit into the industry. This year, I saw many attendees and glass shops walking the aisles, taking pictures and videos of themselves at key vendor booths and posting them online.
One that I saw posted on LinkedIn stuck out. The company was introducing its key vendors to its customers and explaining what they purchased from the vendor, the value they brought to their company and the ability to service the industry. They were also posting it to their website, showing the valuable partners that support them.
This was an inexpensive way to advertise who they are and the quality team they have behind them. This also expands the trade show from three days to the whole year and brings attention to the show to more people than just those who attend.
Most of our industry is not large enough to make TV commercials or have large print or radio advertising budgets. Social media is growing in the glass business, with many social sites having thousands of followers. This is certainly something that all of us need to find a way to use in our industry.