Barber Expo 101: 5 Tips to Maximize Your Day
Every barber needs to attend an expo. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a curious newcomer, attending a barber expo can be a game-changer for your career and personal growth. So, let’s explore top tips that will ensure you leave the expo with inspiration, valuable connections, and a wealth of knowledge to take you to the next level. Here are 5 tips to help you maximize your day:
Tip #1 - Plan Your Expo Schedule
Before you head to the barber expo, take some time to review the schedule and plan your day accordingly. Identify the educators, competitions, and vendors that interest you the most. Create a personalized itinerary that allows you to make the most of your time and ensures you won't miss out on any must-see sessions. I suggest making separate events in your calendar ahead of time so it’s easy to reference throughout your day. Make a list of vendors that you want to visit, you can cross them off from your list after you visit each one.
Pro Tip: Most expos offer exclusive education that takes place before the actual expo. It typically costs extra money to attend these education sessions. Plan ahead and buy your ticket to secure your spot, they typically sell out.
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Tip #2 - Network (Before, during and after)
Now that you have made a plan, it’s time to network. Instagram is the LinkedIn of barbering. Go follow the barbers, vendors and educators that you want to meet. Follow them, like and comment on some of their recent posts. I’d even send them a DM and tell them that you are attending the upcoming expo and are looking forward to seeing them. Get on their radar before the expo. By doing this, you have an easier introduction when you are in person. When you meet them in person, make sure you have a business card or digital business card ready.
Pro Tip: Invest in digital business cards. I’ll never forget when I met Ivan Zoot at BarberConLA and we exchanged contact info through his digital business card. I tapped my phone to his card and was instantly taken to all of his social media profiles and to his website. It was very slick.
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Listen to the Podcast _
Tip #3 - Take Pictures and Actively Post
Your camera is a networking tool. Capture photos of everything that is interesting to you. Capture the barbers battling, the vendors talking and the educators teaching. Be active on social media throughout your day. Post on your stories and be sure to tag the expo and other featured vendors/barbers.
Pro Tip: after you take a photo of someone, ask the person for their Instagram profile. After the expo, send them the photos you took of them. It’s a great strategy for networking. Barbers need content to post. They’ll be grateful.
Tip #4 - Create a Budget
It’s very easy to spend thousands of dollars at an expo. Vendors are dropping deals left and right. Clipper companies, products, merch and more are all discounted. I’ll never forget when I was at the Tennessee Barber Expo. Towards the end of the day a barber walked up to the Squire booth with two bags full of products. I knew he just spent some serious cash. We started talked about his booking system and I ended up showing him a demo of Squire. He really liked it and wanted to sign up, but he said he already spent all his money for the day. He was over his budget. It was funny, he said he should have stopped at the Squire booth earlier in the day because spending money on a booking app would have been a better investment than extra clippers that he really didn’t need.
Pro Tip: Make sure you create a budget and be detailed. Identify the products you are looking to buy. Prioritize how much money you can spend but also what you want to spend your money on.
Tip #5 - Take Notes
You are going to be inspired. Make sure you take notes. You can bring a notebook and pen or keep it simple and create a note on your phone. Educators will drop gems. Vendors will drop knowledge. During your lunch and dinner, I recommend taking notes of all the most memorable things you learned throughout the day.
Pro Tip: Schedule a 1 hour debrief session after the expo. In this session you will review all of your notes and photos. What are your biggest takeaways? What will you put into action? When will you do it?
There you have it. 5 tips to make the most of your barber expo. Do not under estimate the power of these events. The relationships built at these expos have opened up significant opportunities for many barbers.
Why not you?
*All photos were taken by me at the Bay Area Barber Expo 2021
Written by Matthew Mendoza
licensed barber, educator and consultant in California. He is passionate about helping barbers pass their barber exam, develop their business and diversify their income. He hosts a podcast, writes a weekly newsletter and offers 1-on-1 consulting.
