If the business climate seems a bit chaotic, there’s one thing history teaches us: Forge ahead. 

No matter what new challenge emerges, ultimately, we all need to keep doing business and carving out how we do our business. While some companies have focused on internal course correction, others have looked at expanding their outreach efforts. Both can be sound strategies depending on your area of the industry, but deepening your relationships with your customers is paramount. 

The Harvard Business Review found that face-to-face interactions can be up to 34 percent more effective, and reading body language non-verbal cues accounts for 60 percent of your communication efforts. 

This is one of the main reasons why trade shows such as the upcoming Closets Conference & Expo combined with the Wood Pro Expo Florida in June, and later this year the AWFS show in July and Wood Pro Expo Lancaster in October, are so pivotal for your marketing plans. 

Whether you are a supplier of products to the woodworking industry and are looking to promote and show your products or are a manufacturer looking to grow your knowledge of what is new and innovative in the industry, you need to attend all three events.

Regional power
All trade shows, large or small, are regional. We don’t always see them that way as we view larger shows as bringing in people from a broader area, or maybe it is the name of the show that gives it the aura that it is more than regional, but the truth is that upwards of 60-80 percent of the traffic resides within a 4-hour commute. 

Here are some stats about trade shows that make them remarkable, from Trade Show Labs. This is a group of people who set out to find out the value of trade shows, and how to grow leads from attending trade shows. They pull all their statistics from some of the largest data and list management companies in the world. The information they compiled is very informative but here are a few highlights: 

• 64 percent of attendees are not current customers of your business.
• 77 percent of executive attendees discover at least one new product or supplier that can enhance their business. 
• 82 percent of attendees have the authority to make purchasing decisions.
• Trade show attendees on average share their experience with at least six people.

Power-packed events
The upcoming Wood Pro Expo Florida, co-located with the Closets Conference & Expo in West Palm Beach, is off to a great start. The event takes place June 11-13 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, Florida. All-day conferences in both the Closets and Wood Pro track will be held June 11, followed by the two-day co-located expo June 12-13.

The closet industry segment has been a very large part of the growth of the event, as the industry itself has grown exponentially over the last four years. This show marks the 20th anniversary of the Closets Conference and Expo. Combining that event with Wood Pro Expo offers even greater opportunities for the woodworking community at large, no matter what products they make and sell.

Already, more than 20,000 square feet of exhibit space is booked, and growing every day. The attendee promotion efforts also are hard at work to find new and innovative ways to draw in the regional market as well as the national audience. 

On tap at the co-located show will be products representing the entire value chain of the woodworking industry, whether you are looking for machinery, tooling, software, hardware, adhesives, materials, or finished products. You need to come see and hear what is trending in 2025. 

It doesn’t matter if you are in a small shop, or a large manufacturing facility. Someone from your organization should be in attendance. If the statistics above hold true, every attendee will get something out of their trip, and it could be the difference between a successful year and a stagnant one.

As our numbers continue to grow in terms of exhibits and attendees, plus with an extensive and dynamic conference schedule, it pays to make this trip to West Palm Beach. 

Conference is big draw
The conference schedule has roughly 33 percent of our total audience signed up to experience presentations across all channels. The Wood Pro Expo track has an expert lineup of speakers ranging from custom furniture manufacturers and business owners, to pricing experts, and business strategy consultants. Every presentation is designed to deliver the information you need to continue to be successful in your own business.

Matt Buell from M. Buell Studio kicks off the Wood Pro Expo presentations with an opportunity to learn the thinking and methods for running/working a woodshop,  by a successful experienced expert. From simple approaches for dealing with process and equipment to outside-the-box thinking about consumable purchases and design approaches, Buell offers a pragmatic look at what it takes to grow and succeed even if you are just starting out.

Chuck Ross from Ross Business Solutions will lead a discussion of the difference between a lifestyle business vs. an asset business. Keys to success include business, financial, and personal readiness on exit strategies. Plus, he will offer a review of the most current trends in the industry and success rates. 

Paul Mencel, founder/CEO of Philadelphia Table Company, kicks off the afternoon with a presentation on “Luxury Pricing for Woodworkers,” which aims to shift attendees’ mindsets around pricing. He will teach the audience how to attract high-end clients who value true craftsmanship. 

Will Sampson, editorial director of Woodworking Network, will offer what has become the most popular presentation at our recent shows. A lifelong woodworker and serial entrepreneur, Sampson will detail strategies on pricing custom woodworking and setting prices that accurately reflect the work, costs and market while ensuring a good profit. 

Presentations like these can offer you the leg up you need to move forward in turbulent times. As I communicate with many industry leaders, there is one common theme and that is that hesitation can cost you. The path you choose should be one you do not deviate from, but it needs to be based on as much information as you can obtain, so you can make sound decisions and forge ahead. 

The upcoming Wood Pro Expo Florida and Closets Conference & Expo is a great opportunity to grow your knowledge, and your business, and I look forward to seeing you all in West Palm Beach this June. I encourage you to create a schedule for all our shows as it is important to be at all of them, to cover a wide variety of areas, customers, and demographics, as well as learn important trends in each territory. It could be the differentiating factor to keep your company in the lead or overtake your competition. 

To quote Bodhi Sanders, “There is no such thing as standing still, you either move forward or regress.”

For more information about this event and to register, visit woodproexpoflorida.com.

To learn about additional conferences and trade shows, advertising, and the marketing opportunities available from Woodworking Network, visit woodworkingnetwork.com.