Glee Survival Tips
Are you planning on going to Glee this year? Have you been listening to The Underground Podcast? Recently the podcast aired an episode packed full of fantastic tips and insights from a host of their previous guests from months of recordings. Here ’ s our pick to help you get the most from your visit to Glee.
Vicky Nuttall – GIMA
The environment can be so drying so make sure you drink lots of water and wear comfortable shoes. Also, make time to follow up on all your leads as well, ot herwise what ’ s the point?
Linda Petrons – Greenfingers Charity
If you ’ re there on the last day of Glee, make sure you take part in Floral Thursday. We ask everybody to come along dressed in their best or worst floral attire, it creates such an exciting bu zz around the hall. It ’ s a great way to raise money for the charity and have lots of fun too.
Toby Thomas – Rocket Gro
Make sure you don ’ t try and do too much. If you ’ ve got a team, segregate the roles. Have multiple bodies coming in and give people a lunc h break.
Michael Perry – AKA Mr Plant Geek
You ’ re going to need business car d s. I always carry a temporary phone charger to keep on the go. Takes photos and notes on your phone and write up your notes as soon as possible. Because there ’ s nothing worse tha n getting back from a trade show and you can ’ t remember why you wrote something down or why you ’ ve got someone ’ s business card.
Jane Hartley – Evergreen Garden CareStretch
Do a little bit of yoga. Because I ’ ve probably been to about 20 Glee shows over t he years, and it kills your back. So, it ’ s important to look after yourself.
Simon Taylor – Empathy
It ’ s not about the footfall, it ’ s about the opportunities that might come along. Make a good impression. It ’ s an opportunity to reinforce your message. The re will always be something that will come along.
Kate Ebbens – Capi Europe
Take a rescue kit. I have ginger in mine. Paracetamol, plasters, lip balm and a nail file. And try not to set up too many meetings in a day, because then you spend most of your ti me chasing around to meetings and not actually seeing stuff!
Matthew Mein – Glee
Be prepared. If you prepare and use the facilities that are available pre - show, you ’ ll get more out of it. It ’ s an old cliché but it ’ s true: fail to prepare and prepare to fa il. Also keep yourself hydrated. There are water stations, water coolers throughout the show, so bring your own water bottles.
Jane Lawler – Business Development Consultant
You ’ ve got to be able to demonstrate, measure what you get out of it. That ’ s about data. And data collection . So, make sure that everybody who ’ s on our stand understands what the objective is.
Megan Warren-Davis
Talk to as many people as possible It will make the time go faster, and you learn so much. It ’ s really lovely when you can meet new friends or make new connections, and they ’ re really passionate about it.
Alan Roper – Blue Diamond Garden Centres
When I go onto a stand, I don ’ t want anybody to come over and talk to me about their product, because I want the product on the stand to do the job. It ’ s got to do it. If that product isn ’ t talking to me in the right way, through the packing, if I can ’ t understand what the product is, then I ’ m not going to find out because I won ’ t have anybody standing in my centre ’ s next too thei r product explaining it to my customers.
Fran Barnes – HTA
Everybody ’ s welcoming. Everybody wants to share knowledge. So come with a ready hand to shake and an inquisitive mind. Smile, make connections and build relationships.
Elaine Gotts – Levington Research Station
Don ’ t stand in one place, move around. If you ’ ve got a big stand, that ’ s great. Walk around it. Or have a wander around and chat to other people as well if they ’ re not coming to you. Make the most of it, because really, it ’ s a great opport unity to meet up with lots of different people, have some interesting conversations and you never know where they may lead.
Steve Harper – Responsible Sourcing Scheme and Southern Trident
Every morning before Glee, I get up and go for a 5K run. Because it w akes me up and gets me going for the day. Glee is really tiring, being on your feet. I just find getting up and getting moving and waking myself up with a run, that ’ s me started well for the day.
Ellen Mary – Author, Broadcaster and Nature Therapist
Take wi th you a priority list, because you ’ ll always get drawn into talking to people. So have a priority list, a top five or six, that you will go to first. And don ’ t be distracted, and then let the rest of the day flow.
Kimberley Horny-George PR
Don ’ t be shy. You ’ ve got a product, focus on content. Be your own cheerleader. Don ’ t be ashamed to say it ’ s taken X amount of time to put it together. Or this amount of money, it has this presence in the marketplace or solves this or that problem.
Guy Jenkins – Johnson’s Lawn Seed
It ’ s very simple - preparation and follow up. It ’ s also about surrounding yourself with a good team, a great coffee maker and you ’ ve got to have fun!
Debi Holland – Gardener and Garden Writer
Take photos. Photos are a really am azing memory bank. You ’ re looking at lots of different people, talking and looking at stands and plants. It ’ s impossible to remember every single thing just off the cuff when you get home. So, I use my photos as a brilliant book of what I ’ ve seen.
Boyd Douglas-Davies – Boyd Partnership
Get there early, be there when the doors open. Because I always think you need all three days at Glee. So, get there early, get straight into the new products and the make sure you walk every aisle. It ’ s too easy to skip a n aisle because you don ’ t think there ’ s anything down there, but you might just find a little nugget!
Will Scott – Heart of Eden
Choose a great hotel. Within your lovely hotel, make sure you eat a really big breakfast, because there won ’ t be time later. A nd at the end of the day, when you finish, get straight into the pool or spa as quick as you can. Recharge yourself, ready for the next day
