The Brau Beviale in Nuremberg is one of the largest trade fairs where we are represented. However, before we can be there for you with the concentrated load of professional competence, a lot of preparation is required..

For me the planning of such a fair starts at least 1 year before. Many exhibitors also need a lot of hotel rooms. So step 1 of the fair planning is always to see how many colleagues will manage the construction and dismantling, and how many Eder sales people will represent the company. I then use these figures to search for and book the necessary rooms.
The registration for the fair itself is quite unspectacular, I get a “now’s the time” email, enter our data and wait for confirmation. When it arrives, I’m ready to go: electricity, parking, glasses for the bar, entry in the trade fair register (to make sure you can find us ?)

If you listen to me on the phone during this time of planning, you will often hear the following: “You are calling about the trade show? OK, I’m telling you now that we have our own: self-built stand, which will be set up and taken down by our own people. And I’m telling you that we have our own staff for the time of the fair. If you have anything else that we need, you are welcome to tell me about it now.”

You know, I’m a friend of effective work. And with about 3-5 calls a day from booth builders or hostess agencies, at some point you get numb.

Now it’s a matter of planning with our carpenters how our stand should look like, what floor will be used, what lighting? Which goods do we take with us?

And then what? Then everything calms down. It will be exciting again 2-3 weeks before the fair. Now the detailed planning is made, the barrels, flyers and the decoration are selected and arranged, setup and dismantling as well as exhibitor passes are ordered and finally it is decided who of our team is allowed to represent us there.

Well, this year I was allowed to get out from behind my desk, into the car and off to Nürnberg.

We don’t want to have to leave in the middle of the night, so my colleagues and I leave for Nuremberg one day before the start of the exhibition. After what feels like 30 motorway construction sites, we arrive at the hotel in the evening. After a dinner with a short strategy meeting at the local inn, it’s time to go to bed; we want to arrive at the exhibition stand fresh and well-rested.

For the colleagues it is always nice to see what the construction team has conjured up for us out of nothing. Believe me: our trade fair stand is a visual highlight every time!

And then it starts: the gates of the exhibition hall open and the visitors start streaming in. Many familiar faces can be seen there. But for me this means above all: finally I can see the faces to the voices on the phone. Nevertheless, at the trade fairs we visit, we always meet new interested and interesting people. Whether small distillers, brewers or big players in the spirits industry: each of them gets a business card in charming red with barrel motif…

Of course we also have some barrel stored spirits in our luggage, so that the (future) customers can taste and smell where the journey with the wooden barrel can lead.

But the special thing this year was certainly the beer, which was brewed especially for us and matured in the cognac barrel. This IPA has developed a sensational taste. Ripe citrus fruits with a touch of berry, yet not too obtrusive. In short: really delicious!

After 3 days with many impressions, new contacts and lots of inspiring conversations, this trade fair ends for us. The dismantling team replaces us, the stand is packed into small pieces suitable for trucks and transported away. We pack our suitcases and make our way back home, where we write offers and orders, cultivate our new contacts and process the impressions of the last days.

For me this means: back to the desk! Back to my phone – and talking to customers whose faces I now know too!

Do you want to guess what I’ll be doing first when I get back from the fair?
I book the hotel for next year – after the fair is before the fair

See you,

Further interesting topics:
The barrel – Part 4
Behind the Scenes – from tree to barrel
Exhibition dates

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