Knowing Your Customers at IBS

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The Last Word
Issue #11236 - March 2019 | Page #103
By Joe Kannapell, P.E.

To grow closer to your customers is the reason to attend the International Builders Show (IBS). If you coordinate in advance with your local builders and pay attention to the educational sessions, you may not be overwhelmed amongst the 100,000 attendees. You may also witness the latest technology from we truss suppliers.

The best route to the Show is through your local or statewide Home Builders Association. Typically, they secure blocks of rooms in the hotels near the convention center, which facilitates better access to these potential customers. A good entre may be to invite them to attend pertinent educational sessions with you. This year, for example, the sessions on “Offsite Construction” were well attended. Our Scott Reichensperger and Rodney Bays of Nisbet Brower presented the advantages of components to an enthusiastic audience.

In our booth, we had the rare opportunity to bring together a regional builder with his supplier, 84 Lumber, to discuss the advantages of components. The Show draws a good mix of builders of all types, even smaller custom builders who may bring potential home buyers to view the latest innovations among the 2,500 exhibitors.

Witness the commitment of Rob Frogale (pictured), a successful CM who rose up to become the President of the Home Builders Association of Virginia. Rob and his brother Gene (President of the Capital Area SBCA Chapter) own Annandale Millwork and Allied Systems in Northern Virginia. They have leveraged both of the key industry associations, NAHB and SBCA, to grow their business and become leaders in Metro DC, one of the best markets in the country.

Consider attending IBS, January 21–23, 2020, in Las Vegas, but do your homework before attending. This is the best place to see an amazing collection of innovative products, view useful educational sessions, and network with potential customers.

You're reading an article from the March 2019 issue.

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