Free products? New friends and potential business partners? Sharpening your business acumen? Learning the hottest new lash extension trends? Why wouldn'tyou want to attend a beauty trade show? Here's our top 5 reasons every lash stylist should go!
1) Network, network, network!
It’s much easier to make professional connections when you know that everyone else in the room is there for the same reasons as you.
The eyelash services industry — including lash extensions, lash lifts and lash tints — has exploded all over the world over the past five years, making it that much easier to connect with like-minded professionals and fellow lash stylists!
Beauty trade shows are an excellent opportunity to get to know different companies, as well as to familiarize yourself with their values, people and products. You’ll encounter vendors and retailers you can both learn from and possibly even conduct business with.
The more people in the industry you connect with, the more people will know and rememberyou — so don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to fellow attendees.
Strike up conversations, take and hand out business cards, and use the show’s directory to compile a list of contacts. You never know who might be your next business partner!
2) Improve Your Business Skills
Sharpening your techniques and product quality is incredibly crucial, but ramping up your business skills is equally vital to your long-term success.
Beauty trade shows usually include classes on social media and content marketing, and honing these skills can mean the difference between a moderately successful business and an explosively in-demand one.
In addition, simply attending trade shows offer cosmetologists and estheticians the opportunity to engage face-to-face with the biggest industry names in lash extension digital marketing.
Been enviously checking out that one boutique’s ah-mazing Instagram page — you know, the one with tens of thousands of followers and hundreds of likes on each post? Now’s your chance to pick their marketing team’s brains and even learn a professional client photography tip or two!
3) Stay On Top of New Trends
Trade shows make it super easy to glean up-to-date information on the lash industry’s hottest trends and developments — such as M curls, pre-made volume fans, and bottom lashes — all in one go!
Brand ambassadors, vendors and fellow lash stylists on trade show floors showcase their innovative new lash extension application techniques, seasonal makeup looks for extension wearers, in-development products and more.
You’ll attend guest speaker panels and free classes where beauty professionals will formally discuss expanding menu services, client relationship management, and more. You’ll have the chance to ask questions and delve in more deeply. Plus, the more knowledge you arm yourself with, the more clients will trust you.
4) Get Deals And Try New Products
At trade shows, you’ll have the opportunity to try out all types of products before shelling out the big bucks. Take advantage of it!
You might find a new concealer you know that one picky client will justlove, or even find that the new lash shampoo you’ve seen other lash stylists raving about in Facebook groups is just as incredible as you hoped before you commit your bank account.
Have your heart set on a particular product, but haven’t been loving the price tag? Myriad companies offer show-only bulk and bundle deals on their more expensive products and services, such as volume lash trainings.
On the last day of some of the larger trade shows — think IBS Las Vegas — many businesses will try to get rid of the massive amounts of products they brought with them...which is great news for you!
5) Have Fun!
You read that right! Trade shows aren’t all stuffy networking and formal lash education. Most companies will have fun booths and props set up where you can take silly pictures or try on fun makeup looks.
And when you’re at an industry event powered by a common love of all things beauty, chances are you’ll make a few friendships!