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It’s Only Common Sense: IPC APEX EXPO 2020—A Great Time to Kick Off Your Marketing

Here we are again. We’re just a week away IPC APEX EXPO 2020 in San Diego. This show presents an opportunity to get together with everyone in the industry and get a quick overview of what’s going on out there. No matter what your year has been like—good or bad—and no matter what your specific business is—PCB design, fabrication, or assembly, or you’re a customer or a vendor to these industries—I would urge all of you to attend.

Want to know about new equipment? It’s there. Want to hear about new technologies? Attend one of the many presentations. Want to gain a good understanding of the industry trends not only in the U.S. but globally? Want to meet and talk to your customers, vendors, salespeople, and even your competitors? This is the one time of the year where you can meet some or all of them. Want to find new salespeople, engineers, reps, operations people, etc.? IPC APEX EXPO is the place to do just that. Want to find some global partners or check out what the Asian board shops are doing? Attend this show because most of them will be there. Overall, San Diego is the place to be during the first week of February.

However, there’s one more thing you can do; you can start your marketing and branding program at IPC APEX EXPO. All of our industry’s trade magazines will be there, and you can visit them to see how they can help promote your company and tell your story. All of these trade magazines are pretty good, and you should check all of them out. However, full disclosure, I write for I-Connect007 and have been affiliated with them for many years, and I happen to think they are the best at what they do. Forgive me for my parochialism and allow me to tell you how you can increase your market presence and brand identity exponentially by working with I-Connect007.

Come by the booth and talk to the I-Connect007 team. Ask how they can help with your marketing and branding. They can advise you on how to develop and implement the right marketing program to make sure that you get your name out in front of the right people in the most effective ways. They have programs for all needs and budgets specifically designed to increase your market presence. They also offer a number of special services, including ad creation, ongoing strategy sessions, press releases, and regular interviews to help you continually tell your company’s story.

Some of the most important aspects of a good marketing program are prospecting and lead generation. With the right program administered properly, combined with the right sales strategy and tactics, you will increase your sales. I hear stories about how difficult it is for salespeople to reach customers these days—even answering the phone, let alone agreeing to see them—so name recognition is more important now than ever. By creating a strong marketing plan that includes putting the right content in front of the right people the right amount of times, you’ll attract customers who need your products to the point where they will contact you.

Always remember this old adage: “The difference between sales and marketing is that in sales, you drop a line in the water and hope that fish will go for the bait. With good marketing, you get the fish to jump into the boat.” During the week of IPC APEX EXPO, use your time wisely, look around, and commit yourself to start your new marketing initiative.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.