4 Takeaways from the 2021 AWFS Fair
- By Sarah Roth
- Aug 10, 2021
This year’s AWFS Fair was a real rush — and not just because it’s the first trade show we’ve attended in a year and a half. AWFS is the largest trade association serving the home and commercial furnishings industry in all its aspects, which means the shows it hosts bring in thousands of people. This kind of opportunity to demonstrate our products in-person is one we generally only get at trade shows, so it’s always exciting.
During the show, we get the chance to focus in on the technical aspects of our products; but by the end, we have a chance to think back on it to discuss what we can improve on, or maybe reflect on some interesting trends we saw that we can pass along to our Marketing and Sales teams. Based on our experience, here are 4 interesting takeaways from AWFS 2021:
There’s nothing like trying out new tools in person.
Most of the time when you’re buying a new tool, you don’t get to try it out before purchasing. You can often find reviews online, but it’s just not the same. And when you’re investing a good chunk of money in a new tool, you want to make sure you’re spending your money wisely.
People who visited our booth at the show got to try out FISCH Black Shark Forstner bits in hardwood samples so they could experience firsthand the speed and quality of our bits. Simply being able to demonstrate how FISCH bits work in hardwoods was a very effective way to show the superiority of our bits over competitors. End users got to truly understand the difference a FISCH bit makes, and we had fun watching their eyes light up while they tried FISCH bits for the first time.
Offering tools that are part of a system is a real draw to customers.
We’ve noticed in the past that people respond more positively to a product when they can see that it’s part of an overall system. FISCH drill bits work magnificently on their own, but what helped hook customers who visited our booth was the FISCH Tools speed grinder. They loved that the same brand that made the amazing bits they’d just tried also offered a corresponding grinder to keep the bits sharp. It presents a complete drilling use and care system from a single brand, so users know that the bits they buy will always be perfectly maintained by a grinder designed to maintain the bits’ quality.
Many of the show’s attendees picked up woodworking during COVID lockdown.
One thing we saw that was both surprising and awesome? Many of the people who stopped by our booth had learned woodworking during COVID lockdowns. We love seeing end users who have been working at their craft for years, but how cool is it to see new woodworkers grow the industry right in front of your eyes? There are so many opportunities here for brands and content creators to help them learn more advanced skills and graduate to higher-end tools.
Even though virtual trade shows are important as the world continues to operate during a pandemic, the nature of an in-person trade show just can’t be replicated online.
We absolutely understand and respect efforts around the world to eliminate this pandemic and help preserve public health. Like everyone else, we want to do our part to help end the threat of COVID. That being said, there are some universal truths about trade shows — one of them being that the camaraderie of an in-person show is not the same in a virtual show.
Having participated in several virtual trade shows over the last year and a half, we are well aware that it’s still possible to make new connections and close deals. But the energy and excitement of creating that connection in-person, of looking into someone’s eyes in real life and finding commonality there, just doesn’t seem to happen on the same level when you’re meeting over Zoom.
This is the first time in over a year and a half that we’ve been able to meet with our FISCH Tools team in real life. We still have a great relationship with them and have been able to keep it strong since the beginning of COVID — but being able to work a show booth together and interact in person helped cement the bond between teams in a very real way that can’t happen virtually.
Naturally, we will continue attending virtual shows as things progress. There are still opportunities and chances to connect with people even if we can’t do it in person. We know that one day, we’ll be able to do all our trade shows in person, and we look forward to it eagerly!
Did you attend the 2021 AWFS Fair? If so, what were your thoughts? Tell us in the comments!
