In the U.S., there is no shortage of live events tailored to your business. 

Whether it’s an expo, summit or convention, you’re probably a stone’s throw away from something educational for you and your people. 

According to Business Insider, there are around 1.8 million trade shows, conventions and conferences held every year in the U.S. alone (more than one show for every person in West Virginia!), and at each event, you’ll find like-minded people gathering. 

Event centers around the country cater to these events, with small rooms for breakout sessions and massive exhibition halls for vendors to set up booths. 

One of the biggest events for those of us in the roofing and exteriors industry is the International Roofing Expo (IRE), happening in New Orleans from February 1-3, 2022. 

It can be hard to leave your business behind to attend an event with thousands of other people but don’t count yourself out quite yet.  

Attending IRE might just be the next big thing for your business. 

TEAM BUILDING 

Taking your team on the road can build a lot of unity in a very short amount of time. 

Not only is the whole group attending IRE and learning together, but after-parties and dinners around New Orleans can give you a chance to relax together and get to know each other. 

Spending time together outside of a typical work environment gives people a chance to bond, and that can only help you create a better culture when you get back. 

Make sure you plan ahead with activities for your team to do after hours. Here are a few ideas: 

EDUCATION 

IRE will have educational sessions taught by industry and business experts who can teach you things you can’t learn anywhere else. 

These thought leaders often present powerful messages, learned through experience, that can take your business to the next level. 

PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS 

Practical workshops give you a chance to learn skills and techniques that will help better your business. 

Sure, YouTube is a great resource, but raising your hand in a class or practicing next to an expert is going to take you so much farther. 

You can even bring your team and learn together. 

At IRE there will be more than 60 different industry experts speaking and teaching. You’ll be able to learn about everything from finances to injury prevention, and much more. Check out the calendar here. 

Practical workshops can give you a fresh perspective on the industry and help motivate you to grow. 

MEET VENDORS IN PERSON 

Have you ever started using a new tool and wondered, “Where has this been all my life?” 

Most vendors are attending and sponsoring the expos because they know that’s where they can reach potential and current customers. 

Meeting vendors in their booths makes for a low-pressure way to explore new products and technologies that can give your business a boost. 

JobNimbus brings both sales and support teams to IRE each year to make sure people are getting the right information, customer or not. It’s a great way for customers to give feedback and get support, and for potential customers to learn more about the products. 

It’s important to be focused during these conversations. 

Try to do the following when talking to vendors: 

NETWORKING 

Many people don’t realize how essential building your network is for business growth. 

Meeting other professionals can help you and employees understand market trends, offer opportunities for mentorship and even lead to powerful partnerships. Networking at IRE can be one of the most important parts of attendance. 

It can even lead to recruiting opportunities. 

Rachel Rowan met JobNimbus at IRE, which led to a job as our senior marketing manager. 

“I had applied for a position, but I hadn’t heard from the hiring manager yet. So, I went to their booth at IRE and spoke with them there. The next thing I knew, I had a great job,” she said. 

Your next great employee might just be at IRE. 

There are plenty of other reasons that in-person events are valuable but take heed: Don’t skip out on IRE this year. 

You just might learn something useful that could be the key to helping your business achieve the next level of success.