By: Andy Odorzynski, Induron National Sales Manager
As trade shows attempt to get started again after the pandemic, many seem to be a shadow of their former selves. Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to join other industry professionals, in-person, at Technology Publishing Company’s fourth annual Contractor Connect event.
It was truly a breath of fresh air. At Induron, we often discuss our belief in “relationship selling.” This concept is rooted in the notion that while some commoditized products (like gasoline at the pump) are perfectly well served by transaction purchasing, others require much more interaction and trust between buyer and seller to deliver consistent success. During the pandemic, relationship selling has become extremely difficult because of the physical separation brought on by the quarantines and responsibly limiting in-person interaction. In contrast, the return of Contractor Connect afforded us the opportunity to see old friends, get to know some folks better, and introduce ourselves to many would-be clients.
This event is special because so much of the interaction is about getting to know one and another as people. It’s about genuine human interactions. The hardest days in business are the days when things go wrong (sometimes really wrong), and that’s when it matters the most that our clients know us well enough to respect our competence and trust our advice.
Relationship selling is what allows business partners to succeed together in the face of adversity. We strive to find and create environments conducive to this kind of interaction and relationship building. Thriving with our partners, as opposed to at their expense, truly is the fundamental premise of our corporate identity. Contractor Connect is a fantastic event to see and feel the impact of knowing your partners as people first, and as business partners second.
I attended the event with our President, Davies Hood, and Director of Technical Services, Ben Rowland. Here’s what they had to say about the event:
“As an attendee for all four of the Contractor Connect events, I can say with all sincerity that this year’s event in Hammock Beach, FL on November 2-5, 2021 was the best yet… by a wide margin. I think that this was the result of a combination of factors including the JPCL/PaintBid BidTracker team learning how to most effectively and efficiently schedule and manage “Hosted Events” of this nature. But, I also think that a large reason for this event’s success was the quality of both the contractors and suppliers that participated. This year’s group of contractors and suppliers were people that were ALL interested in growing their businesses, learning about new technology and interested in networking with some of the true “influencers” in our industrial coatings marketplace.” – Davies Hood, Induron President
“This was my first Contractor Connect to attend. The quality of the meetings and activities for this event far exceeded my expectations. More than just a trade show or conference, attendees, both suppliers and contractors, gained much needed insight into the opportunities and trends currently in our industry.” – Ben Rowland, Induron Director of Technical Services
