Should I keep a massage supply store’s trade show presence after buying?
Keep it only if the booth brings in buyers you can trace to real orders. Ask the seller which leads came from shows and what each event cost, then decide after you have seen the numbers yourself. Your own priorities count too.
Trade shows can feel essential because the previous owner always went. That is not a reason on its own. Ask the seller for a list of the events attended, the booth, travel and sample costs for each, and the orders that followed. A show that opened a few steady accounts earns its place. One that mostly produced business cards and free-sample requests may not.
Look at who attends. Practitioners, spa buyers and school purchasers each need different products, so see whether the show reaches the customers the store actually serves. Ask whether suppliers share booth costs or offer show-only pricing, since that can change the maths.
Plan your first year with care. You may want to attend one event as a visitor before you commit to exhibiting, so you can meet suppliers and see how competitors present themselves. Remember that your time away from the shop has a cost too, and decide who covers the counter while you are gone. Ask the seller which suppliers pushed them to attend. Some vendors expect a store to show their line, and dropping the booth could affect your terms with them. Raise this early, before you decide, so you know what you would be giving up.
Key takeaways
- Trace orders back to specific shows before deciding.
- Count your own time and staffing, not only the booth fee.
- Consider visiting once as an attendee before exhibiting again.
Related reading
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Selling
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are financial statements?
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