Exhibitions – Should I stay, or should I go?

“Nothing stimulates the market like a well-run and exiting get together. You get the opportunity to meet up with all the major companies and I do mean ‘major’.   Come on . . . do you really want to be buying from a company that supplies a product that is not big enough or established enough to have a major presence at all your trade shows?  I love it when the big boys, the serious players, those with research & development departments, marketing support and all manner of technical back up roll into town and put on a show.  Nothing is better than walking round the exhibition on set up and seeing all the familiar faces turn an empty hall into an exciting tsunami of sound colour and excitement in readiness for Sunday and Monday – it’s such a buzz!  Seeing the same people for years and years lets you know who are really committed to working within our industry, who really want to support the work that is being done out there – the people who really put their money where their mouths are!

I watch as I see many people come into this market because they think it is so profitable and they can make a quick buck.  Yes, it’s true there is a lot of money to be made in our business, but over the 40 odd years I have been involved I can tell you that you must keep putting in the effort before you can get anything out.  You must pay your dues; do your time, work hard, work like you never imagined. Many competitors have been and gone and I am sure in the coming months we will see a few more bite the dust, you have simply got to be committed” said Tony Cuccio back in 2013.

As we all know, following the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the exhibitions have been hit hard.  Most people are full of trepidation about being out and about, visiting packed exhibition halls, spending a whole day mingling with lots of strangers, feeling oppressed in not being able to enjoy the experience to the full.  Should I wear a mask, shouldn’t I??  Then there’s those who live life to the full, take each day as it comes, que sera, sera kind of attitude – which are you?  Have you thought about it? 

What really matters honestly though are the customers.  We are all customers of a kind, and we deserve to be treated with the same compassion and respect as the next.

I have just received a great email from a customer who had lots of praise for our customer care team and saying some complimentary things about the Cuccio products that she uses.  What struck me the most about her email was her simple comment where she said, “thank you, my customer is really happy with your products and if my customer is happy then I am happy.”.  I thought that was so telling and summed up the way that we here at Cuccio think and a lot of the good nail companies think, “if my customer is happy then so am I”.  We all love our Cuccio customers!

There are lots of different ways to gauge whether you and your products or services are well received, whether is by attending an exhibition showing off you wares, creating a wonderful shopping experience via the website, having the best customer service or simply a few posts on FB or insta.  If you are committed to your customer and committed to making them happy – you simply get the best feeling in the world when they stop by and give up their time to spend it with you.

So, don’t be afraid to send in your feedback to the companies you deal with, good or bad . . . . the better companies will deal with every comment and come back to you no matter what.  Those who are scared or have something to hide will do the same with the feedback, they will hide it under the carpet.  I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be hidden under the carpet – say it loud and proud that’s my motto – don’t hide away from anyone or anything, that’s not how to be successful or be discovered is it?

So, get out there, keep discovering new things and don’t stop believing (oh no, I feel a song coming on, time to sign off!), between us all we can drive this market forward to a brand-new level, you just watch!