Trade show season is here — and with it comes the chance to connect, learn and bring back ideas that can make a lasting impact on your business. To help you get the most from your time on the show floor, members of the International Hot Tub Association senior leadership team share their strategies and best practices.
Motivation
Before booking a ticket or walking into the convention center, it helps to know why you’re there. Each person — and team — will have slightly different priorities. For IHTA SLT chair Amanda Annis, president of Ohio Hot Tub & Sauna, the main draw is networking. “It’s so important to connect with vendors, manufacturers, other retailers and industry media to build those relationships,” Annis says.
IHTA SLT board member Maggie Wood, owner of Hansen’s Pool & Spa, feels the same way. “Getting to network with other retailers that do what we do — I always really enjoy that,” Wood says.
Both leaders also look forward to seeing the newest innovations. “I like to see if manufacturers have something new, whether it be the hot tubs themselves or add-ons or aftermarket products,” Wood says.
“It’s so fun to see the new technology, whether it directly impacts the hot tub retail side of the business or the pool and spa industry as a whole,” Annis adds.
Approach
Annis and Wood have a similar philosophy on tackling a trade show — start wide and then drill down. “On the first day, I’ll pass through the entire show floor,” Wood says. “I like to get an eye on everything going on. Later, I’ll go back to places where I wanted to find out more and talk to people further.”
Annis follows a similar plan — but with a team strategy. She often attends with her director of operations and director of sales, and together they “divide and conquer” on day one. Each walks the floor, makes notes and then the group reconvenes. The next day, the whole team will visit the booths together to have those deeper discussions.
Education
Trade shows offer such a range of education sessions, from hands-on demonstrations to panel discussions, that it’s nearly impossible to walk away without something you can bring home and apply to your work.
“As a decision-maker at my company involved in so many facets, I like the variety,” Wood says. “I enjoy hearing from the servicers and retailers because those are more applicable on a day-to-day basis. Hearing from manufacturers is helpful, too. And panels provide an opportunity to hear from multiple people [with] different perspectives, which is insightful.”
“I love to hear about what’s happening in the industry,” Annis adds. “Any time manufacturers are presenting about industry trends, that always piques my interest.” She also finds a lot of value in retail-specific sales presentations.
Both leaders highlight IHTA’s sessions as standouts. “At the 2024 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo, IHTA invited [PHTA member] Dan Lenz to talk about his experience in the service sector and his day-to-day routine with his service team and the decisions he makes,” Wood recalls. “I found that really valuable.”
Looking ahead, Annis is eager for what’s next. “I’m really excited about the IHTA sessions at the Pool | Spa | Patio Expo,” she says. “The lunch-and-learn is a great opportunity to grow relationships with retailers, specifically those primarily focused on hot tubs.”
Takeaways
The best trade show experiences don’t stay at the show — they transform the way you do business back home.
“There’s so much about our business that came directly from a trade show,” Annis says. “A trade show is where we found our water testing equipment that we continue to use today. It’s where we learned about SpaDollys and how to deliver hot tubs. Those kinds of takeaways changed our business for the better.”
Wood emphasizes the value of sharing what was learned. When Hansen’s sent a larger group to the 2025 Pool & Spa Show in Atlantic City, everyone had the chance to present a short recap on a class they attended. “It was cool to hear each person’s perspective and find out what they wanted to learn more about so we could modify our own training going forward,” Wood says.
She also stresses the importance of following through. “You go to these events and feel energized,” Wood says. “Then you come home and reality hits you in the face and you don’t get to do anything with it. Now I make it a point to pick one thing I learned and concentrate on it, implement it and make it a reality.”
Go all in
At the end of the day, both leaders agree: The trade show experience is what you make of it.
“Attending a trade show, especially if you’re by yourself, can be intimidating,” Wood says. “But if you’re going to go, really go. Walk around the floor, meet the people, go to the events. People are so nice and willing to have conversations.”
“It’s a really great opportunity to get involved,” Annis adds. “There are so many volunteer opportunities. The more people who contribute to the experience, the better it is for everyone.”
When you go to a trade show, both agree, “you get more than you give.”