Great, again I will feel satisfaction once the offers and needs of specific companies are matched. On the other hand, however, I also feel I involve quite many businessmen in a few-hour-long race between meetings over several dozen numbered tables. In reality, though, how come those serious, busy businessmen and engineers manage to use their time at the matchmaking meetings so effectively?

1. No pig in a poke - I know whom I am meeting

While registering for the meetings it is necessary to select a specific sector and describe the products offered or specify what we as buyers are looking to receive from potential service providers. Thanks to that it is possible to filter the results effectively and browse only those companies that meet our requirements.

2. Eat with your eyes - stay visible and recognizable

A good company profile is the key. A company should be described in two places while registering - as a general company description and a corporate profile. In fact, what sells best is the corporate profile title. Why? Because this is the first part, just next to the name, that the other participants will see. It is convenient for companies that offer a few types of services, e.g. cutting, welding, coating, as it is possible to have a separate profile for each service, thus making the company more recognizable and easier to be selected by potential partners.

3. Let’s respect each other’s time – no inefficient meetings

While selecting partners there is a possibility to become a host and invite someone as well as to become a guest answering others’ invitations. It is not necessary, however, to visit the tables of each and every party that invited us. There is a possibility to verify invitations prior to the fair. The system offers a chance to provide information regarding a refusal to meet.

4. A flexible schedule fitted to clients

The meetings take place on two fair days, i.e. 6-7 June 2018, 11:00-16:00. Each day offers ten half-hour talk slots. It is good to act with moderation and follow common sense, however. I suggest no more than 9 meetings a day. Most importantly, if, prior to making the schedule, I know that a participant is coming later or needs to leave earlier, I will prepare an individually-fitted schedule.

5. Why use the tables when there are the stands?

The fair means lots of companies and expositions in the same place at the same time. And lots of buyers. Yet, from time to time even serious buyers from well-known companies might find it difficult to reach a client at a crowded stand. Other than that, a specially-arranged room with tables located far from one another and far from others to hear or see offer comfortable conditions for preliminary negotiations regarding potential agreements.

6. Satisfied clients get back

- It’s our debut at the Subcontracting Fair in Poznań. We're very happy with our participation in the event, attendance and the potential of our clients. There are representatives from Poland as well as France, Switzerland, Germany, Lithuania and Belarus.

(Janusz Poulakowski, Office Director of Metalworking Cluster in Białystok)

- This is where we can talk to many suppliers and we don’t have to travel all the way around Poland or even Europe.

(Dariusz Rapeła, Purchase Specialist at Solaris Bus & Coach SA)

- At the fair we have opportunities to learn about the latest trends and a wide range of services offered by individual suppliers. This makes it easier for us to select the solutions which lead to savings in manufacturing mechanical part

(Ariel Grabarski, Maintenance Specialist at Central Garage of Volkswagen Poznań)

7. Know-how

Our meetings were evaluated in the ranking of the best events organized by the Enterprise Europe Network. We found Subcontracting ITM Meetings in a group of 7 distinguished events from among 324 organized in 2016. The high activity of our participants who can effectively use meetings were appreciated as one of the best practices to be followed.

8. A date is the key to a relationship and mutual business

I love that constant rhythm and the dance of meetings. Registration, reception of badges, arriving at the table, shaking hands, exchanging business cards, awaiting a potential partner, lively conversations, reaching another potential partner at another table. Every next meeting is preceded with a moment of doubt similar to the one before a date – is the partner going to show up?

The truth is, though, that such #realmeetings are the beginning to lots of longstanding cooperative agreements.

If you should have any questions regarding your participation in the meetings, I will be willing to provide the answers as matching business partners is my passion.

Barbara Kamińska
Coordinator of Subcontracting Meetings

https://subcontracting-itm-meetings-2018.b2match.io