Five Things We Learned at NAFEM15

For TMC Digital Media, this was our first NAFEM show for the entire team. From the field of parked tractor trailers outside the convention center to the rows and rows of shiny, stainless steel on the show floor, it was an-eye opening experience. As newcomers, there were certainly some things we noticed. Here are five things we learned:

1) The industry is led by innovation. The number of manufacturers creating cutting edge technologies and products was amazing to see. From ultra-efficient ways of producing hot tea to EPA award-winning ventilation systems, there’s no doubt this industry is led by the “latest and the greatest,” as seen in the What’s Hot, What’s Cool trend galleries.

2) Avoid the black carpet. At first it was kind of comfortable, but after a while, it was always better to stand and talk on the plushier stuff within the booths. And it didn’t seem to matter what kind of shoes you were wearing.

3) It’s nice to be in California in February. Some of the TMC Digital Media team came from cold weather states to attend NAFEM15. The palm trees and warm air were a nice getaway, though digging out a car from more than a foot of snow after getting back on Sunday wasn’t too much fun. Being in Anaheim also inspired us to act out Saturday Night Live’s The Californians skit all week (“Hey, what are you doing’ here?”), and did anyone else realize how good the Zac Brown Band was before seeing them live?!

4) The industry should look at more measurable ways to find, nurture, and close the loop on leads. We were amazed at how few in our industry can put a specific number on the costs to find and nurture new leads when compared with other lead generation methods. And it was truly staggering to see the amount of money spent on booth displays and show attendance from that perspective.

5) The use of social networking and digital media was at an all-time high. We enjoyed following NAFEM on both their Twitter and Facebook feeds during the show, and the mobile app was helpful and intuitive. We also noticed how many factories and reps were utilizing social media during NAFEM15, and as we look at more and more innovative foodservice equipment solutions, we anticipate innovative ways to create awareness for those solutions, as well. Social media is certainly part of that equation.