The International Roofing Expo is taking place from March 7th – 9th, 2023 in Dallas, TX!
Regardless of whether you’re a first time attendee, or a longtime roofing contractor, we have got all of the information you need to make your visit to this tradeshow a huge success!
The IRE is the largest roofing and exteriors event in North America, which means it is a great opportunity for suppliers, residential and commercial professionals, and other individuals and businesses involved in the industry to meet up, exchange ideas, and network as they improve how they operate.
For those who have these dates on the calendar circled; here’s some more on what to expect!
What Is The International Roofing Expo?
The International Roofing Expo will take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, TX.
This is a great venue that allows for a really great networking opportunity for roofing contractors, suppliers, and other related professionals alike.
There will be almost 400 exhibiting companies, 35 countries represented, and over 60 educational sessions being held at the convention. A massive number of 10,000+ roofing professionals are expected at the convention.
There are some truly awesome events scheduled such as a first-time attendees reception, a welcome party, outdoor entertainment including a tailgate party, and tons of informative educational sessions where roofing contractors can learn from the best in the business.
For more information regarding details about the Expo itself, you can contact info@theroofingexpo.com with any direct questions.
Now, let’s break down some of the best tips for those who may be interested in attending so that you can get the most out of your experience while you’re down in Dallas!
Tips for Attendees
Register in Advance!
It will be much harder to attend the IRE if you aren’t registered!
There are “Early Bird” prices that extend until February 4th, 2023 so you should absolutely take advantage of that depending on when you are reading this.
On top of that, registering early allows you to get better access to hotels and/or flights (if necessary) and will help you get in the mindset that you are making a commitment to your personal growth.
It will be easier to just ‘push it off’ until next year if you don’t actually buy the tickets, so get in the game and make your purchase!
Tick, Tick, Tick
Give yourself more time than you think – for just about everything.
From the commute to the actual tradeshow itself to walking from place to place… things just move a bit slower than you think when you’re at a huge convention like the IRE.
Maybe you’ll meet someone you want to have a conversation with or maybe there will be a lot of foot / car traffic wherever you are trying to go.
Personally, I always feel like there’s no bigger frustration than trying to get somewhere in a hurry and you are getting slowed down for any reason.
Get Comfy
You’ve got to look professional when networking – but make sure it’s an outfit that you like wearing and that doesn’t restrict you or cause discomfort. You want to maximize your time when you go to a convention and it’s going to be a long day; so be sure that you’re dressed for success.
Allow For Some Downtime
We’ve just been discussing how busy things get a conference, so is down time really a good idea? Yes!
Taking a break every once in awhile can help your mind decompress and allow all of those ideas and plans you’ve come up with to float around your head a little bit.
You should also make sure you’re eating regularly and getting some water in your system so that you can continue to be as attentive as possible and again, to maximize your experience at the roofing expo.
Take Advantage of Deals & Discounts
Many times you will run into vendors who are offering special deals and discounts that are only available at expos like the IRE. Some vendors may do a ton of volume and rely on opportunities like this for their entire business model!
Feel free to take advantage of what these vendors are offering and be prepared to do so! If you write down some goals beforehand, you can plan out what you might be interested in so that you’re not completely caught off guard and trying to accept 50 special offers.
Don’t let things get out of hand, but when the deal is right on target for you, don’t be afraid to say yes!
Bring a Pen & Paper… or Your Phone
To this day, I always bring a pen and a notebook whenever I go to a tradeshow. Sometimes I use it, and sometimes I don’t, but the point is – you always want to be able to record information from a presenter, vendor, or simply another professional.
Your phone does probably fulfill this function if you simply need to store a note for later – but many people are old-fashioned and writing things down can simply seem to work more than any other method.
Tips for Vendors
Register in Advance
Registering in advance may be even more important for vendors than it is for attendees. You can get a better spot by registering early and you’ll need to plan out your overall schedule as well so you know what tradeshows you are able to attend.
Don’t procrastinate – get in the game!
Do Your Research
As a vendor at a tradeshow, what you get from the experience is directly correlated to what you put into the experience in terms of effort.
There is all kinds of research to be done when you are thinking about attending a convention like this.
Specifically for the IRE; you should be researching what kind of educational sessions are going to be held.
If you’ve studied the schedule, you’ll be able to engage in conversations that actually matter to the attendees by asking them what they learned in the Keynote “Winning the War For Talent – One of the Roofing Industry’s Biggest Challenges”.
Some more research into what your competitors are bringing to the show will also give you some unique talking points as you are able to speak knowledgably about what sets you apart from the ‘other guys’.
Also, the more you know about the roofing industry will only set you apart further. Do you know what is working on social media or in advertising?
Make Appropriate Travel Plans
If you’re travelling a long way to the IRE and you need a hotel in Dallas; make sure to be close to the Convention Center so that you can be rested, refreshed, and ready to go when you start to meet with attendees on Day 1!
Are You Coming to IRE?
Remember, we help to sponsor the IRE and we’d love to see you in attendance!
If you are planning on coming as an attendee or a vendor, be sure to stop by and see us at the show!
It’s truly an awesome event and you can learn all about the Education sessions, Events, and so much more information over at the official website for the IRE which is found at www.theroofingexpo.com.
