HDAW 2023: A Lookback Q&A

January was off to a busy start as our Business Development Manager, David Schultz and Account Manager, Josh De Perio traveled to Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week in Grapevine, TX to set up a booth on behalf of NewSteam. Our Sales & Marketing team love having the opportunity to attend expos across the United States to learn more about our served industries and how we can better benefit our OEMs as well as new prospects. Upon their return to NewStream, we sat down with David and Josh to get some insight on their experience setting up a booth at HDAW.

Q: This is the first booth NewStream has had at an expo in quite some time, how was your overall experience from start to finish?

David: The HDAW provided an excellent venue to showcase our services. We had a great time setting up our new booth and showcasing our services to the Heavy-Duty Aftermarket audience.

Josh: It was overall a great experience! Being able to present ourselves in such a big and extravagant expo it was great! For it being my first time being at one of these, granted with SRC HD as well made the experience much more enjoyable. Being able to bounce off the guys at SRC was a blast.

Q: David, as our Business Development Manager you work to establish new business for NewStream. Did you find that having a booth made it easier to meet prospects? Why or why not?

David: I’ve had a lot of success connecting with prospects while attending/ walking shows over the last few years. However, it was great to have a nice exhibit space to utilize when meeting with prospects.  I wouldn’t hesitate to exhibit again in the future, it’s a great way to bring attention to who we are and what we do at NewStream.

Q: Josh, you began your career at NewStream as an Account Manager in August of 2022. What was your experience of not only going to an expo, but running a booth on behalf of Newstream?

Josh: It was a huge learning experience for me. A very welcome one too. I have not been at an expo of this magnitude before, so it was a bit jarring to say the least. David was mentioning that he has been to some larger ones in Las Vegas, Louisville, etc and they are 10x the size. Being able to dip my feet into an expo like this is hugely beneficial for me. And I want to thank Jennifer and Sara for trusting me to go even for it being my early months at NSE!

Q: NewStream doesn’t have booths at expos very often, what are some things you would have done differently to make this process easier on you or the overall expo?

David: Of the items that we had control over, I wouldn’t do anything different regarding our exhibit. We had a nice booth that was convenient to transport and easy to set up/ tear down.  From a marketing standpoint, we did everything we could to encourage traffic to our booth.  We offered branded swag and a drawing for a premium item.  If anything, I would consider advertising in the Exhibit Guide to bring awareness and generate traffic to our booth.

Josh: I would definitely suggest having a third person. Just because it is easier to bounce off conversations with another person and makes talking to potential prospects much more personable.

Q: Expos can be overwhelming with all of the displays to see and the booths to visit, what is some advice you can give to attendees or businesses that have their very first booth?

David: Whether attending or exhibiting for the first time, I would try to enjoy the event and the opportunity to connect with others in your industry. The expo provides a fantastic venue to engage with suppliers, customers, and potential prospects.

Josh: A definite attention grabber. For example, SRC HD had a chipping contest at their booth. And the demographic of this expo caters to people who do play golf. Being able to connect with potential prospects into something you have in common is an advantage to get that business in the future.

Thank you Josh and David for taking the time to provide us with the insight on NewStream’s booth and how it can be beneficial to any business!