Buyer Day Excites Attendees, Revolutionizes #ATA2020

“Buyer Day will alleviate a lot of the stress that comes with trying to place orders in a timely fashion at the ATA Show,” Leonard said. “It will streamline the buying process so we can dive in and get the business side of our ATA work done. Then we can spend the rest of our time checking out new gear and tech.”

Bruce Schmitter, Leonard’s business partner, agrees. “People like to get their business done up front so they can enjoy other aspects of the Show,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for buyers and exhibitors.”

Retailers also look forward to other Show offerings, including certification courses, networking opportunities, and educational experiences at seminars, Coffee Talks and hands-on demonstrations.

Brock Hutchinson, owner of Big Frig, predicts Buyer Day will likely decrease the quantity, but increase the quality, of Show attendees.

“I’m sure attendance will be down on Day 1, but everyone who’s there will be able to buy,” Hutchinson said. “That’s the main reason we attend. Buyer Day will consolidate attendees, remove unnecessary noise, and give us more one-on-one time to talk to buyers and explain product features and pricing.”

Nick Andrews, Nexus Outdoors’ vice president of marketing, was pleased to hear about Buyer Day. He thinks it will eliminate outside distractions, which will help his sales, marketing and production team give buyers and shop owners all their attention. He expects the switch to generate more business, which helps justify the time, expenses and manpower they devote to the Show.

“As a marketer, I’m constantly working to better justify my marketing expenses and their return on investment to our owners and stakeholders,” Andrews said. “Hard, in-hand purchase orders are about the most powerful way to communicate an event’s worth.”