You make your living in the archery industry, so you know how important it is to make the right connections, find the right products and stay ahead of what’s changing. You also know time away from your business is an investment.
That’s what makes the ATA Trade Show worth your time.
The 2027 ATA Trade Show returns to Indianapolis Jan. 7-8, bringing retailers, manufacturers and industry professionals together under one roof. For you, that means two days to meet with the companies you do business with, connect with new brands, see and test new products, write orders, network and make decisions for the year ahead.
We know leaving your business for a few days isn’t always easy. There are customers counting on you, employees to manage and plenty waiting for you when you get back. So, if you’re going to make the trip, it needs to be worth it.
That’s one of the biggest advantages of the ATA Trade Show. In two days, you can accomplish what might otherwise take months of phone calls, emails and individual meetings.
Sit down with sales reps and company leaders. Talk directly with product engineers and industry experts. Pick up products, compare them side by side and ask the questions you need answered before placing an order.
Just as important, give yourself a chance to see what other brands and products are out there. What products are getting attention? Is there a brand you’ve been meaning to take another look at, or you simply don’t know about? Is there an opportunity to grow a category, increase margins or provide better service for your customers?
Maybe you find the next product you need to carry. Maybe a conversation confirms you’re already on the right track. Either way, you leave with better information than you had when you arrived.
Some of the best conversations you’ll have in Indianapolis probably won’t be on your schedule. They’ll happen walking the aisles, over coffee, at dinner or at a booth talking with another retailer.
Ask them what’s selling. Ask what isn’t. Find out what their customers are asking for and what challenges they’re dealing with back home. You might operate in different markets, but you’re facing many of the same realities.
Those conversations matter because it’s easy to get locked into the day-to-day rhythm of your own business. Sometimes you need to hear how someone else is dealing with a challenge, what they’ve tried or what they’re seeing in their market.
The same goes for your relationships with manufacturers. We can all conduct a lot of business through email, phone calls and video meetings. But those platforms haven’t replaced the value of sitting across the table from someone you do business with.
This industry is built on relationships, and Indianapolis gives you a chance to invest in them.
If you’re making the trip, take advantage of everything happening around the Trade Show, too.
Show Week kicks off the evening of Jan. 6 with the New Product Launch Unveiling & Happy Hour, where brands will unveil their newest products in person before the Trade Show floor opens. You’ll get first look at what’s coming to market, have a chance to talk with the companies behind those products and catch up with friends over free beer and entertainment.
Throughout the Trade Show, educational seminars and Coffee Talk sessions give you another opportunity to pick up ideas you can take back to your business. And don’t underestimate the informal conversations that happen along the way. Sometimes the most useful takeaway comes from a five-minute conversation you never planned to have.
Then, on Jan. 7, make plans to attend the Industry Celebration. We’ll have live entertainment, awards, food, a live auction, raffle drawings and more. More than anything, it’s another chance to spend time with people from across the industry.
For retailer companies, we also want to make the decision to attend a little easier. Book within the ATA hotel block and we'll reimburse you up to $150 for your first night’s hotel stay.
Retail member companies will also receive a $150 Super Deal Gift Card to use toward qualifying orders and offers from participating exhibitors, along with a Big Buck Tag coupon book with thousands of dollars in savings. Add in Show-only specials from exhibitors, and there are plenty of ways to come out ahead.
But don’t measure the return on the trip only by what you save. Think about the order you make with more confidence because you got to see and test the product in person. The relationship made because you had an actual conversation instead of exchanging emails. The idea you pick up from another retailer. Or the opportunity you discover simply because you were there.
Those things are harder to put a dollar amount on, but they can have a huge impact on your business.
You know your business and your customers better than anyone. Come to Indianapolis with a plan. Know who you need to meet with, what products you want to see and what questions you need answered. But leave a little room in that schedule, too.
Walk the floor. Talk to people. Ask questions. Catch up with old friends and introduce yourself to someone new. You never know which conversation, product or idea will end up making the trip worthwhile.
That’s the value of bringing the archery industry together in one place.
The 2027 ATA Trade Show takes place Jan. 7-8 in Indianapolis as part of ATA Show Week. Make the trip, make the connections and make the time count.
Learn more and register today at atashow.com.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE INDUSTRY, TO HELP INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES GET THE MOST OUT OF THE INDUSTRY, AND TO HELP YOU.
