As touched upon last week, being on the cusp of September we're about to enter the season of trade shows and dealer days.

In terms of major exhibitions coming up in the next few weeks, we have both Glee and APF.

Glee, which once upon a time was an incredibly significant date in a dealer's calendar, is having somewhat of a refresh this year. Taking place in a new hall configuration at the NEC, it kicks off from the 10th to the 12th of September.

APF meanwhile, which occurs bi-annually, once again will be displaying everything and anything related to forestry at the Ragley Estate, Alcester from the 20th to the 22nd of September.

These will be followed at the end of the October by the IOG's SALTEX, which is now well established at the NEC.

Add into this mix a plethora of manufacturer and distributor roadshows and conferences and you end up with some not insignificant demands placed on the time of busy dealers. Were you to attend every possible event you were invited to, plus every show which covered an area you're involved with, that time away from your place of business would very quickly add up.

So what do you do? How do you choose what to attend and what to skip? It would be great if you could offer us a bit of feedback at the foot of this article today please.

I personally feel, in simple terms, shows and dealer days are A Good Thing. The positive benefits which attending can afford in terms of expanding knowledge, networking, gaining expertise, sourcing new products etc etc is hard to deny.

However, being realistic, attending everything, or at least sending a dealership representative to everything, is going to be nigh-on impossible with the demands of running a small business.

So how do you decide what to devote your valuable time to?

The editor of our sister title, Turf Pro, Laurence Gale, addressed this question from the point of view of groundsmen and greenkeepers recently - specifically in relation to SALTEX and BTME. He stated, "I firmly believe all of us who earn a living working in this great industry should support these shows and make the effort to attend."

His thesis was that as the manufacturers and suppliers are effectively paying for these shows via the costs of exhibiting, the turf professionals should pay that support back by at least finding the time to come along.

Is that something you would agree with from the point of view of a dealer?

I read a quote recently which, while very enthusiastically American in its delivery, certainly summed up the benefits of attending a trade shows. Camille Candella, Vice President of Marketing for Emerald Expositions said, "A trade show environment allows retailers to see product in person, establish what's trending in their marketplace and get comprehensive product information in one contained location. It is also a unique opportunity for them to build relationships with their vendors, with their peers and within one's store team. By providing a focused climate, attendees are able to take advantage of educational and networking programs where they can increase their expertise and share their experiences with one another to the benefit of their entire industry."

So what do you think? What makes you commit to spending time away from your business - and accepting the monetary costs which that will inevitably entail?

If you are somewhat on the fence about attending events, is there anything further which organisers could be doing to tempt you to come along? Are there simply too many to commit to? For years the industry has discussed the combining of the IOG and BIGGA events for example. Is that something which would appeal to you?

Should the emphasis be placed on smaller, more localised events? Is getting to national shows in Birmingham simply not worth the effort?

It would be great if you'd let us know your thoughts on attending exhibitions and events in the comments section below please. We'll look to publish a selection of your opinions in the next issue of Service Dealer.