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Angling International owner Rob Carter writes: You should have been there. No matter where you are based in the world, you should have been at Angling International LIVE in Budapest last month.
Not only because the European industry needs a place to meet each year and without it, runs the risk of shrinking. Although that would have been a powerful enough motivation for being at our show. Sometimes we all need to be mindful of the bigger picture.
And not only because meeting with your friends and customers in the trade is undoubtedly good for the soul. A trade show lifts spirits in challenging times and I, for one, certainly felt enough positive energy at the HUNGEXPO to sustain me for the months of hard work that lie ahead. Honestly, it was good fun.
But no, the real reason you should have been there is that Angling International LIVE would have been good for your business. Actually, let me correct that. Angling International LIVE would have set up your business for noticeable growth in 2025.
Attendance figures will tell you that it was a small show, but the reaction from our exhibitors will tell you that it was perfectly attuned to their needs. Visitors were serious about finding new suppliers, having serious meetings and securing new partnerships.
Don‘t take my word for it either.
If you know of customers or suppliers who were there, talk to them. If you don’t have someone to call, read on.
Take the example of the UK manufacturer who pulled me aside at lunch time on day one. He wanted to tell me he had already secured enough new leads inside the first two hours to make the show worthwhile.
Then there is the story of the Italian supplier that said it had not signed a new order on a show floor for 20 years, but did so at Angling International LIVE (alongside other promising leads).
Or maybe you feel more affinity with the emerging lure brand whose owner said to me: ‘You lied. You told me I would pick up two or three new leads, but instead I have nearly twenty!’
There are more examples, including an American brand that already sees its partnership with Angling International as its most valuable investment because it is helping it sweep across Europe. Another American reported to me that he received calls from three other US-based suppliers that want to follow him over next year in order to break into Europe.
These and many other stories point to an underlying truth. If you needed to secure new business and you didn’t travel to Budapest, you missed out.
So what next? Well, we do it all again. But this time we make it bigger and better.
Almost half of our 2024 exhibitors are already committed to Angling International LIVE 2025, convinced that it will be an investment well made.
But just imagine the value we will generate for our supporting businesses if we double the number of exhibitors and increase visitors by three times as much. If Angling International LIVE becomes the best, biggest and only place for the trade to meet in Europe?
Imagine if you are amongst those additional businesses that see the undoubted logic in being on the show floor and you join us, thereby generating more energy, pulling in more visitors and making new business partnerships to bring you much needed new revenue.
And it is a logical step to make. Why? Because Angling International LIVE is the only trade show where the exhibitors receive the extra promotional support they need to generate those game-changing meetings on the show floor.
If you missed out on exhibiting, you also missed out on free space in the pages of this magazine, on our website and on our social media feeds.
And you are also going to miss out on promotions after the show too. Just check out this latest issue where you will see follow-up stories of those exhibitors that joined us in Budapest.
In a world where content matters, and repeated exposure gives your business an edge, these are your competitors taking advantage and making themselves the strongest future options for your customers.
Only a combination of Angling International LIVE and Angling International can give tackle brands such an edge over so many months – and ultimately generate enough energy within the European tackle market to drive the industry forward.
We think we are by far your best partner in Europe, while also reaching global customers (60+ nations were represented at the show). If you missed out, don’t worry, we are ready to go again. Just make contact, sign up and let’s start generating business leads for all.
