You are at the Americas Food & Beverage Show in Miami. You have invested heavily in your booth, your samples are neatly displayed, your team is ready. And yet, it remains quiet. Few conversations, few serious leads, and by the end of the day, you wonder what went wrong.
In practice, it usually isn’t about your product. It’s about your approach. Here are three mistakes we often see with Dutch exporters at American trade shows, along with what you can do right away to avoid them.
1) No Plans in Advance
Many companies fly to the U.S. with the idea: “We’re at the trade show, so buyers will come to us.” You end up waiting at your table while the right resellers and distributors pass by on their way to those who already have a full schedule.
- What Works Better: Schedule 10 to 15 meetings in advance with your target audience. Make it as easy as possible for them to book a time slot, and communicate this clearly in your outreach and at your booth.
- Practical Tip: Use a short, clear invitation and a booking link. This eliminates barriers and prevents endless back-and-forth emailing.
2) No “floating pitch”
In Europe, we often start with: who we are, what we do, where we are from. In the US, that approach is less effective. American buyers want to first understand the problem you are solving, and why it is relevant to them.
- What works better: turn your pitch around.
- What problem do you have (as a reseller, distributor, buyer)?
- This is our solution to that.
- This is who we are.
This order may feel unnatural if you’re not used to it, but the impact is significant. You connect faster with what they find important, and your conversation becomes concrete immediately.
- Practical tip: practice a 20-second version that you can use anywhere, even while walking in the hall or at the coffee station. That’s your “floating pitch.”
In the Netherlands, making three calls feels like persistence. In the US, that often isn’t even considered a serious follow-up. The one who wins at trade shows and in sales is the one who consistently follows up, acts quickly, and makes it easy to take the next step.
3) No follow-up
After the trade show, you return home, your inbox fills up, and before you know it, it’s been two weeks. Then the energy is gone, and your leads are already in discussions with other parties.
- What works better: every lead receives a message within 48 hours. Brief, personal, with one clear next step. This way, you maintain momentum and increase the chances that a trade show conversation turns into an actual deal.
- Even better: have someone who understands the American sales game handle your follow-up. Timing, tone, and follow-up truly make the difference here.
Americas Food & Beverage Show:
Promising, but only if you approach it wisely
Americas Food & Beverage is one of the best places for Dutch food and beverage companies to find American resellers and distributors. However, it’s not a “just drop by” event. Success here requires preparation, a sharp pitch, and diligent follow-up.
Together with Export Partner, Van Holland Group USA assists you with complete preparation, pitching, and follow-up. This includes booking meetings, sending samples, and even practical matters like accommodations.
After a trade show conversation, energy quickly drops. If you follow up within 48 hours and then keep calling, emailing, and scheduling, you will stay top-of-mind while others fall silent. Less thinking, more rhythm, more appointments.
Ready for Miami?
Do you want to know what your company needs to get the most out of the stock market? Then it’s wise not to wait until the stock market opens but to ensure that your appointments, pitch, and follow-ups are all set now. In a short Teams call, we will map out together what you need to speak to the right resellers and distributors and turn conversations into real deals.We are happy to assist you with personalized advice.
- Schedule a TEAMS video call at your convenience
- Contact us by phone (786) 233 6384
- Or email: info@vanhollandgroup.com
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
& Answers about trade fairs in America
1) Why is our trade show participation generating too few leads, despite having a good booth and product?
Typically, it’s not about your product, but rather your approach. Without prior appointments, a concise pitch, and prompt follow-up, you’ll miss conversations with the right resellers and distributors.
2) How many appointments should I ideally schedule in advance for the Americas Food and Beverage Show in Miami?
Aim for 10 to 15 meetings with your target audience. This way, you won’t fall into the “we’ll see who shows up” mode, but rather enter the event with a full agenda and clear goals.
3) What do we mean by “floating pitching” and why does it work better in the US?
Floating pitching is not one fixed pitch that you deliver repeatedly. It’s about making a quick connection, approaching relationally, listening carefully to the buyer’s problem, and only then offering your solution. From there, you can deepen the conversation and collaboratively outline the path from problem to solution, rather than starting with a standard pitch about your product or service.
4) What is the best follow-up after a trade show conversation in the US?
Within 48 hours, send a brief, personal message with one clear next step, such as a call or sample follow-up. Then, follow up consistently, as in the US, “calling a few times” is rarely enough to maintain momentum.
5) Why is the Americas Food and Beverage Show interesting for Dutch food and beverage companies?
It is a great place to meet American resellers and distributors, but it’s not a “just drop by” event. You achieve results through preparation, a sharp pitch, and diligent follow-up, not just by being present.
How can Van Holland Group (together with Export Partner) assist us specifically regarding the trade fair?
With the complete preparation and execution, such as booking meetings, refining your pitch, planning your follow-up, sending samples, and practical matters like accommodation.
Schedule a free call.
