The events industry is thriving in the United States.
And for good reason: events work wonders for businesses in any field.
For instance, B2B events in 2017 enjoyed a whopping 1.5 billion attendees around the world and led to $1.07 trillion in direct spending.
Clearly, events of all different kinds are popular all over the globe, drawing extensive numbers of people through their doors! Why? Because they generate immense value to everyone involved: organizers and guests alike.
These days, every industry under the sun capitalizes on this appeal and holds conferences and trade shows of their own.
Catersource is the premier event of the catering industry.
Professionals and hobbyists in catering and events flock to it every year to network, learn and get inspired. The benefits don’t stop there though; there are far more incentives for attending Catersource.
Are you thinking about heading along for the first time? We highly recommend it.
Keep reading to discover the top reasons to go to Catersource.
What Is Catersource?
Let’s start with a closer look at what this event is set up to achieve.
As we’ve already noted, Catersource is a leading conference and tradeshow for the catering and events industry. It’s been running for 28 years now and draws professionals from all levels of this field to its tradeshow floors.
Event planners, caterers, suppliers, and chefs all converge in one place (it’ll be held in Las Vegas next year) from around the United States. It’s an opportunity for novices and experts alike to meet, mingle, and learn.
There are over 135 sessions and workshops available to attend. These cover every area of interest imaginable and are led by leading individuals in the field. It’s an education, a marketplace and a networking opportunity rolled into one.
Top Reasons to Attend Catersource
With a better idea of what Catersource is, let’s turn to the key incentives to attend.
1. Networking
Live events (like these ones) always offer a fantastic opportunity to meet new and inspiring people in the same field.
Catersource is no exception!
In fact, the entire conference is one immense chance to get networking. Thousands of people converge around the same passion and interests.
Everyone and anyone who attends could be a source of new ideas and inspiration. You can forge new connections, partnerships and even friendships in the process.
As everyone already knows, success often isn’t down to what you know, but who you know. Catersource is an incredible chance to get your name out there and shaking hands with leading names in the field.
This can have significant positive outcomes down the line. After all, it only takes one chance encounter to change the course of your entire life.
Interacting with fellow catering enthusiasts can work wonders for your business.
Here are some additional benefits of networking to know about.
2. Spy on the Competition
Shows and conferences like this are also a means of meeting your competitors!
Understanding your competition in the marketplace is always key to getting ahead. Of course, there doesn’t have to be anything sinister or unethical in this practice. It’s purely about learning the approaches and tactics of others.
It’s about understanding what others are doing and responding accordingly. It might become clear that you’re leagues ahead in terms of operations. Likewise, you may realize there’s room for improvement.
See how you match up and understand how you can improve. What are they doing that you’re not? What are you doing that they’re not? How can you become more efficient, cut costs, and deliver a better service?
Competitor analysis will forever be a helpful way of getting better at business.
Attending Catersource enables you to see how your top competition does things. You can meet them in person, introduce yourself, and even ask for their advice!
3. Education
Catersource is education heavy.
Professionals don’t just attend to connect with others. No, they want to leave the event with a swathe of newfound knowledge. Sure, networking has an educative element in itself. After all, you can meet people, ask questions, and see how they do things.
However, learning opportunities don’t stop there. There are endless workshops, seminars, and demos to get involved in. From the conference program itself (that offers over 135 sessions), all the way to the tradeshow floor, you can learn new things at every turn.
Even better, you learn from the best in the business.
The benefit of such a well-respected and high-budget event is that it’s easier to attract experts. Obviously, getting a demo or hearing a talk from a leading industry figure holds significant weight.
When you’re already at the top of your game, you need someone even better to teach you something. Catersource has you covered.
4. New Ideas
It’s easy to get into a rut with your business.
Getting outside of the normal routine can be difficult. That’s especially true when you’ve been in business for some time.
Unfortunately, there’s no time to rest on your laurels.
Almost every field exists in a state of constant flux. New trends, approaches, and technologies develop at a frightening rate. To remain relevant, any business has to keep up. Don’t, and you’ll quickly fall behind.
The same goes in any business, including catering and events.
But staying fresh and in demand is no easy feat. For one thing, you need to know how times are changing. For another, you need to understand how to rise to the challenge.
Attending events like Catersource can come in helpful in both ways.
Rather than looking inwards for inspiration, you turn outwards to discover exactly what’s up!
It’s difficult not to be inspired when you’re surrounded by so many exciting and passionate professionals. You’re learning new things every hour; seeing new approaches; interacting with fellow catering and events experts.
Walk away from Catersource with thousands of new and inspiring ideas for how to improve your business.
5. Stay at the Cutting Edge
Would you rather be average or industry-leading?
Don’t worry, we already know the answer!
Obviously, everyone wants to be at the top of their profession. Being an average catering or events business isn’t why you got started.
You want to be at the top of your game, revolutionizing how things are done and making a positive name in the industry, right? Of course. Everyone does.
Attending events helps you do it. As we’ve seen, you’re learning from the best, seeing the latest trends, and networking with other professionals. This gives you a much-needed edge in a competitive field.
Think of elite athletes. The difference between winning and losing comes down to fractions of a second. Every little detail comes into play. The slightest alteration in performance can be key to being first or second place.
The same approach often applies in business. It’s important to do everything you can, however small, to stay at the top. Attending Catersource is an example of a step that can provide a considerable advantage.
6. Discover (or Re-Discover) your Passion
Over time, passion can begin to wane.
It’s like motivation- it isn’t always present. When it’s there, life is great. You’re buzzing and eager to go; energized and full of hope and enthusiasm. When it’s absent, all you want to do is stay in bed all day eating ice-cream.
There’s something contagious about both motivation and passion.
They have a habit of rubbing off on you. Being around other passionate people automatically restores your own levels. How could it not?!
Catersource has thousands of people in one place, all for the same reason. They’re there because they love the catering and events industry. Spending time around a large crowd of enthusiastic individuals is a sure-fire way to regain your waning passion.
Even the air has an energy to it. There’s a buzz and a rush that serves to remind you why you first got into this field.
Attending an event can be a ticket to greater success. You might meet a new supplier who radically reduces your overheads. You could forge a new business relationship that spikes your revenue. Maybe you’ll realize a key error that’s stunted your growth; perhaps you’ll have an idea that skyrockets your success overnight.
A lack of passion can stem from all manner of situations. Catersource may be the perfect method of turning the situation around!
7. Master New Culinary Techniques
The Art of Catering Food is a Catersource special boutique event.
It’s been set up specifically to help catering chefs get ahead. It’s immersive, and all about highlighting new techniques, ingredients, and general culinary advancement.
Attendees will be able to meet and cook with all-stars from the profession. It’s a unique networking-come-professional-development workshop.
Cooking for catering events is no easy task. This workshop is designed to enable chefs to take their craft to the next level.
Even better, there are masses of delectable tasters to go with it. Listen to expert speakers, learn new skills, master amazing recipes, and share in the fruits of the labor of world-class chefs on show!
8. Meet New Suppliers
Another benefit of attending Catersource is the ability to meet new suppliers.
With over 300 suppliers in attendance, the event is absolutely full of them!
That’s good news, regardless of your particular area in the catering and events industry. Suppliers can make or break a business. Finding the right one for your business needs is of vital importance.
Catersource will have suppliers to cover anything you require. You’ll be able to source your products and services with ease. Everything from specialty foods to transportation is catered for (if you’ll pardon the pun).
9. Gain Greater Exposure
Catersource isn’t set up exclusively for leading individuals in the field.
People at any level can benefit from coming along.
In fact, total newbies would arguably experience the greatest advantages.
Indeed, a primary challenge for anyone at the beginning of their business journey is getting their name out there. Attending a conference full of other professionals is a brilliant opportunity for doing rectifying the issue.
Other forms of marketing simply pale in comparison to live events. Email marketing, social media marketing, and influencer marketing all have an important role to play.
Unfortunately, the costs of time and money can often make the return negligible.
The return on investment from attending an event is second to none. Indeed, recall the statistics in the introduction. These successfully highlight the impact that events can have on direct spending!
Of course, everyone (regardless of the stage of their business) stands to gain from getting their name out there. The brand exposure from interacting with fellow caterers and event planners is always positive.
10. Have Fun
Last but not least is one of the primary benefits of attending Catersource:
You’ll have fun at every turn!
This is an event designed to be as engaging as it is educational. Everything from the showroom floor to the conferences and workshops is insightful and interactive. Meeting passionate people, getting to grips with novel ideas, and upskilling at every turn makes for a quality experience for all.
Remember, thousands of people attend this live event every year. The energy and atmosphere this creates only adds to the overall sense of excitement.
Events that fail to deliver don’t run for almost three decades. People only return to conferences and tradeshows that offer a valuable and enjoyable all-round experience.
Time to Wrap Up
There you have it: the 10 primary benefits of attending Catersource.
Live events are held around the world in every conceivable field. The value they can provide makes them immensely popular; people and professionals flock through the doors.
Catersource is the premium event of the catering and events industry. Chefs, event planners, and caterers show up for four days of learning, networking, and general fun.
As we’ve seen, anyone who attends stands to gain in all manner of ways.
Have you been thinking about heading along? Hopefully, this post has highlighted the primary incentives for giving it a shot.
Interested in attending another events-related trade show? We’ve got you covered. Contact us today to learn more about the 7th Annual Event Planner Expo.