The 2018 PGA Merchandise Show - Do This - Don’t Do That!

The PGA Merchandise Show is a week or so away and everyone in the golf business is frantically printing, packing boxes and making meetings for golf’s annual trade show. It is the best time in our world to meet old friends, make new ones and take a look into the crazy world of golf merchandise and see what’s new! That’s all everyone wants – new, new, new!

This year will be a very special show. My 13 year old daughter, Lily, will be with me as we show our custom golf candle business, MacDuff Candles. We will be on Booth 4645 courtesy of our friends and U.S. distributor, Signs by the Sea. We started the business last year and are in many great clubs and resorts with our candles featuring club logos, clubhouses and golf course pictures. The candles are a great member guest gift too! Ok, the ad endeth!

So, as you prepare for the show here is my annual round up of Do and Don'ts for the Orlando extravaganza!

• Wear comfortable shoes...this is no time to break in fancy new loafers
• Don't sell on other people's booths. They have spent thousands on the space and months preparing for the show - it is just not cool. 
• Keep hydrated. There are water fountains around the hall and it may well be the only free thing in the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)!
• Don't dress like you are a PGA Tour player – if you were you would be at Riviera.
• Eat a good breakfast at your hotel because the food in the OCCC is like a hot dog in a movie theater...overcooked and overpriced. Chick-fil-A was there last year – let’s pray they made the cut for 2018
• Be very specific about where to meet your appointment. Pick a booth, preferably a small one, so you can't miss the person you are meeting.
• Be prepared to stand and talk. There is nowhere to sit down in the OCCC - Note to the organizers, people are here to meet, so you may want to invest in some chairs.
• It's a long way from the 1000 aisle to the 6000 aisle so don't make three appointments in 60 minutes in three locations. It's like trying to drive from uptown to downtown in Manhattan at 4 p.m.
• Be patient. Everyone is busy and often running a few minutes behind. Whether you are buying or selling they will come.
• Take some time to wander the floor. It’s fun to see many of the 2018 ranges of products ahead of the market. 

See you at the Show!

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