The 2024 Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo calendar officially kicked off in Melbourne last weekend, drawing a solid crowd after weeks of inclement weather in the Victorian capital. Expo visitors covered the full gamut – from prospective buyers seeking initial advice while shopping for new pools and spas, through to experienced owners looking for the latest in after-sales care, equipment upgrades and sustainable products and services. Exhibitors were rushed off their feet and thrilled with the quality of the leads generated:
Aaron Sampson, Hot Spring Spas “Dr. Sophie Heywood's insights at Hot Spring Experience Centre elevated our brand, attracting highly qualified leads and boosting high-end sales.”
Rob Kruber, Summertime Pools & Halo Spas “We recently exhibited at the Melbourne Pool & Spa Expo with stands for Summertime Pools and Halo Spas, utilising the event as a platform to launch our new portable spa range. Our teams found the quality of consumers coming through the door to be of a high quality with the vast majority ready to make a decision regarding putting a pool or spa in their backyard. Exhibiting at these events not only assists to promote our brands but also ensures that our category as a whole remains relevant and front of mind in a market place where we are forever competing for consumers leisure dollars over boats, caravans and travel etc.”
Pool & Spa Lifestyle Brand Manager, Daena Bougoure-Latchford said one of the show’s strengths is identifying current consumer trends and concerns by putting potential buyers directly in front of industry members.
That direct contact isn’t limited to consumers, with many exhibitors enjoying the networking opportunities an industry-focused event provides.
Blue Croc Pools "Leads have been fantastic, really successful day" "we get customer feedback, get to know what customers are looking for" "the main thing for us is every year being more and more to the table and refine it down to what the customer wants" "One of the best things for us is the networking, we've met so many cool people. Its consumer but its also b2b"
Anna Kraulis, Region Manager – East Coast SPASA, says many exhibitors reaped the benefit of multi-year participation at the expo, with on-site purchases and deals tracked back to initial enquiries from previous years.
Compass Pools Melbourne "All these shows you're talking to people who are across the broad spectrum of where they're at so even though you have some shows and people are just ideas its not unusual to see them 2 or three or four years later saying 'Remember i met you at the show!'" "They're fabulous who want pools right away but even better for people who want them down the track"
After a successful opening weekend, the Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo is heading to Western Australia. The Perth event being held at Claremont Showground Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 February. For more information click here.