# Ep. 31 - Going to Events

- Show: [Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast)
- Published: 2024-10-24
- Length: 1h 07m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events
- Listen: https://www.opulo.io

## Summary

Stephen Oz and Lucian Chaper of Opulo discuss the strategic value of attending trade shows for their LumenPnP pick-and-place machine, emphasizing that events are crucial for gathering customer data and shaping product direction rather than just direct sales. They recount how attending Electronica revealed that tier-one automotive companies viewed the LumenPnP as a prototyping tool for batches of 500 boards, a use case they had not initially considered, which significantly altered their marketing and product positioning. The hosts also share practical advice on booth management, including the importance of interactive demos, having backup plans for hardware failures, and refining the team's pitch to accurately represent the product's capabilities and limitations.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=0) Introduction: The Value of Events for Opulo
- [2:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=135) Measuring ROI and Long-Term Investment at Events
- [4:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=258) Media Coverage, Legitimacy, and Networking
- [12:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=759) Choosing the Right Events: Maker Fairs vs. Electronica
- [19:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=1146) The Electronica Revelation: Prototyping vs. Manufacturing
- [24:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=1476) Booth Strategy: Table vs. Walk the Floor
- [29:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=1744) Demo Best Practices and Risk Management
- [39:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=2387) Booth Design: Handouts, Takeaways, and Signage
- [41:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=2490) Refining the Pitch and Handling Questions
- [53:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=3204) Customer Discovery and Product Feedback
- [59:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-10-24-ep-31-going-to-events#t=3587) Team Selection and Event Etiquette

## Topics

- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Opulo (company)
- LumenPnP (product)
- Electronica (other)
- Deep Local (company)
- Netflix (company)
- CES (other)
- Maker Fair (other)
- CNC Labs (company)
- OpenSauce (other)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Recon Tools (company)
- Google (company)
- Android (other)
- Zeitgeist (other)
- Key Canvas (product)
- Positron (product)
- LDO (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [096: How To Launch a Consumer Product at Trade Shows](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-10-06-096-how-to-launch-a-consumer-product-at-trade-shows) (Product Startup)
- [148: Grow Your Hardware Product Sales Via Trade Shows](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-11-02-148-grow-your-hardware-product-sales-via-trade-shows) (Product Startup)
- [Trade Show or Conference?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-07-11-trade-show-or-conference) (The Amp Hour)
- [Your Guide to Trade Show Booth Success w/ Jon Franko & Matthew Sciannella](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-11-02-your-guide-to-trade-show-booth-success-w-jon-franko-matthew-sciannella) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [BONUS: 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Trade Show](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-09-14-bonus-5-tips-for-getting-the-most-out-of-a-trade-show) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

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