I need some help

I need some help.
I have two videogame stores in my city and I sell games online as well, business is pretty good. I got an invitation to a "business session". Entrepreneurs will gather together to trade contacts, opportunities and etc.
Each business will have a table and I just don't know what I should bring. I thought abut some freesbies, but how the fuck am I going to give a bank president a videogame poster?

Help me out, bros. It's a chance to expand my business.

Anyone?

> I got an invitation to a "business session". Entrepreneurs will gather together to trade contacts
It doesn't sound like you're in the kind of business that would benefit from networking with other business owners, which is the point of this entire event, so you should probably just not go.

This is what I am thinking. So should I just chicken out?

Agree with user above. I'm a small business owner & have been one of these collective type deals for "local small biz".
Was mostly realtors, & not sure what else. Was a very awkward event to me as it seemed to me that the "non-profit" event organizers were getting paid so long as ppl keep showing up. I believe it cost anywhere from $100-$300 for myself & one other employee to go. We were looking for potential financing & affiliate partnerships but was more of ppl giving speeches & building up the collective... Not saying it's a scam for all but I would never waste my money or time again.

How much does it cost to attend?

You can't go wrong with the pen, frisbee, and shitty knapsack combo.

>find someone in the real estate business
>find an investor
>team up and get another store going in a another location.

stop being a puss

I keep a supply of pens and pocket planners from Myron on hand for that kind of thing.

I also have some $300 winter jackets with my company logo embroidered on them in a tastefully small display. I give these to employees, high dollar clients and prospective clients and vendors that I really want to impress.

I don't really go to trade shows and such though. I'm not sure what I'd bring if I did, my business isn't particularly special in any real way. We differentiate ourselves primarily by location. If you own a business in my county you've heard of me, otherwise there's no real reason for you to remember me.

Need more information.

What type of business license do you own? Are you leasing a franchise? Are you a sole proprietorship/partnership? An LLC or subchapter S corporation?

What are you're plans for expansion? Do your stores rent or lease? Do you have any assets?

Wait... you're not actually paying to go to this thing are you?

Cause, yeah, thats a scam.

But if you want to expand your business I can help you out.

pic related.

these both cost $2.99 each with your name on them from Myron when you order less than 100.

I usually get 50 a year of each to hand out. So a total expenditure of a little over $300.

I like them because they're solid quality and they get used. I don't care about the advertising aspect so much. I want to hand out junk that's not going to immediately go in the trash. This stuff seems to get used. People ask for it every year.

I mean, I can offer free advice. I don't have anything to sell but I studied finance.

I dont see how handing out free stationary is going to offer you an opportunity to procure finance or open up new investment opportunities.

then you are unfamiliar with sales, networking and the art of the schmooze.

I hand it out like you would a business card, except unlike your business card my crap doesn't immediately get thrown away or filed and forgotten.

It also gives the impression that you're a real business with an advertising budget and such rather than a fly-by-night operation that nobody wants to hire or invest in because you'll be gone in a year.

Oh.

I guess i missed the question and kind of jumped the gun.

I thought he meant what he should bring in terms of a portfolio or gameplan. I missed the part about swag.

Why not give them gift cards?

They can give them to their kids as Christmas presents.

If you don't have gift cards set up you can always just use a voucher. Write a number on the voucher and when they come into the store cross the number off your list. Make sure to update it once a week so that they don't use it at both stores.

>I thought he meant what he should bring in terms of a portfolio or gameplan
that would perhaps have been a more astute question on his part, though I suppose he's just there to meet people and give a brief overview of what he does, not actually do any business.

I don't know though, I never go to those sorts of events. For all I know they could be staging an orgy at noon after cocktails.

ugh. old people.