Video: Gloria’s benefits from The Convenience U CARWACS Show

Whenever Karri-Dee Marcoux plans to make any upgrades or changes to her Gloria’s Restaurant & Convenience site in Sudbury, ON, she heads south to Toronto’s Convenience U CARWACS Show, where she knows she’ll find the inspiration and answers she needs to make the right decision.

Marcoux, the store’s general manager, says she’s been attending the two-day convenience, gas and car wash conference and trade show for so long, she can’t remember if she was at its debut 11 years ago. But she keeps coming back year after year because she always receives valuable advice.

Here are Karri-Dee’s top tips to make the most of your show experience:

Make a plan. Map out which educational sessions target your questions or potential in-store ideas, and sign your colleagues up for different sessions so you can swap info later.

Ask for help. Your retailer and operator peers are going through the same things you are, so find out what works for them, and consider whether it will help your site.

Think outside the box. Look for innovative and/or different products on the trade show floor that will give your store a unique edge.

Follow the trends. Listen to what’s going on in the industry so you can keep your site current.