IF YOU'VE NEVER thought about attending a health care conference as an exhibitor, think again. Exhibiting at shows and other events can present a good chance to drum up business, according to Gil Karp, area manager at Shield Healthcare in Sacramento, Calif.

"I thought that attending conferences would be a great opportunity for us to gain exposure to caregivers and family members, those people who on a day-to-day basis lend their support and care toward patients," says Karp. "It was also an opportunity for them to find out that a company like Shield Healthcare is here to benefit them and help them provide products that will help their patients have better and fuller lives."

And that's exactly what happened. Last fall, the disposable medical supply company exhibited at the 13th Annual Supported Life Conference in Sacramento. The conference was organized by the Supported Life Institute, a nonprofit organization that serves as an advocate for the disabled. The two-day forum attracted more than 1,100 people, 60 percent of whom were professionals in the disabilities field.

Besides the exhibitor's fee, the company incurred no other significant costs, especially since it already had displays from prior conferences that it could put up in its booth. Shield displayed various products from its incontinent and enteral nutrition lines, as well as general information about available supplies and how to order them. Keeping personnel costs to a minimum, only Karp and one other employee staffed the booth.

Shield has received only a few phone calls as a result of its participating in this conference, but Karp takes a long-term view regarding the effect attending such conferences will have on business.

"I don't think you see any immediate effect because caregivers need to take this information and digest it to a certain degree," says Karp. "It's kind of a trickle-down effect, and I don't think that it's something that you can actually quantify right away. You have to have patience and understand that the more your name is in front, the more people are going to pass your name on to other caregivers."

Beyond the benefits to the business itself, Karp also sees a greater good that can be served from participating in health care shows. "Any time you can bring your products and your information to a public forum such as this, it can only benefit the people who are attending," says Karp. "There's so much need for understanding what's available." HC

Has good thinking in promotions paid off for your business? HomeCare magazine would like to hear about it.

Contact Richard Park by phone at 800/543-4116, ext. 292; fax: 310/317-0264; or e-mail: richard_park@intertec.com