How to truly prepare for LogiMAT - with Max Meister

They say preparation is everything. That's why we asked Max Meister, Co-CEO of Ludwig Meister and podcast host of supplychainhelden.de, how he prepares for LogiMAT — and we got some fascinating insights in return. From targeted research into relevant exhibitors and prioritizing key conversations to optimizing his trade fair route: Max relies on structure and efficiency. Why it pays to announce your visit in advance, which mistakes to avoid, and what tips he has for a successful trade fair experience — find out in this conversation!

Max, what does your preparation for LogiMAT look like?

My LogiMAT preparation looks like this: I sit down with my two colleagues Florian Ostendarp and Matthias Dambach and ask what the focus topics are that we want to look at. I then add my own points that are important to me.

How do you decide which booths you want to visit?

We do targeted research: which companies are relevant to us, which topics are interesting? On top of that, I usually put out a question on LinkedIn based on our priorities, asking which companies we should check out. After that, we actually go into the exhibitor directory and add a prioritization, listing all the customers or companies we want to visit. We label them Priority 1, 2, 3.

How do you plan your conversations with exhibitors?

In an additional column, we note down specific questions we want to ask, and we think in advance about which technologies or processes we should probe. We're quite specific about that.

How do you keep track of everything at the trade fair?

We create a customized tour in our trade fair map. We color-code all the important booths and optimize our route so we move through the halls as efficiently as possible. Then we have to see how we manage time-wise.
 
How has that worked for you in the past? What lessons have you taken away?

Last year was really intense — we visited 30 booths in a single day! But that only works if you know exactly what you want to see. For example: if I want to see a specific new development from a Vendor, I go straight to the booth, ask my questions, take a look at the product — and I'm already on my way to the next appointment. I think we now have enough experience to know exactly what matters. Though maybe I should take a look at even next time.