There may not be a more expensive phrase in the Channel than “I had a great event.” Whether it’s a trade show such as CVxEXPO, a TSD summit, a supplier gathering, or a holiday party, “great” should mean more than a new lanyard, a stack of business cards, and photographic proof that you found the shrimp station. And for the suppliers and service providers paying for the booths, sponsorships, and receptions, “great” must mean a real return, not just a busy booth. Welcome to Q4 in the Channel, when calendars fill up, suitcases stay half-packed, and TSD summits, CVxEXPO, supplier events, and holiday parties all arrive at once. By January, some people will have qualified opportunities, stronger relationships, and a running start in 2027. Others will have a bag full of swag, a phone full of half-entered contacts, and a few cocktail napkins with handwritten reminders. The difference isn’t the event; it’s execution. I’ve always believed Q4 is one of the strongest selling seasons in the Channel. Advisors are looking for new solutions and new ways to create revenue. TSDs are planning how to support and grow their advisor communities. Suppliers and service providers want stronger partnerships. Customers are thinking about budgets and what needs to change. Opportunity is everywhere. But opportunity and pipeline are two very different things. Take CVxEXPO. It brings Technology Advisors, TSDs, MSPs, VARs, suppliers, service providers, and Channel executives together in one place. You can accomplish an enormous amount in a few days. Or you can spend those same few days walking around saying hello to people you already know. Both can be enjoyable. Only one is an intentional business strategy. The people who get the most from these events start working them before their flights ever leave the ground. Review who will be there. Decide who you need to meet. Schedule the important meetings before you arrive. Know what you want to accomplish. Some attendees arrive with a flexible plan and a fully charged phone. The best-prepared attendee arrives with a target list. And let’s retire one of the Channel’s favorite phrases: “We’ll catch up at the show.” That’s the conference version of “Let’s do lunch.” Everybody says it. Few people put it on the calendar. If somebody matters to your business, schedule the meeting. Your pipeline will thank you, and so will your holiday sanity. Q4 already brings year-end targets, travel delays, family commitments, and holiday parties that somehow all land on the same Thursday night. When your key meetings are booked and sitting on one calendar, you stop chasing the event and start working it. You spend less time checking three calendars in the hallway and less time reconstructing a great conversation from a cocktail napkin two weeks later. Book meetings around flights and family plans, not on top of them. The plan won’t eliminate the holiday rush, but it keeps the rush from running the plan. That still leaves plenty of time for fun, and you should have some. Some of the best conversations in this business happen over dinner and at receptions. Just remember the old saying: “there is no such thing DON’T JUST ATTEND. EXECUTE. Turning trade shows, TSD summits, and holiday networking into 2027 revenue By Glen E. Nelson 38 CHANNELVISION | FALL 2026
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