A new year brings a fresh start, along with uncharted opportunities for business owners and managers. This year, make it your New Year’s resolution to strengthen your business by discovering better ways to serve customers.

Presented by A&E, Printwear and Sign & Digital Graphics magazines, The NBM Show is bringing leading industry suppliers, innovative technologies and a comprehensive educational program to four major U.S. markets this year, offering you the chance to improve business and investigate valuable crossover opportunities. The NBM Show hits Fort Worth, Texas, May 6 to 8; Indianapolis, June 3 to 5; Long Beach, Calif., Aug. 12 to 14; and Charlotte, N.C., Nov. 4 to 6.

GETTING TO KNOW THE HOST CITIES                                                                                                                                                                                                                               The NBM Show kicks off its 2010 trade show season at the Fort Worth Convention Center. After you spend the day on the exhibit floor, enjoy a Texas-sized plate of brisket, and then take your two-stepping feet down to Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky-tonk, for a night of country dancing.

Farther north, The NBM Show is the event for buyers in the Midwestern market. After a busy day at the Indianapolis Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium, relax with an evening baseball game at the Indianapolis Indian’s Victory Field, voted “Best Minor League Ballpark” by Baseball America and Sports Illustrated.

And just in time for those hot summer months, The NBM Show travels to Long Beach for the ninth consecutive year. The Long Beach event traditionally welcomes an especially large roster of exhibitors to the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Bordering the Pacific Ocean, celebrate a successful day on the trade show floor with an evening stroll on the illuminated Pike at Rainbow Harbor, a 369,000-square-foot entertainment center, featuring a Ferris wheel, venues and plenty of restaurants.

The NBM Show wraps up its 2010 trade show season in Charlotte, a quintessential Southern town, full of charm with a cosmopolitan appeal, at the Charlotte Convention Center. Surrounded by restaurants, The Charlotte Convention Center is walking distance to many eateries, ranging from home-cooking comfort food to trendy culinary masterpieces.

THREE-FOR-ONE DEAL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              As an attendee, every NBM Show provides you the chance to check out the most pioneering products from three crossover markets to really boost your business. By offering additional services, you can support a wider range of options for your clients.

Laurie Thiel, director of event sales for NBM, says having several related markets in the same exhibit hall presents a unique opportunity for attendees.

“When attendees are away from their shops, we realize it’s important they spend that time investing in their businesses,” Thiel states. “With three markets in one place, this is a chance to develop businesses in the future, and it’s an unmatched opportunity that isn’t available at any other trade show.”

Thiel adds that entrepreneurs are “looking for an onramp to new revenue streams,” and with many affordable crossover products, there is an option for most shops to expand their operations.

Heat-transfer equipment ranges from $800 to $3,000, while direct-to-digital garment printers start at $10,000, Printwear magazine’s editor Emily Andre says. Dave Pomeroy, publisher of A&E magazine, also notes that sublimation systems can run less than $5,000, and Ken Mergentime, executive editor of Sign & Digital Graphics magazine, says a 42-inch aqueous printer costs less than $3,000.

As usual, The NBM Show is presenting an extensive education conference in each city, covering the most useful shop tips as well as powerful business development skills.

Fort Worth attendee Kerri Cardwell, owner of K & K Kustom Designs, made a point to participate in the 2009 education conference and especially found instructor Jay Busselle’s “Intro to CorelDRAW” class informative. After completing the seminar, Cardwell says she can more efficiently work in CorelDRAW by following Busselle’s tips and tricks.

“I recommend attending the education conference because it focuses on all different aspects, and you can choose the classes and training that are appropriate for your line of business,” Cardwell says.

IN PRINT, INTERACTIVE, IN PERSON                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  With A&E, Printwear and Sign & Digital Graphics magazines and their interactive Web sites, print readers and online visitors are armed with helpful how-to tips and step-by-step guides, which are indispensable to any industry professional. But attending The NBM Show provides a different outlook. You have the firsthand chance to see new products and techniques live, meet local suppliers and network with colleagues.

Frog Prints owner Victor Ackley, a 2009 Indianapolis attendee, finds meeting the distributors particularly valuable.

“I like that there’s all the different distributors on the floor, and you can see the latest and greatest products at once. It lets me see what’s on the forefront of the industry and gives me new ideas for my business,” Ackley says.

With a new year ahead, be sure you are taking the necessary steps to enhance business opportunities. Perhaps you’re looking for that cutting-edge piece of equipment, or maybe it’s time to venture into new markets. The NBM Show—whatever your needs may be—is an investment that will put you in touch with all the products and know-how your business needs to thrive.