BLE tips & tricks with… The Zeros’ Ty Cochrane

Ty, it’s great to connect. When did you first attend BLE?
2021 was my first experience of BLE. It was a funny one to start with as we were fresh out of the pandemic and most meetings were held while wearing masks… It made it quite difficult to fully connect with people when you can’t see their facial expressions and must maintain safe distance.

Yes, a strange first show! With that in mind, what’s been your best BLE memory?
My best memories of BLE to date are the moments when we have been able to catch up with existing clients. When you spend so long talking and forming relationships over email and video calls, it is great to meet up face-to-face and discuss past projects and new opportunities, strengthening your partnerships.

Absolutely. Now, what makes for a good BLE meeting?
For me, a good meeting is when you have set objectives from the outset, identifying a client’s needs and finding space where you can provide value. This way, you can begin collaboration straight away, discussing specific offerings and providing a clear direction that you can go away, refine and pick up post-show.

Speaking of objectives, what’s your key aim for this year’s BLE?
This year we are looking forward to connecting with some of our current clients, as well as making new connections and finding opportunities for collaboration – showcasing some of our new offerings as a studio and most recent works.

Before we let you go, can you give us a BLE tip or recommendation? Could be a restaurant, pub, venue or show advice…
Regarding the show, my tip would be to allow some space between meetings so that you can re-group and digest the meeting you just had, make notes, set actions and effectively prep for the next. Allow yourself to refresh your memory on the brand and objectives.

Aside from the show itself, I would recommend staying somewhere local for the duration of the show to allow yourself ample time to prep for your day ahead and set your objectives for each meeting without the rush of a commute. With Shoreditch being a short cab ride or train away, Bike Shed is a great place for a bite to eat of an evening, as well as The Fox, located on the edge of the Excel Centre. It’s a great place to connect with people you’ve met during the show and make new connections over a couple of drinks.

Thanks for that Ty. Much appreciated.

If you still haven’t registered for BLE this year, click here to do so!

BLE 2023 runs at ExCeL London from October 4th to 6th 2023.