Trade Show Survival Guide
Navigate the New Season of Vegas
Machine Trade Shows Like an Old Pro
When you’re in the desert, especially the middle of the Mojave, it’s always wise to have a plan. The City of Las Vegas sits smack dab in the center of Nevada’s high plains, surrounded by the Mojave’s rust-colored moonscape, and this electric oasis is your destination in 2008. From January through March, Vegas will be the epicenter for everything equipment. America’s largest trade show facility (the Las Vegas Convention Center) will host the three most important trade fairs for compact machinery — World of Concrete (Jan. 22-25), ARA’s The Rental Show (Feb. 11-14) and AEM’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG (March 11-15). Now you just need a plan.
Book’em Dummy — We hope you’re building a time machine, because you may need to warp back six months to find good room reservations. CONEXPO will be the world’s biggest machine trade show in 2008 and 200,000 attendees from around the world booked three years ago, so good luck, McFly.
Hi-Heel Sneakers — Buy a swank pair of black or brown sneakers or expect wheelchair treatment at the airport. Walking the 2 million sq ft of exhibit space in the Vegas Convention Center (there are no trams) and wearing new shoes or (God help you) high heels will feel like you just ran an Iron Man in clogs.
Eating with Aliens — Don’t chow down on that awful, over-priced slop on the show floor. The convention center is attached to the Hilton Hotel, so just walk over to the casino and find reasonable dining like the Paradise Café or Quark’s Star Trek Bar. Eat Vulcan Sauce wings, razz Klingon waiters and rest your tired feet.
Early Bird Specials — Those in the know pre-register or show up a day before the show to get their badges. Greenhorns wade through the sea of humanity that line
up the first morning to get credentials.
Pre-register online early enough and they’ll send your dog tags in the mail.
Plot Your Course — Every machine manufacturer (from Komatsu to Caterpillar) wants you in their booth; follow the siren sales pitches of the super models working the floor and you’ll never leave the first hall. Use the show directory to map who you want to see to save time and your barking dogs.
Get Free Crap — Designate a Sherpa, that new young kid whose Vegas trip your company’s comping. Give him a garbage bag and stock up on product literature and everything free — T-shirts, pens, Nerf balls, hats, toys, whatever — and magnanimously distribute it at the office upon your return.
Taxi Cab Hell — If you stay to the end of the day, expect to battle zillions of zombiefied attendees for cabs and the public train. Your best bet is to leave early, use the Monorail on the opposite end of the Hilton or just nurse your wounds at the casino bar.
Drink with the CE Crew — We’ll have a booth at WOC and CONEXPO, so find us, ply us with booze and we’ll tell you the best booths to visit and the coolest new compact machines released for the new work season.
Keith Gribbins
Managing Editor
kgribbins@benjaminmedia.com
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