As the world’s premier automotive aftermarket trade-only event, the annual SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) offers industry buyers unparalleled value and opportunity. Of course, with so much to see, experience and accomplish in one week, buyers will want to create an effective game plan before they even hit the Show floor. To help get you started, Gattuso offered the following SEMA Show priorities for buyers.
When you’re spending busy days at the SEMA Show, sooner or later you’ll need to eat. Fortunately, there is a wide array of options. The city of Vegas offers an almost unlimited number of choices for dinner and entertainment after 5:00 p.m. Read on for a short list of restaurants representing a mix of fine and casual dining options that may simplify your planning.
As the number-one destination for attendees at the SEMA Show, the 2017 New Products Showcase will feature several enhancements to make it easier than ever for buyers and media to visit. Located along the Skybridge between Central and South Halls, the Showcase will be open to Showgoers from 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. each day of the event—one hour before the Show floor opens and one after closing—and it will include New Products Happy Hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
The Official SEMA Show Press Conference Schedule helps journalists and media attend the news events that are important to their readers. Whether it’s an OEM debut, a project-vehicle reveal or an award presentation, there is plenty happening during the week to cater to all audiences. The schedule will serve as a guideline for credentialed media, providing them with the dates, times, locations and details of all the exhibitors hosting press conferences.
While the SEMA Show builds the optimal environment for matching buyers with sellers, exhibitors may have a variety of different goals for the week, such as making new contacts, or connecting with current customers. With the 2017 SEMA Show now less than eight weeks away, it’s time to be serious about putting together a game plan for attracting the right buyers to your booth.
As we move closer to the rapidly approaching 2017 SEMA Show, the stage is set with an expansive selection of education seminars, special events and interactive experiences for Show attendees to live out firsthand. Year after year, SEMA renews its commitment to bring the most cutting-edge concepts and technologies to the automotive aftermarket, all under one roof in Las Vegas. The following is a list of the top must-see features for the 2017 SEMA Show.
The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded $160,000 to 60 individuals this year, including 53 SEMA scholarships to current students and seven loan forgiveness awards to employees of SEMA-member companies.
As product innovation propels the automotive specialty-equipment industry forward like never before, the 2017 SEMA Show promises to be the best opportunity yet for bringing buyers and sellers together. With 22 years of experience in producing automotive events, SEMA Trade Shows Director Tom Gattuso is the architect behind America’s largest annual gathering of small businesses in Las Vegas. He recently took some time to talk about what to expect and how to plan for the 2017 SEMA Show.
Often considered the mecca for the automotive specialty-equipment industry, the annual SEMA Show, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, attracts more than 160,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries. In 2016, the Show featured 2,325 exhibitors, including 383 first-timers—many of whom attended the Exhibitor Summit in June to help them prepare for the big stage.
SEMA Trade Shows Director Tom Gattuso has been involved with trade shows for decades, which puts him in a position to share information with trade show exhibitors about how to succeed. In the following interview, Gattuso outlines best practices on how to manage time, utilize marketing better and, ultimately, come away with the optimum return on your SEMA Show investment.
