By Elizabeth Fenlon
Merchandising Specialist
The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas is the trade show of trade shows. Literally. It is the biggest trade show in the promotional products industry, spanning two full floors at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. With close to 3,250 booths and 11,500 industry attendees, you can imagine that this might be a tad overwhelming if you were a tradeshow newbie, like myself.
As a Merchandising Specialist for Pinnacle Promotions, it is my job to stay on top of industry trends and be ahead of the curve as new products launch into the market. Attending the PPAI Expo is a must. So, I packed my comfortable shoes and headed to Las Vegas for 4 days of nothing but talking about promo products.
Our team met at the airport at 6AM the day of the trip. I’d been packed for days, terrified of being late or of being the one to hold us up with my lack of business travel experience. Luckily, I’d recently gotten a Zoom DayTripper 15″ Computer Backpack and it turned out to be my most prized possession on the trip. Seriously, this bag has it all.
My backpack has a dedicated computer pocket, which made getting my chunky, old, Toshiba laptop through security a breeze. It also has a separate pocket to store an iPad. Want more pockets? This bag has them. There are two zippered pockets that are perfect for sunglasses, and two side pockets that also have zippers. Best of all, the back panel of the bag is designed to slip over the handles of my rollerbag.
Upon arriving we were able to check in, get a feel of the layout, view the exhibitor list and map and come up with a game plan to tackle all those booths over the next few days. If you’ve never been to a trade show, especially one of this magnitude, there are a few essentials you HAVE to have on you at all times:
• Comfortable Shoes – 8-10 hour days of walking and standing
• Refillable Water Bottle– Las Vegas is a dry climate. It is important to stay hydrated. They’ll price gouge you for bottled water at the show. So, being able to refill from the water fountain is a must.
• Pen/Notebook – Because you will NEVER remember everything.
• Camera Phone – There is no way you will get 2 floors and 3,250 booths of samples on the plane. Take pictures.
• Business Cards/ Business Card Holder – Again, you will never remember everyone’s name.
• Snacks – ok, maybe this is just me? Avoid getting cranky when it’s 5 o’clock and you realize you still haven’t eaten lunch.
Everything on my tradeshow essential list had a perfect spot in my bag, allowing me to be hands free and focus on the real reason I was there, to scout out the newest and most effective products to help your brand Make the right impression™.