Things to Consider Before Attending a Convention in Las Vegas

Attending an event in Las Vegas, NV? There are important things you need to consider before you make the trip. Below are some tips to get ready for a convention and to increase your chances of making your visit a success.

Determine Your Goals

The first thing you should do is determine your goals and write them down. Take note of them so you’re aware of your intended outcomes before you get to Las Vegas. Take this time to think about why you’re attending the convention, what you want to achieve, and who you’d like to meet.

Write down a list of short-term goals you’d like to accomplish at the convention. Don’t forget to include a list of who you’d like to connect with. If you have a copy of the attendee list, you can specify which individuals you’d like to meet. Even if you don’t have a list, you can write down a list of the kind of people you’d like to meet.

Some of these people can include local media, potential clients, and podcasters. Determine why you want to achieve these goals. This can help you come up with clear objectives. As the saying goes, without clearly defined goals, you can’t measure or track them.

Research the Event

If you know the names of the speakers and attendees that you’d like to meet, then you need to research them before the convention. This can give you something to talk about in your conversations. For example, does the company offer a new product or service? Or has the company recently expanded to a new market?

Don’t be afraid to Google them. Look at their business website or LinkedIn. Check out their Facebook page or Twitter profile to find out what they’re working on. Knowing just a little information about their business and their personal lives will help you create rapport.

Having this knowledge in your back pocket can increase your chances of having conversations that are memorable and productive. Not too mention the increased chance of gaining new clients.

Reach Out in Advance

There’s no need to wait until the actual convention to reach out to these attendees. If you researched a list of people you’d like to meet, send them an e-mail or LinkedIn message to let them know that you’ll be attending the event as well and that you’d like to meet them.

If you can’t locate their contact information, post on social media using the event hashtag to connect with them. If the convention is integrated with a Facebook group or another online community, post an introduction to those channels. This can help increase visibility among attendees and make it more likely that someone else will introduce themselves to you at the event.

Plan Your Outfit

Plan your outfit two days in advance so you can start off on the right foot. You want your outfit to positively reflect your brand. Choose an outfit that’s appropriate, clean, professional, and wrinkle-free. It’s even better to wear an outfit that follows the event’s theme and location.

If you have to drive or fly out to the event, check the 7-day forecast so you’re dressed for the weather conditions. Consider wearing removable layers since many events have air conditioning to make up for having too many people in a small location. There’s also a chance that you’ll be tagged in someone’s photos or videos, so you want to dress to impress.

Come Up With a Contact Information Strategy

Something that happens while meeting new people is that you end up losing their contact information. One person may give you his business card and another may give you her name and number scribbled on a napkin. You might even write someone else’s name and phone number on your event notebook. If this information ends up getting lost, you can’t make a meaningful follow-up.

Spend some time strategizing on how you’ll collect and keep this contact information. That means investing in an envelope or pocket folder as a designated spot for your business cards, so they stay in one place. Use a notebook or a single sheet of paper to collect additional contact information that can’t be found on a business card.

Prepare to Discuss Your Work

Since people will ask about your line of work, it’s important to have three bullet points or compelling thoughts about your business. These talking points should be related to your potential client and show how you help them. As you focus on each of these talking points, find out what makes you and your business unique.

Remember to keep your points as concise and memorable as possible. The goal is to be engaging without boring them to death. You also don’t want to end up only talking about yourself. Use each of these points for your back-and-forth conversations. Ask questions about their line of work, and what interested them in the event.

Following these tips will dramatically increase the success of your next convention visit in Las Vegas. Here’s one bonus tip if you are attending as a business or sponsoring a booth: consider hiring Live Talent’s Las Vegas convention models. Our Las Vegas trade show models are some of the best in the business. They can work in or around your booth to help generate leads and gather crowds of interested attendees. Work with Live Talent, a local modeling agency, and leading event staffing service to help make your next visit to Las Vegas a success!

Our Las Vegas office is located only a short drive from the Las Vegas Convention Center at: Live Talent – Las Vegas Trade Show Models, 9205 W Russell Rd Suite 240, Las Vegas, NV 89148, (888) 661-3373