The nearly 2,000 exhibitors who will present their products and services at the 2008 SEMA Show (November 4–7, Las Vegas Convention Center) invest substantial sums to bring their wares to buyers from around the world. This year, SEMA and the Show managers have developed a number of programs to save exhibitors money and help them draw buyers. Listed below are 10 free programs that qualified exhibitors can use to make the most of their investment as they plan their displays.
Free Small-Exhibitor Material Handling: SEMA Show management and Freeman—the company that handles the event design, décor and movement of exhibit materials in and out of the Las Vegas Convention Center—are offering free material handling for qualified exhibitors. If a company’s total exhibit freight is 1,000 pounds or less, can be delivered in one trip to its booth, and arrives in a privately-owned vehicle (car, pickup or minivan), SEMA has made arrangements with Freeman to deliver the freight to the company's booth at no charge.
This service will be available from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 1 through Monday, November 3. If the exhibitor’s total exhibit freight exceeds 1,000 lbs., the free service is not available. If the exhibitor utilizes the free service, but then ships additional freight to the Show, Freeman will charge $567.80 for the 1,000-lb. service.
If you have any questions regarding freight-handling assistance, contact the General Service Contractor at 702/407-4694.
First Product Entered Into the New Products Showcase Is Free: SEMA presents a New Products Showcase at the SEMA Show each year, providing exhibitors with an outstanding opportunity to introduce products, packaging and merchandising to industry buyers and media.
For 2008, the first product entered into the New Products Showcase by each company is free if it is entered by Friday, October 3 using the company’s exhibitor password. The password was sent to each company’s Show contact and is the same password used for exhibitor registration and SEMA Show Directory listing updates. If you need to obtain your password or require further information, contact Michelle Lowery at 702/450-7662, ext. 119, or e-mail mlowery@convexx.com.
Each additional entry has a $75 fee per product if received by October 3. After October 3, exhibitors must submit product entries at the Show for a $250 fee per product. All products entered are professionally photographed. The photos are then made available to media for use in newspapers, magazines, websites and other outlets. Photos and details of each product are also published in the January issue of SEMA News.
Free Distribution of Press Releases/Press Kits: Exhibiting companies may deliver press releases and/or press kits to the SEMA Show Media Center Sponsored by Continental Tire, room S219, on the Skybridge between the Central and South Halls. The Media Center serves as "home base" for thousands of editors and reporters during the Show, and media members visit there often to find press information and obtain releases and press kits.
To ensure that your materials are available for the media when they arrive, we recommend delivering your materials before Monday, November 3. The Media Center will be open from 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31 through Sunday, November 2 for the delivery of press releases. We suggest stocking 75 to 100 copies of each release or kit and checking the inventory periodically during the week.
Free Press Conferences: Communicate newsworthy information to the media by holding a press conference. Media at the SEMA Show are given an official press conference schedule and are encouraged to cover every session. Media unable to attend a conference will receive details of all announcements through a Daily Briefing that SEMA distributes at the end of each day in the Media Center Sponsored by Continental Tire.
Note that exhibitors are not authorized to hold media conferences outside of the official schedule or off-site during SEMA Show hours. To be included in the official press conference schedule, complete the Media Conference Application located at www.SEMAShow.com/mediaconference. Each media conference is limited to 20 minutes. For more information, call 909/396-0289, ext. 130, or e-mail dellad@sema.org.
Free Listing in the Official SEMA Show Directory: Every SEMA Show exhibitor is entitled to a free listing in the SEMA Show Directory. Each listing includes the company name, address, phone number and website address as well as a company description. The listing also includes details about the products that each company will be exhibiting as well as the vehicle applications and the market segments it deals in.
The company’s membership status is noted in each listing along with any SEMA council affiliations. The information used to compile each directory listing is taken from the company’s Exhibit Space Rental Agreement, but be sure to check you company’s information at http://sema.experient-inc.com/ExhibitorSearch/Default.aspx to ensure that all of the data is up-to-date.
Free Listing in the SEMA International Buyers' Guide: Expand your business worldwide with the SEMA International Buyers' Guide, an exclusive directory of companies involved in sales outside the United States. There is no charge to be listed in the guide; the only qualifications are that your company be a manufacturer or exclusive distributor of the product lines(s) listed or an export management company. The company also must be either a member of SEMA or an exhibitor at the 2008 SEMA Show.
The SEMA International Buyers' Guide will be distributed worldwide, including to every international buyer that attends the SEMA Show and throughout the year at international trade shows, such as PAACE Automechanika (Mexico), the Essen Motor Show (Germany), Automechanika (Germany), Equip Auto (France), the International Automotive Aftermarket Expo (Japan), and Australia Auto Trade Fair (Australia).
It will also be available at more than 50 U.S. embassies throughout the world, including offices in Germany, United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Italy, Brazil and South America, and from SEMA’s offices in China, Mexico and Europe.
For further information about all of SEMA’s international programs, contact Linda Spencer at 202/783-4032 or via e-mail at lindas@sema.org.
Free Listings About Products for Project-Vehicle Builders: Each year, the SEMA Show features nearly a thousand project vehicles, and the products displayed on them are viewed and noted by the thousands of buyers and media who attend the Show. The “Products for Project-Vehicle Builders” program is an exclusive opportunity for manufacturers to showcase their products on the exhibited cars and trucks by offering products to project-vehicle builders at no charge or at a substantial discount.
SEMA compiles lists of exhibitors who offer free or discounted products to project-vehicle builders. The listings appear in SEMA eNews (the association’s weekly electronic newsletter) and are then posted on www.sema.org. Listings appear in SEMA eNews on a first-come, first-served basis.
To be included in a listing, contact Jason Catullo via e-mail at jasonc@sema.org.
Free Listing in Manufacturer’s Rep Matching Service: Is your company looking for a manufacturers’ representative to enhance its sales and marketing efficiency? Don’t miss this opportunity to find the rep you need.
Download and complete the Manufacturers' Representative Matching form and fax it to 702/450-7732. Your information will be posted in the MRC Manufacturers' Rep Center at the SEMA Show so that reps looking for product lines may contact you. Every major rep is a member of SEMA and will attend the SEMA Show. The deadline to receive the Manufacturers' Representative Matching form is Friday, October 17.
Free Meeting Rooms In Members Lounges: Complimentary conference meeting space is available in either the Grand Lobby Mezzanine Members Lounge (upstairs from the Grand Lobby between the North and Central Halls) or the South Hall Members Lounge (located at the front of the upper South Hall).
These rooms are available exclusively to SEMA and TIA members (non-exhibiting manufacturers are not allowed) and can accommodate up to 10 people for a maximum of one hour. Meeting times begin and end on the hour from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on Monday, November 3 through Thursday, November 6, and from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 7.
Rooms can only be reserved for two non-consecutive one-hour time slots per day and may be reserved in advance or on site based on availability.
For more information, call 702/450-7662, ext. 247, or e-mail thanisko@convexx.com.
Free International Buyer-Locator Service: Exhibitors may use a free service to find out which International Buyers are attending the SEMA Show and Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW). Check out which products they are seeking and download a list of all registered international buyers here.
Invite international buyers to visit your booth. Check back often, as the list will be updated every two weeks prior to the SEMA Show. Then download a final database of international buyers attending the 2008 SEMA Show/AAIW or after the SEMA Show.
For more information on the 2008 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.