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SEMA Show Media Profile: Jef White From THE SHOP Magazine

By Rachel Tatum

Jeff White
Jef White

THE SHOP magazine is a B2B media outlet that reaches shop owners, shop managers, installers and retailers in the performance, restyling, and off-road markets. Jef White, executive editor from THE SHOP, attends the SEMA Show each year seeking news and information from exhibitors. He recently provided exhibitors with insight on what he’s looking for at the SEMA Show and tips on how to obtain coverage from his outlet.  

SEMA: Who does your magazine reach?

Jef White: Our magazine reaches many of the SEMA Show attendees—shop owners, shop managers, installers and retailers. We cover every hall at the SEMA Show, including restyling, performance, trucks and off-road.

SEMA: How can exhibitors better work with you?

JW: Reach out early and work to understand how our magazine can support your programs before, during and after the Show. Get to know our magazine and the proper contact for press-release submissions. Make yourself available and friendly. With 2,400 exhibitors at the SEMA Show, you are competing with lots of other companies for our attention and space in the magazine. When we get a release telling us how great a new product is, we’re likely getting dozens of other releases saying the exact same thing.

SEMA: What can new companies do to establish a relationship with you?

JW: I suggest establishing a contact and reaching out once or twice throughout the year just to let us know what’s going on with your company. Don’t just hit me with one email out of the blue with a name or company I don’t recognize. We make an effort to read every single email, but if it’s a company I don’t recognize, it may get less attention than an email from someone I work with a lot.

SEMA: When do you start preparing for the SEMA Show and scheduling appointments?

JW: Our online/e-newsletter coverage of the Show is year-round, as news develops before, during and after. For the print magazine, our main SEMA Show issue has a November cover date—the deadline for that is mid-September. Scheduling a meeting or booth visit by an editor begins in earnest about three weeks before the Show starts. If you wait until the final week before the Show to reach out, it will be too late.

To view articles written by White, visit THE SHOP magazine website.

The SEMA Show attract nearly 3,000 approved media each year, representing print, video, radio and online outlets. SEMA provides services to help exhibitors connect with media at the SEMA Show and is available to assist. For details about SEMA Show exhibitor PR opportunities, contact Rachel Tatum at rachelt@sema.org or 909-978-6669.