By SEMA News Editors
The 2025 SEMA Show, November 4–7 in Las Vegas, is the world's largest automotive aftermarket trade event, packed with innovation, education and opportunities at every turn of the Las Vegas Convention Center and outdoor exhibit space. The scale of the Show means no single person can experience it all--which is why bringing employees is key to maximizing your four days at SEMA. A well-prepared team can cover more ground, engage more buyers and ensure that every conversation has the potential to strengthen relationships, spark new opportunities and deliver lasting ROI.
Insights shared during this year's Exhibitor Summit offer key takeaways to help exhibitors sharpen their strategy and maximize ROI at the SEMA Show.
Booth Strategy: Define the "Why"
Every booth at the SEMA Show tells a story, and your team is the driving force for that story. Before arriving in Vegas, make sure every staff member understands the "why" behind your booth: What are you trying to accomplish? Who should talk to which types of attendees? Consider rehearsing your layout with tape lines or chalk to map out where people will stand and how traffic will flow. This preparation makes booth interactions feel seamless instead of improvised.
Conversations That Count
SEMA Show organizers estimate that one person can realistically have about 200 quality conversations during Show week--not 70,000. That means every interaction matters. Teach your team the "connection machine" approach:
- 10-second glance → A chance to turn heads and get someone to glance at your booth display.
- 1-minute pause → Spark curiosity with the "stop and stare" attendees.
- 5-minute chat → Earn trust with the attendees who actually enter the booth to learn more.
- 30-minute sit-down → Reserved for serious, scheduled meetings, here is when exhibitors can close deals.
The goal is to guide each interaction further along--turning a quick glance into curiosity, curiosity into a conversation and, ultimately, into a sit-down meeting that drives real business. The more your employees practice moving attendees along that chain, the more valuable each encounter becomes.
Staffing Smart
Not every employee is suited for every role in the booth. Quick communicators are perfect for the 10-second fly-by interactions, while executives or high-profile leaders are better placed in the back, where serious conversations happen. Matching staff personality and communication style to the correct position in the booth ensures every visitor has a positive experience.
Measuring Success
Help your team understand that success isn't about how many people walk past your booth; it's about how many meaningful connections you make. Track metrics and encourage staff to know their closing ratios. With a strong follow-up plan that prioritizes leads by urgency (same day, next week, next month), your staff will turn casual conversations into measurable results.
Common Booth Mistakes to Avoid
Your employees are the first line of defense against poor booth design. Train them to:
- Remove physical barriers that prevent attendees from entering the booth.
- Use conversation triggers (like a new product or demo) towards the front of the booth to draw interest.
- Position ongoing conversations toward the back to create momentum and curiosity.
Invest in Your People, Reap the Results
When you bring your employees to the SEMA Show, you're equipping them with hands-on experience, face-to-face customer engagement and the chance to tell your brand's story in a way no email or ad campaign ever could. The result? More booth traffic, better-qualified leads and stronger customer relationships.
SEMA Show exhibitor and exhibitor staff registration is available online here and below. For more SEMA Show exhibitor deadlines, visit the Exhibitor Service Manual online here. Exhibitors can also lock in the guaranteed lowest hotel rates by booking in the official SEMA Show Block provided by OnPeak.
For more information, visit semashow.com.
Have questions or need help registering for the 2025 SEMA Show? Call us at 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, at 508-743-8571, or email AAPEXSEMA@maritz.com.
