Members: Three Important Stops to Include in Your SEMA Show Plan

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SEMA Member News—September/October 2014

Members: Three Important Stops to Include in Your SEMA Show Plan

 

The SEMA Show offers a variety of networking opportunities for members.
The SEMA Show offers a variety of networking opportunities for members.

To gain the most from your trip to the SEMA Show, you must have a plan in place before hitting the floor. It’s important to be intentional about what you include in your agenda, and it’s never too early to start planning. Apart from doing business, many opportunities exist to connect with others in the industry and take the next step toward engagement in the association. Here are a few things that members will want to build into their schedules.

Council and Network Events

SEMA’s councils and networks strive to create engaging experiences for members, connecting them with the resources that can take their business goals to the next level. Whether a company is focused on rods, restoration, racing, restyling, trucks or wheels and tires, a SEMA council or professional network represents the category. Each of the groups offers members a variety of programs and activities designed to provide educational and networking opportunities while promoting their particular market segment.

  • Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO): Collector-car industry, from classics to restomodified musclecars.
  • Emerging Trends and Technology Network (ETTN): Identifying and communicating developments in the industry.
  • Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA): Hot-rod, street-modified and replica industry.
  • Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA): Truck cap and accessory market, representing the diesel, raised, lowered, off-road and Jeep segments.
  • Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC): Manufacturers of performance parts used in sanctioned racing applications.
  • Manufacturers’ Representative Network (MRN): Exclusive network for professional agents and representatives.
  • Professional Restylers Organization (PRO): Restyling and appearance products and accessories.
  • SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN): Building equity and opportunity for female advancement.
  • Wheel & Tire Council (WTC): Custom wheel and tire industry.
  • Young Executives Network (YEN): Forum for the industry’s young professionals.

The top reason members join the councils or networks is for the community they provide. At the SEMA Show, networking opportunities are abundant, but not only with peers. Events all throughout the week also give members a chance to interact with leaders and legends of the industry.

Kathryn Reinhardt is the marketing communications manager for SEMA member MagnaFlow. The company is a member of three councils, and Reinhardt herself sits on the TORA select committee and belongs to three of SEMA’s professional networks. She believes that the council and network events at the Show give members high-quality networking opportunities.

“The SEMA show is an excellent way to meet with customers and media, but the before- and after-Show receptions and network events really allow you to let loose, meet all types of attendees and absorb new information,” she explained. “I have personally met so many people by attending out-of-booth functions, including my current employer.”

Explore the following pages to find out which of SEMA’s councils and networks are a good fit for you and then plan your experience at www.SEMAshow.com/events.

Association Resources

Members will see for themselves what SEMA membership means as they walk through the Grand Lobby where the association’s key initiatives will be highlighted, including vehicle technology, the SEMA Data Co-op and the SEMA Garage—Industry Innovations Center. Whether your company is a manufacturer, retailer, jobber, distributor, rep firm or installer, SEMA has tools available for you and your employees. To ensure that you are making the most of your SEMA membership, visit the Grand Lobby and talk with staff to find out which programs can help your company save money and which can help your company make more money.

Member Buyer Rewards (MBR) Program

If you are a member and registered for the SEMA Show as a buyer, be sure to wear your MBR Pass to take advantage of some special perks, including complimentary coffee in a special MBR lounge during Show hours, a dedicated taxi line during peak Show hours, and limited reserved seating for the New Products Breakfast on Tuesday and the NHRA Breakfast on Wednesday.

MBR passes will be mailed to pre-registered SEMA-member buyers in mid-October. If you don’t receive your MBR Pass in the mail, you can also pick one up in the Members Lounge, located upstairs from the Grand Lobby in Room N251.

If your company is not yet a SEMA member, the first step to a rewarding Show experience is joining the association to take full advantage of these opportunities. For more information, contact SEMA’s customer service team at 909-610-2030.