- Determine who you would like to meet with and why. (start now! March 1st-90 days out)
- Review the ICSC registration page to see if the people you want to meet with are attending ICSC
- Come up with the pitch of why you want to meet with them, whether it’s for a vacancy at one or more of your properties or to just introduce yourself to them for future business or relationship. Most retailers will only want to meet with you (I think) if you have a site. Unless you are pitching them for ten rep, then you should have market info to share with them and testimonials on why you should be their new rep.
- Begin to email, or send direct messages on Linkedin for appointments.
- I like to keep a printed schedule on my desk to more easily review holes in my schedule.
- Sending the site with the retailer’s competitors would be beneficial to get the retailer’s attention, to get the appointment.
- When setting appointments, if possible, try to set them according to locations. Central Hall, South Hall or North Hall. (it is very difficult to get between the halls in less than 15-20 minutes depending on where the booths are. I keep a printed layout of the booths on my desk as well)
- Plan how you will be getting to and from the convention-bus, taxi, Uber, rental car and research how and where you get those modes of transportation in advance. You don’t want to be running late to a meeting and not realize the bus pickup is miles away in your hotel.
- Allow time to walk around with no appointments to check out booths and allow for running into people. Sometimes these are the best meetings.
- If you are new to the business and don’t have a lot of meetings, go to all of the educational offerings and luncheon speakers and network in those settings.
- Start reviewing and responding to party invitations as they come in. Realize that taxi lines are long and traffic is crazy–can you get to 4 parties a night, sure but it won’t be easy.
- Start drinking extra water 72 hours in advance of getting on the flight.
- Network on the flight.
- Take lip balm.
- Bring enough business cards.
- Take an envelope to put all of your business cards into at night in your hotel room.
- Take snacks like protein bars to eat during the days of the show.
- If you buy new shoes, buy them now and break them in.
- Don’t burn the candle at both ends-sleep is very important and having a hangover at an 8 am meeting, or missing the meeting altogether can really hurt you. Stay in Vegas later after the show to party.
- On flight home write your thank you notes and follow up emails.
- Memorial day weekend–enjoy yourself with your friends and your family knowing you ROCKED the most important show of the year!!!
Please add any of your tips I may have missed!
