Finding local buzz in the Consumer Electronics Show
By Flickr user henofthewood
Only a few days until the 2012 International CES kicks off – the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas – and that’s plenty of time to find a local tie or two to this annual gadgetry extravanganza which runs Jan. 10-13.
Even if your turf isn’t home to an electronics maker, you still may be able to develop consumer technology stories or profiles of local small businesses that play a role in the tech conference. To help you find exhibitors from your region, the CES’s exhibitor directly is seachable by geographic terms as well as product category. Don’t forget to check the speaker directory and conference session agenda to see if execs from your area play any out-front roles.
An extensive media resource channel might also lead you to local connections. The enGadget blog also has extensive advance coverage that may help you with ideas, and if you’re curious about the show ambience, the Spike cable network promises live coverage.
Barring anything else, this mother of all trade shows is a good reminder to check out the show calenders for venues in your region or for events important to the firms you cover. From big-ticket durable goods shows — autos, RVs, boats — to expos for pet products to professional get-togethers, watching the conference and convention scene can lead to opportunities for networking and sourcing with suppliers and other players you might ordinarily not encounter. Attendance and sales figures from consumer-goods shows like boating expos reflect consumer spending and the health of manufacturing sectors. The agendas of trade group meetings can help you understand the concerns, priorities, lobbying efforts and other behind-the-scenes business of just about any line of business or occupation. EventsInAmerica.com bills itself as the top online trade show directory; it’s searchable by state, city and keyword to help you narrow your focus.
Don’t forget about vendors to exhibition halls and trade-show participants, too. This Trade Show Blog by a motivational products company is a good reminder that the conference circuit is an industry unto itself. I once talked with a man who followed auto shows all around the country, working as a detailer to keep the rolling iron polished and glitzy from L.A. to Detroit. Union tradespersons, trucking companies, carpet providers, audio-visual experts, caterers, cleaning companies, hotels, even florists and performing artists are just some of the types of businesses that depend on conferences and conventions for a good chunk of their annual revenue. With creativity you can turn up quirky stories about hot giveaways or trends in expo hall food or security concerns in these little temporary villages that materialize, perform their annual rites and then vanish for another 51 weeks.
