CES Guide for First-Timers: How to Thrive at CES
The Consumer Electronics Show is not just another trade show. It is one of the largest annual gatherings of consumer tech brands, media, industry experts and of course, consumers. From its multiple sites that are spread throughout the heart of Las Vegas to its vast number of events and opportunities, there’s a lot to prepare for in order to ensure a smooth experience.
How to Get Around Las Vegas During CES:
Transportation to CES is a key logistic to plan ahead of your attendance. If your hotel is within walking distance of your CES site, then you’re one of the lucky ones that can quickly depart the hotel, walk to your location and check in from there. If it’s not, it’s important to plan ahead to ensure you’re able to arrive at your booth on time for any required setup ahead of the doors officially opening.
Rideshare options like Uber and Lyft are a great choice for getting to your CES site. That said, plan ahead in your scheduling, as traffic can back up during rush hour and surge prices can occur as other attendees start to book their rides to the different CES sites.
While rideshares can be helpful for your arrival, departures are a different story. Most locations in Las Vegas offer a specific pick-up spot for rideshare drivers. During a large event like CES, these pickup locations can become incredibly congested with long wait times for your car to arrive. Be prepared for longer wait times, particularly at the larger CES sites, such as the convention centers, where crowds may gather to wait for their cars.
Pre-booked shuttles or rental cars can be another good option, particularly for those who need to haul equipment or products back and forth from their hotels to their booths. If you have a large group that is attending, consider booking one of these for the week to simplify travel and ensure your team and your technology arrive everywhere safely and on time.
Lastly, hotels can offer a free shuttle to the main CES sites, such as the Las Vegas Convention and the Venetian Expo. Check with your hotel to see if that’s a service they offer for a complimentary travel option.
How to Manage Your Booth at CES:
Every day at CES is a full day, so your team will need to take breaks throughout the day to ensure they can continue providing a level of service and expertise to everyone who visits the booth. For this, we recommend bringing multiple team members to manage the booth at all times. Each team member should be able to clearly and efficiently speak about the brand and your product or technology, as well as conduct any type of demo that you’re offering.
Throughout the day, team members should be able to take restroom breaks, as well as breaks for lunch, snacks or even just competitive browsing at the show. To make things seamless, consider making a daily schedule of lunch breaks and who is owning what part of the booth each day to ensure the team is fully covered and you’re able to maximize your time on the floor.
As part of this, meals are a key piece of CES. The convention centers have small food courts within them that offer a variety of meal choices. There are also restaurants surrounding each site. It’s important to remember how crowded CES is and that most restaurants will have long wait times, particularly during peak hours. Due to this, we recommend booking reservations, particularly for dinner, in advance to ensure your team is able to depart, grab food, and then head back to rest and recover ahead of the next day.
What to Bring to the Show Floor:
In addition to your product or any technology, you’ll want to bring any necessary marketing materials, both in print and digital form. The media will often prefer a digital resource, so that they don’t have to carry too much around as they visit each booth. That said, technology can glitch or have issues, so having some paper copies with you as well can help ensure they still walk away from your booth with the information and materials they need.
It’s also important that you are prepared for whatever the day may bring on the show floor. We recommend bringing a refillable water bottle to keep you hydrated throughout the long days. We also recommend bringing your computer or tablet, a portable charger, and then paper and pen in case either of those items fail. Ensuring you have what you need to capture every interaction at CES can mean the difference between a successful attendance and failure.
Lastly, you’ll need to have your CES badge with you and on at all times. This badge not only allows you into the building, but it also helps everyone you interact with know who you are, the company you represent and how to get in touch with you. You’ll register for your badge in the months ahead of CES, and then typically, you can pick it up when you land at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Once you reach baggage claim, you’ll likely see lines of people waiting to check in and receive their badge for the show.
What to Wear to CES:
For most attendees, CES means several days active and on your feet as you engage with prospective partners, customers and media. The main thing to consider with what to wear is to ensure that you are comfortable. Tennis shoes or comfortable and durable shoes are a must for anyone attending. You will take thousands of steps each day and likely be standing the entire day. Plan your footwear accordingly.
The same approach goes for your attire. You’ll want to wear comfortable but professional attire. Bonus if your clothing is branded, so your logo is visible to anyone who passes by you. Additionally, remember that it will be cold in Vegas this time of year. If you’re planning to walk to your CES site each day, pack a heavier coat or hat to keep you warm along the way.
Still have questions on what to expect? Check out our blog on the most common questions about CES or visit our CES Resources page to gain access to our exclusive guides, tip sheets and more.
