It’s that time of the year – Vision Expo West is going to take place on September 27 – 29 in Las Vegas. After multiple decades of success, Vision Expo West became the best and most celebrated optical exposition in the entire United States.
It brings together ophthalmology, optometry, and opticianry under one roof. During the expo, you can both promote your own practice, as well as bask in useful lectures, promotions, and booth offerings.
You want to represent your practice the right way, and that requires preparation. To seize those four days in Vegas and take your business to the next level, we’ve decided to help you.
With this guide, you’ll know what to pack for Vision Expo West and other conventions alike. We’ll take you through the process, step by step.
What About clothing?
When talking about what to pack for Vision Expo West, you have to think of the clothing first. Our recommendation is business casual. Remember, it’s not a reception nor a meeting – business casual clothes are a great way to go.
However, formal clothing (one outfit) should also be on your trade show packing list. In case you have a meeting with a colleague or a supplier in a formal environment, it might be useful.
Make sure your shoes are comfortable and sturdy. The Vision Expo West takes up a lot of room, so there will be a significant amount of walking involved. Undoubtedly, you should bring spare insoles for extra comfort.
Right next to your clothes should be all the hygiene items you might need. Basics like toothpaste and hair products are easy to forget, but are essential. A good choice would be to carry a bottle of water with you at all times. Las Vegas can get really hot during this time of year and medications should also be on your trade show packing list.
The Technicalities
The first and most important thing you have to have by your side is your passport. We would advise you to leave your passport in a safe in the hotel, while carrying a photocopy with you.
Always have your badge and registration information around your neck or in your shirt pocket. That way, you can pass clearances much faster and be able to move around freely.
Have a business bag, along with the items you need. If you need to sign any contracts, carry those papers with you along with a notebook and a tablet. Depending on the conditions at that moment, you are going to have to write something down on either one of them.
A good thing to bring would be an external battery of over 8,000 mAh. This is because you will use your phone regularly for checking the event schedule and contacting peers, so the battery will go down fast.
To prevent this from happening, be sure that your phone is fully charged and ready for performance. Any potential deals or calls that come up will go to waste if you don’t have enough battery.
How to plan your stay?
Before leaving your home for those four days, sit down and take a pen and a piece of paper. Write down in three sentences why are you going to Vision Expo West. Next, write ten goals that you want to accomplish.
After those ten goals, write down what your practice needs to get to the next level. That session alone should make things much easier during the expo itself. There is nothing worse and more stressing than going to a trade show without knowing what your intentions are.
An equally important thing to do is take a few days before your departure and sort your contacts. Collect the business cards that you’ve received throughout the years and put them in a single folder, along with your notebook. By doing this, you make sure that whatever you need is one phone call away.
This would be a good occasion to make sure you’ve printed out fresh business cards to hand out. If you didn’t, consider a redesign and a great color scheme that will stay engraved in people’s memories.
Lots of ophthalmologists and other people from the industry forget one thing – to check their credit cards. As Vision Expo West is one of the most active trade shows during the year, you’ll need to have money at all times.
A limited time only promotion may end up being the best choice for your practice and future business ventures, so make sure you’re prepared if the opportunity strikes.
Most Importantly – Relax
That’s right. All this thinking about what to pack for Vision Expo West 2018 can remove the focus from some good fun. You’re bound to see some old friends, acquaintances, and associates that you’ve met along the years.
Don’t worry about accomplishing everything – compile a simple list of goals and go after them with full force.
Remember – once you get off the convention area, you should relax. Four days of walking around can be exhausting. Enjoy Vegas and stay safe.
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