InfoComm can be a daunting show to attend as an end user. With hundreds of manufacturers, thousands of attendees, and only three days to take it all in, you want to make sure you’re getting the best for your buck.
So I spoke with Jesse Anderson, Audio Video Services Manager at the College of the Holy Cross, and Chris Imming, Director of Media Services for Gordon College. Jesse and Chris have attended InfoComm every year for over a decade as end user technology managers at universities, and have gathered quite a bit of information on what to do (and not do) when preparing for and attending the show.
You can listen to the full interview on the latest episode of My TechDecisions Podcast. I encourage you to listen as there is a goldmine of helpful advice for end users. Here is just some of the insight that Jesse and Chris have to offer:
On Planning for InfoComm:
“Keep up on the industry emails that come out, read your trade magazines, and you’ll have a general idea of what products will be released. It will allow you to do a preliminary assessment of your challenge of deployment, and evaluating several best of breed products. I want to go in with an idea of my institutional needs and my goals short-term and long-term.” – Chris Imming
“I also typically go with a couple particular products or sticking points in mind. I’ll often have a block diagram that I walk around for 15-20 booths and tell them what I’m looking for and ask them how they do it with their box.” – Jesse Anderson
“One of the things I think InfoComm has done a good job over the last few years is doing a first timer’s orientation and tour. If you’ve never been to the show before, check the InfoComm website. They can usually let you in 30 minutes early and give you a guided tour of portions of the show floor just to give you some bearings. It can be a little overwhelming the first time – Orlando tends to be easier to get your bearings than Las Vegas because Las Vegas is split into two wings of the hall in the convention center.” – Chris Imming
On Walking the InfoComm Show Floor:
“I have a particular way of walking the floor – I tend to breeze through very quickly at the beginning and make lots of notes about things I want to come back to, and then circle back and spend more in-depth time at some of the booths. Once you get into the cycle you’ll start to get emails from the vendors and rep firms asking you to set up booth tours. Those can be fabulous, especially when people are coming out with big piles of new equipment.” –Jesse Anderson
“I really like to spend more time on the smaller booths earlier in the show and not worry about the big, splashy booths that have more money [until later on]. Because those get the most foot traffic at the beginning of the show, and you really get the one on one attention from the small vendors that are trying to put products on the market that might not be seen as a perceived need from some of the bigger providers.” – Chris Imming
“The other thing to not forget about is that a number of vendors have demo rooms – especially with audio, but with a number of vendors video and other things. The audio demo rooms are typically open to all. Some of the other demo rooms you may need to do an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) or have an established relationship with the vendor to get into the room. If you’re a first timer you can do the whole show and not realize that there are other rooms.” – Jesse Anderson
Tips and Tricks for Attending InfoComm that People Don’t Think of:
“Some of the vendors open up an opportunity for a free lunch or meal. It’s an opportunity to get some rest, sit down, but also take in some new product knowledge and learn about some trends in the industry as well.” – Chris Imming
“For God’s sake, wear comfortable shoes. You’re going to spend a lot of time on your feet. There are very few places to sit down. The most important thing is to be prepared to be up and walking for three or four days in a row with very little time to rest. Comfortable shoes, comfortable clothing, and make sure you’re taking care of yourself – stay hydrated.” – Jesse Anderson
“I have a policy at this point that I don’t walk out with literature anymore. I remember my first couple InfoComms I would take an extra suitcase to haul back all of the literature. They will send it to you electronically, you don’t need to deal with it. Let them scan your badge all day long.” – Chris Imming
“If you don’t have one, or several, make sure you bring a power bank for your phone. I take pictures of items and then take a picture of the title of the booth so I know who it’s from. I take pictures of people’s badges so I can make contact with them after the show. I use my phone for everything but it means that I’m running out of battery, so make sure you have a way of charging it on the show floor.” – Jesse Anderson
This is only a fraction of the essential advice that Jesse and Chris offer in the latest episode of My TechDecisions Podcast. Make sure to listen to the full episode before InfoComm 2017 starts up on June 17th. Whether it’s your first time or fiftieth they offer advice that will help any end user attending the show.
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