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| The Center for International Commerce at the SEMA Show is the staging ground for your business's international expansion. |
Once made up mostly of American speed enthusiasts, the specialty-equipment market is now a global passion, with enthusiasts off-roading and drag racing from Beijing to Dubai. And nowhere is this better illustrated than at the SEMA Show. Buyers from around the world converge on Las Vegas to discern which products and trends will prove hot in their home markets.
In fact, 22% of registered buyers for the 2009 SEMA Show are from outside the United States, the highest percentage in the history of the Show, and an 8% jump from 2004.
As a result, SEMA has increased services for international buyers at the Show, based around the Center for International Commerce (CIC) located in the Skybridge connecting the Central and South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
These include educational programs and support for buyers, highlighted this year by a discussion with two seasoned exporters, Jim Cozzie of RTM Productions and Bob Scheid of Fidanza Engineering/Performance Management and Consulting. Among other topics, Cozzie and Scheid will demonstrate how to vet international buyers who show up to your booth and how to handle inquiries for exclusive distribution rights. The Global Growth discussion is scheduled for Monday, November 2, 3:00–4:00 p.m. in Rooms N258–N260 of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Through its online matchmaking service, SEMA is also facilitating connections between international exhibitors and buyers, and using international promotions in multiple publications to attract qualified buyers to the Show. Finally, the association also hosts the International Happy Hour, the largest SEMA international networking event of the year.
SEMA is also working to help exhibitors expand their businesses into international markets by participating with the U.S. Department of Commerce International Buyer Program, which recruits and escorts delegations of international buyers to the SEMA Show. Have questions about specific regions?
Stop by Room S232 on the Skybridge on Wednesday and Thursday mornings to meet with U.S. government representatives from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean (Wednesday), as well as Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East (Thursday). No appointment is necessary.
SEMA is also offering interpreters skilled in seven languages, available by the hour, for exhibitors to meet with international buyers in the CIC; complimentary meeting rooms; and the International Buyer's Guide, featuring a list of exhibitor's companies and designed to stimulate global sales leads.
For additional details about SEMA Show international resources, click here.