Buyers: Become a Member at the Show for Specialized Incentives

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SEMA Member News—November/December 2014

Buyers: Become a Member at the Show for Specialized Incentives

A huge variety of businesses are represented each year at the SEMA Show, but companies in the buyer category—identified with a red badge—who are also association members enjoy a few special benefits.

1. Member Buyer Rewards During Show week

Member buyers can pick up their Member Buyer Rewards (MBR) cards in the MBR Lounge during Show hours.

Ford’s performance story will be amplified at the Ford Out Front track, with exhibitions by professional drivers such as Ken Block, Vaughn Gittin Jr., Jack Roush Jr. and Justin Pawlak, and SEMA attendees can ride in ’15 Mustangs, Ford Raptors and Superformance Cobras piloted by Ford Racing High Performance Driving School instructors or other notable professionals.

The Member Buyer Rewards (MBR) program was created specifically for SEMA members attending the Show as buyers. These individuals will receive their MBR cards in mid-October or can pick them up in the Members Lounge during Show hours for access to these perks:
  • MBR Lounge (located in the SEMA Members Lounge in the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall, Room N251): Complimentary coffee and a place to rest your feet Tuesday through Friday during Show hours.
  • Dedicated MBR Taxi Lines: Available in the Gold Lot and Silver Lot #4 from 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m., Tuesday–Thursday, and 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. on Friday.
  • Reserved Seating: Best seats for the New Products Breakfast, featuring the SEMA Awards Press Conference (Tuesday) and the NHRA Breakfast (Wednesday). Tickets are required, and space is limited. Plan to arrive early!
  • Free Drink Ticket: available to the first 50 MBR pass holders who pick up tickets at SEMA Ignited. Tickets will be at the Information Center during the event on Friday, 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., at The LINQ. Only one ticket will be available per person, so arrive early!
2. Free Data Downloads Through the SDC

SEMA understands what a challenge it can be for retailers and distributors to acquire quality product data, whether it’s weights and measures, accurate descriptions, current pricing, UPC codes and the like or detailed vehicle application data to power year/make/model lookups. The SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) offers a single source for accessing data.

Download the official SEMA Show attendee app through your appropriate smartphone marketplace and get your Show information on the go.Growing in brand coverage every day, the SDC’s unique approach for data receivers is to provide data exports in exactly the right format for a variety of systems. Whether receivers need full ACES and PIES XML or a custom spreadsheet format, the SDC can accommodate the company’s individual needs. Data downloads are available to SEMA members at no charge.

Visit the representatives in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center for demonstrations, to ask questions and to sign up and start taking advantage of the free data exports right away.

3. Members Lounge

Buyers who join SEMA during the Show will also gain entry to the Members Lounge during Show hours. This area offers much more than just a place to take a break and network with other SEMA members; it’s also a convenient place to have a meal. Hot lunches will be available for purchase from 11:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. daily, or a cold “Grab ‘N’ Go” meal can be purchased any time during Show hours.

Other perks of the lounge are access to a computer with Internet service and a printer, along with charging stations for cell phones and other wireless devices. Meeting rooms are also available for groups of 10 or fewer at no extra charge to member exhibitors and buyers. (According to Show rules, non-exhibiting manufacturers and members otherwise eligible to exhibit are not permitted to use the meeting rooms.) Visit www.SEMAShow.com/esm to book a meeting room ahead of time, or visit the Members Lounge to check availability during the Show.

4. Networking With Other Members

One of the most important benefits that association members gain is the opportunity to connect with others in the industry. This is much easier during the SEMA Show, when members from all over the world gather in one place. In actuality, some of the most lasting connections are made off the Show floor at after-hours events.

Joining a council or network guarantees new members a link to a community of like-minded individuals with similar areas of focus and business challenges. Many of the groups hold general membership meetings and networking receptions throughout Show week, which help facilitate introductions that can lead to important professional relationships. Don’t miss the chance to build your network in Las Vegas. To learn more about any of the networking events, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

Another resource offered to association members free of charge is the annual SEMA Membership Directory issue (May)of SEMA News, available for download in PDF format at www.sema.org/orderdirectory. For those looking for partnership possibilities, the directory provides details about each of SEMA’s member companies, including business categories, descriptions and contact information. New members are also featured in each issue of SEMA Member News.

5. We’ll Buy You Lunch

The way to new members’ hearts may be through their stomachs. An added incentive for companies that become members during Show week is two lunch tickets that can be redeemed in the Members Lounge during Show hours for either a hot lunch or a “Grab ‘N’ Go” meal. It’s just SEMA’s way of saying “Welcome!”

Becoming a member is a quick and easy application process. Visit SEMA in the Grand Lobby during Show hours to speak with a membership representative and join the association that exists to help your business grow and prosper.