The world’s most unique and celebrated customized vehicles from the 2014 SEMA Show will gather and be accessible to the public on Friday, November 7, 4:00–10:00 p.m., as the SEMA Cruise finds its way to a new event taking place immediately after the SEMA Show at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.
In addition to being one of the world’s largest trade events, the SEMA Show is a car show like no other.
Automotive specialty-equipment manufacturers from throughout the world exhibit their wares on some of the most finely crafted vehicles in existence, and many are on display for the first time anywhere.
The feature vehicles shown in this listing and online will appear in exhibitor booths and in display areas throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center and the adjacent outdoor grounds. Check them out in person—and, in many cases, see how they turned out—when you get to the SEMA Show!
For much of 2014, SEMA members have generally reported having a good year and, for some, a great year. I’ve observed that the SEMA Show is a barometer of industry strength, reflected by participation and investment in the Show. This year’s pre-Show registration indicates that the SEMA Show will be an outstanding springboard for growth opportunities in 2015.
This marks the fifth straight year that the Show has had increased participation levels since the lows of the recession in 2009. This makes for a larger Show, but more important than size is how many innovative manufacturers are taking the opportunity...
The following celebrities and industry personalities represent a sample of of the hundreds scheduled to appear at the 2014 SEMA Show. To view the entire real-time celebrities and industry personalities list, visit here.
More Than a Trade Show, It’s an Automotive Paradise
The SEMA Show is a business event, as everyone in the industry knows. It’s the venue where buyers and sellers come together to provide products to installers and stock the shelves of retail outlets throughout the nation and the world. But it’s also so much more than that. It’s one of the world’s greatest custom car shows. It’s a four-day university of automotive knowledge. It’s a carnival, complete with wild rides and sideshows. There’s more going on at the SEMA Show than at many of the planet’s amusement parks, and there’s only so much time in each day. Attendees have to plan ahead if they want to catch every nuance available. Here’s a brief look at some of the major points of interest.
The Keys Are Collecting, Qualifying and Following Up
According to a report entitled “2013 SEMA Show Research”—a post-Show survey of exhibitors and attendees—almost 90% of exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show said that they exhibit in order to generate leads and increase awareness of their companies. Slightly higher percentages said that those objectives were met at the 2013 Show.
Four Expert Tips for Building Online Buzz for Your Booth Starting Today
The latest registration statistics for this year’s SEMA Show indicate a more than 5% increase in the number of buyers planning to hit the Show floor on Tuesday–Friday, November 4–7. With more buyers than ever coming to the Show, an exhibitor’s obvious goal is to entice as many of them into the company booth as possible. You’ll likely do this with new-product introductions, updates to signature product lines, booth demonstrations, project-vehicle reveals and even, perhaps, celebrity appearances. However, all of those tactics do little good if you don’t build buzz about them ahead of time.
Advice for First-Time (and Even Long-Time) Exhibitors
More than 130,000 automotive industry professionals will attend the 2014 SEMA Show, November 4–7, at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), and more than 60,000 of them will be buyers searching the aisles for products to carry in their retail outlets and installation centers. Historically, 87% of those buyers plan to purchase products from the Show’s exhibitors. With some forethought, a bit of research and a successful strategy, even first-time exhibitors can take full advantage of those sales opportunities at what has become the largest annual gathering of small businesses in the United States.
For Many, a Bitter Pill
Businesses smarting over Facebook’s decision to severely limit their ability to communicate with people who like their business pages on the social network recently got an explanation from the web titan about the policy change. But many aren’t buying it.
“Facebook wants us to pay for real estate that we used to get for free,” said Leslie Nuccio, creative strategist for Meltwater, a social media monitoring and press relations firm.
You might be able to start a nail with a screwdriver, but it’s a whole lot easier with a hammer. The proper tool makes any task flow more smoothly—and automotive machining and modification are certainly the beneficiaries of tool and equipment innovations. A wealth of working gear was introduced in the New Products Showcase at the 2013 SEMA Show. We’ve gathered them together on the next few pages for your review and enjoyment. There may be a gem here that can make your next undertaking more of a joy and less of a job.