The Car Wash Show 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, provides the world’s largest car care trade show, meeting place, and networking event in the United States. This year’s theme centers around helping attendees “redefine how you think about your business.”
You’ll also learn more about the latest wash innovations, trends, and future projections for the industry. That said, without a plan of action, The Car Wash Show 2017 can feel overwhelming and even intimidating. That’s why we’ve got your five-step plan for surviving and thriving at this year’s event.
One. Devote Serious Time to the Trade Show Floor
To get an idea of how big The Car Wash Show will be, let’s take a look at the turnout for the 2016 show — approximately 8,000 attendees representing nearly 10,000 car care locations around the globe. Not surprisingly, The Car Wash Show boasts the largest trade show floor in the industry, 130,000 net square feet of product and service displays.
According to event coordinators, “Representing car wash equipment, supplies, and professional services, the Show is your one-stop-shop for all your business needs.” This abundance of car care resources means you’ll need to use your time and energy wisely. So, plan on devoting serious time to the trade show floor, the heartbeat of the entire show.
Two. App Up
One of the best ways to navigate the sprawling Car Wash Show remains downloading this year’s event app. The Car Wash Show app contains maps of the event, a scavenger hunt, information on networking events, and a variety of other great resources.
Best of all, the app allows you to schedule where you’d like to go, what you’d like to see, and then provides you with real-time notifications for each selected event. There’s no better way to stay on top of this year’s show.
Don’t have a smart phone? The Show’s website provides a handy filter to search out the programs you are most interested in attending by category, day, and target audience so that you don’t miss a thing.
Three. Go VIP
Clearly the opportunities are many at this year’s event, but how do you best take advantage of all that the show has to offer? Go VIP.
New to the event this year, the VIP All Access Pass allows participants two extra hours on the trade show floor on Wednesday and Thursday. This means more one-on-one time with top vendors.
You’ll also enjoy exclusive admission to the State of the Industry Address and Keynote Speech, receive access to the Century Club lounge, benefit from free luggage check at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and access a complementary shuttle ride to McCarran Airport on Thursday, April 6th.
Four. Take Notes
The Car Wash Show 2017 aims to increase education and awareness within the car care industry through peer education sessions including seminars and receptions for emerging industry leaders and new investors. According to the Show’s official website, “The Car Wash Show features best-in-class education providing practical advice and real-life solutions for business success.”
More than seventy educational offerings cover topics ranging from customer service challenges to personal branding in the digital age to the fundamentals of carwash success to HR challenges and much more. So, come prepared to take notes.
Five. Network, Network, Network
Numerous networking opportunities will provide attendees with the chance to meet leaders, experts, and likeminded individuals in the car care industry.
A Welcome Reception on Tuesday will allow attendees to network and begin exploring the Show. The State of the Industry Breakfast and Keynote Presentation Wednesday morning will provide concise information on what to watch for in the coming year, and the “Booth Crawl” on Wednesday afternoon is sure to break the networking ice. So, make sure to pack extra business cards.
We’ll Keep You in the Know
Of course, you can count on White Water Solutions to keep you informed about the most recent happenings in the wash industry. We’ll be frontline and center at The Car Wash Show 2017 bringing you the latest and greatest news from the event.
Look for next month’s special issue of Wash Wise, which will provide you with the who, what, when, where, and why of this massive industry meeting. Have questions about the show or anything else wash-related? Contact us for more details.
