GET THE MOST OUT OF IAAPA 2023

IAAPA’s a massive show. The organization expects 1,000+ vendors on the show floor in 2023. If you’re coming for the first time, or you’re only going to be around for a day or two? That can seem pretty overwhelming. The last thing you want to do is spend all that money and leave feeling like you missed something.

• The show floor’s open for 8 hours
• You might arrive a little late after getting breakfast, parking, etc.
• Getting between stops could take ten minutes or more, especially if you slow down to look at something that caught your eye (this is also important!)
• An in-depth demo could take you 30 minutes or more, especially if you have to wait your turn. You may even need to leave a particularly busy booth and come back later.
• You’re probably going to want an hour for lunch, especially if you get talking with people you meet or others traveling with you
• You might get tired from all the walking and need a mid-afternoon break
• You might leave the show floor to catch a good educational session

At vrCAVE, we exhibit at and attend trade shows ourselves. So we’re going to share a few tips with you here to help you get the most out of IAAPA.

1: Make an IAAPA Plan: Identify the 5-10 vendors you absolutely have to see

Whether you’re looking for a great VR vendor (like us!), a new booking system, new concession options, or a whole lot of things at once, IAAPA is your chance to get face-to-face conversations and hands-on demos.

The big advantage for you here is you can check out all the options for what you’re looking for all on the same day. There’s no scheduling Zoom calls with multiple reps and employees and sitting through hours-long presentations — there’s walking up to a booth, striking up a conversation, and direct experience.

If you do nothing else on this list, do this: write down the 5-10 vendors you absolutely have to see. Whatever else happens, you’re going to be at these booths. This is your Priority List.

That doesn’t mean you have to walk directly from one end of the hall to another and back while ignoring everything else along the way until you’re done with your highest priorities. There’s only so much walking anyone wants to do in a day, and you don’t want to be inefficient!

But it does mean you should look at the amount of time you’ve got and keep your progress through that list top of mind.

So, if you’re going to be there two days and you’ve got seven vendors on your list, make sure that by the end of day one, you’ve seen at least four of them. The reason it’s important to keep on top of this list is it’s easy to underestimate how much time you’ll spend between these stops.

If you don’t watch out, you may well miss out! Make that priority list and plan a route through the show floor.

2: Reach out to your priority list ahead of time

If you’re worried about being able to get to every booth on your list, reach out ahead of time. Some vendors will allow you to book a time to see them specifically. That means you’ll be able to walk up to the booth at the time and start your conversation right away.

If you book some time, be sure to actually get there on time or let them know if you’re running late. Things happen, your talk with another vendor takes longer than you thought — but reserving time at busy booths is difficult. If you’re not there and someone else is, you’ll have to wait for them to be done now.

3: Research your priority list

You can cut down on the time spent at the vendor booths if you do some research ahead of time. Check out the basics of the product or service and come ready to talk details. You’ll be able to skip the general pitch and get straight to what matters: how the product can be applied to your individual business and, if appropriate, the hands-on demo you need to help make your decision.

Take vrCAVE for instance. The best thing you can do ahead of time if you’re visiting us is to check you can fit the free roam experience and if your area is available. If you come to the booth knowing you can fit a 15’ x 18’ experience, and you know there’s no one already in your town, you can get straight to the demo.

This step will help you be much more efficient and free up time for the secondary and unexpected vendors.

4: Take the time to walk around without an agenda

Assuming you’re making good time on your Priority List, take some time and just walk around without a specific goal. With more than 1,000 companies to see, you don’t know what you don’t know. Give yourself the opportunity to explore with a sense of curiosity rather than urgency.

• You may want to give yourself a loose plan with a secondary list of companies that seem interesting, but aren’t necessarily must-sees. This can help you not get totally lost on the show floor!
• Check out a booth that looks fun but is like nothing you currently operate. Could it be a good match? What would it take to implement it?
• If you’re traveling in a group, split up to cover more ground. If anyone finds anything worth looking at, you can all go back together.

5: Don’t Miss The Educational and Networking Opportunities!

The show floor is full of excitement, but don’t forget to check out the many educational sessions and networking opportunities!

IAAPA contains a plethora of valuable talks that cover everything from marketing your attraction business, to the next big trends, to industry-specific advice, case studies, and roundtables.

Whatever’s on your mind, with 143 sessions in 2023, there’s probably one waiting for you. Just make sure you’ve got the Education Addition on your ticket!

And take a look at the networking events. Sometimes, the best way to get an answer on what you should do with your business is from someone else who’s been through it. You’ll also find vendors and other industry experts in attendance, so they’re a great way to get to know more people and build valuable relationships.

There are industry-specific mixers, regional events, breakfasts, and more. Have a look through the schedule and see if anything pops out.

Come find us!

Wanna check vrCAVE out at IAAPA? Find us at Booth 252! We'll be running demos of our line of 7 VR escape rooms all week — and will have an exclusive reveal out the 8th game on November 14, 2pm! Contact us here if you want to arrange a time!