Get prepared for NAB Show!

It’s just ticked over into 2018 which means that it’s less than 3 months until NAB Show 2018 (April 9-13). Yes, that means it’s time for us to start preparing for our time in Las Vegas. For us that means we need to practice standing on our feet for 10 hours a day, walking 10 miles, and shaking 1,000 hands! We have our mega-long flights booked, our hotels sorted, car rentals done and have started fasting in order to prepare for Las Vegas buffets.

If you have planned to go to NAB, start booking now! Although Vegas is a huge place, NAB bring A LOT of people to town and it tends to get expensive.

Why go to NAB Show 2018?

NAB show in Las Vegas is the biggest broadcast tradeshow in the world with over 102,000 attendees! It’s the place to be if you’re into movie making, live production, editing, post-production, audio, VR/AR, streaming, cameras, tripods, lenses, etc etc. There is a lot to see at NAB, so if you’re sick of watching YouTube recaps of NAB Show every year…come and see it first hand!

Sure, it may be a little overwhelming at first and the larger booths can be a little standoffish but there is plenty of people to meet and products to try. Part of the fun of NAB Show is that because there are 1900+ exhibitors, there is a lot of stuff to be seen! Everyone has heard of the big brands, but NAB opens up a level playing field for everyone. If you’ve got a booth at NAB, then everyone there has access to you and your product. The smaller companies will most likely have REAL staff members of the company working there. They have a working knowledge of the product/service and might even be the creator of it! The first vMix booth was a tiny little hotdog stand, so you never know what company or product you might discover walking the backs of the halls.

vMix Tips for Maximising Your NAB Experience!

Now there are a lot of lists like this, and I’m sure it’s all been said before, but maybe you’ve never been to NAB and want to know!

1. Wear comfortable shoes!

Las Vegas Convention Centre is a LARGE place. Most convention centres are the size of 1 of the halls there…and there are 4 halls at the LVCC! Not to mention the hallways, meeting rooms, nooks and crannies all over the place! You’re on your feet most of the day, so having comfortable shoes is the only way to travel. Another tip is to search for those booths with the double cushioned carpet! Oh boy, it’s like walking on a cloud. I have added extra to the carpet budget this year because I need that cloud cushioning! Don’t worry about fashion at NAB and just wear comfortable shoes. Sure, you’re probably going to end up in the background of a YouTubers NAB video or a PTZ Optics live stream, but they shouldn’t be able to see your shoes!

2. Plan your time wisely!

Before you get to NAB, sit down and work out all of your MUST SEEs. Does someone have a new product unveiling? Do you have a question for a particular company? Does a booth offer free coffee? These are the important things to consider. Work out where each of these companies are and make a list of who is in what hall. The worst feeling in the world is starting in the South Lower Hall, going to the North Hall and back to the South Lower hall….and then you realise that you have to go back to the North Hall again! No one wants to add a couple of miles and 30 mins to their day. Divide your MUST SEE exhibitors by hall and then go to 1 hall at a time.

3. Take the road less travelled.

Even though you need to plan out your MUST SEEs, don’t forget to take some time to walk through the smaller booths at NAB. There is a lot to see, and every company has to start somewhere. Maybe you’ll help discover the next awesome product! Get in on the ground floor, be ahead of the pack and help support small businesses. We’ve connected with many small companies like us at NAB and it’s a great opportunity to hear directly from the people creating the product. Most of the time you can have direct access to the CEO, CTO, COO and developers. That’s something that you just can’t do via email or through a Facebook message!

4. Eat and drink!

Seems obviously right? Well Las Vegas is apparently a desert. It’s super humid in our home city, so it’s a difficult transition for us. You need to make sure that you’re constantly hydrated! Be on the look out for free bottles of water at different booths. The days at NAB can go very quickly so as soon as you realise it, it’s 5pm. Keep track of the time and be sure to eat! If you need to buy food, make sure that if you see a short line, just get in it and eat! And, buy me something too…I’ll pay you back.

I have had bad experiences with Trade Show hotdogs, but your mileage may vary.

5. Make New Friends

Before leaving for Las Vegas, be sure to check any forums or Facebook groups to see if there are any meetups you can attend. NAB is a great place to meet people that you may only know through the Internet! I know that I’ve met tens of thousands of people at these events and quite a lot of them have been from our forums, social media and other groups, so it’s great to be able to catch up.

6. Unlimited POWER!!!

If you plan to Tweet, Snapchat, FB, and Insta your way through NAB Show remember to bring an external battery pack. You will need it! As with most large events, phone reception is not great so that’s something to consider as well. Don’t plan a live stream unless you’ve got guaranteed bandwidth.

7. Free Stuff

Everyone loves free stuff, right? Well I do but I also don’t like unusable free stuff. A giant cardboard bag? No thanks! An awesome limited edition vMix mousepad…Umm yes please! Which leads me to point 7…

8. Be prepared for SPAM

If you want free stuff, make sure that you’re willing to receive emails from that company. You may want to set up an email redirect or create a new email account just for trade shows. Trust me, it pays off! AND you have to be careful of people that appear to be admiring your shirt a little too closely, they don’t think you have AMAZING taste, they’re actually trying to scan your badge so they can email you!

9. Don’t get lost!

Make sure that you download the NAB App so that you don’t get lost. A 3 hour tour may see you shipwrecked somewhere near a pizza stand in the North Hall with no idea how to get back to civilisation!

10. Be nice!

NAB can be very long and tiring, so try to be friendly to people you are talking to and asking questions to. Chances are they have travelled 20+ hours, set up a booth, been on their feet all week and have already been told what’s wrong with their product! If you genuinely like a product, there’s no harm in telling that company! If I see a product at NAB that I use and enjoy, I always make sure to go up to their booth and let them know!

Have Fun at NAB 2018!

So those are my 10 tips for NAB. It’s a great place to connect with companies and product manufacturers. It’s also somewhere to meet and network with other people that share an interest in broadcast, streaming, audio, cameras and so much more.

vMix will be in booth SL 4620, which will be right in the heart of all the action in the SOUTH LOWER HALL. Drop by, say hello and ask any questions you may have…nicely of course!

Our sign up code is- LV2549 which will give you a free pass up until March.