THE LAST MINUTE 2017 N.A.D.A. SHOW CHECKLIST

Ok, so you have known about the 2017 NADA Show for quite some time now, yet you find yourself freaking out a day before you leave. No worries, we have all been there. Register to Attend here!

FROM THE OFFICE

First and foremost, let's think about what you will need to get from the office. Some things will be accessible via Email, Google Docs, flash drives, etc.  Create a "Note" on your Cell Phone or go old-school and actually write it out on paper.

• Business Cards / Marketing Materials
• Laptop / Charger / Back up Charger?
• Flash drives - power points, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.
• Email Response - "I will be out of the office..."
• Who needs to know where I will be during the show? 
• Last minute tasks I MUST do before I leave?
• Miscellaneous - headphones, pens, notebook, books, etc

FROM HOME


Alright, I have my shoes, my jacket, shirt, and tie are on point, where's my belt? My belt! Son of a  $!+@&!!! How many of you have been there before? I know I have. Nothing is worse than arriving at your destination, only to discover a must-have pair of shoes didn't make it to your bag. Let's not let that happen this year, what do ya say?

As far as clothing and what to wear over the next few days - try this.View each day as basically 2-3 outfits needed. One main outfit for during the day, another for the evening (more dressy) and a comfortable outfit that could be worn to relax, hit the gym, or maybe do some sight-seeing. Try and use combos and colors that are interchangeable.

Last but certainly not least, make sure to tell your loved ones goodbye before you leave. With all the huss and fuss involved in business, we often forget about the little things in life. NEVER go out of town in a fight. What if you never came back - think about that. Get in as many last minute, "I love You's," as you can, and not just in a text. Try and lighten the mood a little as you depart - a nice inside joke or a quick funny remark will work. Put a smile on their face before you leave, it does more than you think.

  

HOTEL & TRAVEL

Now, the fun part. For many of you, flying to the event will be your means of travel. Enough said. The hassle of the airport and actually getting to your hotel or destination - post airport - is a headache waiting to happen. Check out one of older Blog posts - How To Make the Most Of Airports, Traffic, Ubers, and More.

One thing many business professionals forget about these days when they travel is the amount of available Mobile Apps that are perfect for traveling. Here are some Apps that should make traveling a little less hectic  

• Always download your Airline's Mobile App - check-in early, updates on the flight, changes in departure times, etc.
• Uber of Lyft - Chances are 5 o'clock could come at 10 am on Bourbon St. Let's be responsible - have one of these car shuttle services on deck ready to go!
• Your Hotel will normally have a Mobile App as well. Take advantage of their Rewards Program if they have one. View the list of Offical NADA Hotels.
• I really like the app Concur for keeping track of expenses and receipts during the trip - mobile management of those things have become a must.
• A great messaging app for those of you traveling as a team to New Orleans is one we use here at M-1 Data very often - Slack. This allows you to organize certain documents, presentations, conversations, events all in a could-based format, making it accessible for everyone at all times. Trust me, you want it. 

PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE


This is where things can get a little tricky. It is much easier said than done to have a nice fancy schedule before arriving at the strip. But let's be honest with ourselves, I think we both know that schedule could get altered some upon arrival. (PICTURED BELOW - Helio Catroneves, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Purdy).

• Let's take a look at the Workshop Schedule - The Workshops are seated first come, first-serve basis, and cost no additional money or registration to attend. I realize you won't be able to make nearly as many of these as you would like but make it an absolute priority to attend as many as you can. Most of the Presenters usually have more than one workshop, so if you miss them Friday, check them out Saturday.
• Here is a look at the Daily Schedule from a glance.
• The Keynote Speakers this year are really special. From top-notch CEO's and World-Class Athlete's to some of the funniest names in Comedy, this year's Speakers will not disappoint.
• Who doesn't love some FREE Hospitality? Check out the Hospitality Schedule over the course of the show.
• You will not want to miss out in the NADA100 Carnival. This year's lineup includes Foreigner, Cowboy Mouth, and New Orleans Jazz favorites. Here is a great NADA Party & Event Listings Page for all of your entertainment while in New Orleans. Thanks, Arnold Tijerina.
• Take advantage of the MyNADAPlanner feature this year. You must visit the link and create a profile to get started, but it is worth it. This allows you to create a schedule and plan ahead much more efficiently. From keynote speakers to workshops schedules, this will give you such an advantage during the Show.

SOCIAL MEDIA AT NADA100

For those of you that have not followed NADA Convention & Expo on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn yet, definitely do so. On top of staying in the loop while out in Vegas, this will allow you to be part of the action. Let your voice be heard!

Link up with the person in your company in charge of Social Media before you head to New Orleans. Especially an Expo like the NADA Convention, this is prime time Social Media Marketing time. Simply reach out to your Digital Marketing Coordinator (or whoever handles your Social Media) and get on the same page before departure.

If you have not already downloaded the Official NADA100 Mobile App, you might want to get on that. Very convenient and a must-have for the Convention.

The official hashtag for both Twitter and Instagram will be #NADA100.


Follow Me on Twiiter @JtownW / @M1Data