Whether you are a first-time participant or a veteran attending the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) RECon 2012 in Las Vegas on May 20-23, returning home a winner can be a challenge. Consider these four tips when planning your trip:
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Set appointments for at least 75% of your time. RECon is unlike most other trade shows. Retailers and developers begin making appointments for meetings as early as a year before the show. To be successful go to RECon with confirmed appointments and leave only a small portion of your time for unplanned opportunities.
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Acquire prospect info. Go to your appointments armed with details about the retailer or developer that you are meeting with. The typical appointment is less than 30 minutes. A clear understanding of the prospect’s needs and values lets you align your short presentation to achieve maximum results.
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Practice your elevator pitch. You may never have to sell your community in an elevator, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need a strong “elevator pitch.” This pitch should get the immediate attention and interest of the prospect by highlighting your community’s advantages and what kind of solutions you offer.
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Wear comfortable shoes. The Las Vegas Convention Center is the home for ICSC RECon. The center has more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space in over 20 meeting halls. Your appointments can be scattered throughout this massive space so go prepared to get a lot of exercise and without blisters.
