Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2019 - 46

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Tips for Traversing KBIS

A day in the life of a kitchen and bath design professional is already jam packed, so
it is essential that when you do take a few days away from your regularly scheduled
jobs, that you make the most of your time. To stay in the know on new products and
trends, to network with peers and meet new contacts and to educate oneself about
an industry that is always changing, it is imperative to attend industry trade shows.
KBIS is a huge opportunity to do all those things. It's an event you don't want
to miss, but you have to take some things into consideration to ensure you come
away with more knowledge about everything from new marketing tactics to
design tips for aging in place to building relationships with brands.
Here are some helpful tips from veteran KBIS attendees.

DOUG WALTER, AKBD

EBONY STEPHENSON, CAPS

DOUG WALTER ARCHITECTS
I would advise anyone going to KBIS the
first time to make a plan. List all the exhibitors you want to see with booth numbers, then organize by aisle number so you
don't have to double back and walk more
than you have to already.Then go back and
prioritize; BOLD the booths you MUST
see, and the rest are want-to-sees. Maybe
visit all the bolds on Day 1 to make sure
you get to them. I guarantee you'll be diverted by booths you hadn't even flagged.
As much as I think the educational track
is top notch, you need to spend at least as
much time on the floor as in seminars if
you hope to come away feeling like you've
done the whole show.

VERONIKA MILLER
MODENUS

DESIGNS BY EBONY

When you leave your hotel room that
morning, pack only the essentials in a
lightweight, easy-to-carry bag - preferably an over-the-shoulder bag, cross-body
bag or even a stylish mini backpack. You
don't realize how much not having to lug
around a heavy handheld purse will free
up your hands and keep you from getting
fatigued. In this list of essentials, include
the following:
A small bottle of water. You will be
doing a lot of talking and miles of walking. There are water fountains, so you
can just refill throughout the day.
Small, easy-to-eat, pick-me-up
snacks for energy and a light meal on
the go.
A light jacket or cardigan to keep you
warm if the convention center is on the
colder side.
Medication. I can't tell you how many
times I have been on the show floor and
needed to stop for a minute to catch my
breath and take some pain medication
to keep up with the grind of convention
floor life.

Stay Day 3! So many people use the last
day for their departure, and that's a mistake. If you don't want to have
to do deal with four nights
in a hotel, take advantage
of the time difference and
fly out early to get there by
morning on Day 1. VenWe have walked the KBIS show floor
dors have more time to talk
more times than we can remember, and no matter the
to you on the last day, too.
location, it always takes longer than we think to get
from one convention center hall to the next. Our advice
would be to plan to stay in one hall and delve deep into
it before moving on to the next. You could also plan to
dedicate a day to each hall.

KBB EDITORS

ALENA CAPRA, CMKBD,
ALENA CAPRA DESIGNS

Check the official show hashtags on
social media (specifically Instagram because the visual images help).This helps
narrow down specific booths you want
to see. It's super helpful because there
may be a specific faucet, countertop
or appliance that is eye catching, and
then I add those to my list of where to
stop by.This almost ensures you will not
miss anything.
Download the official show app. Even
though I am more old school and still
write an actual list with booth numbers
when I am mapping out my visits, I also
use the app to get even more relevant
info. It really is a great tool!
Visit the most important booths first.
Sometimes I don't have three full days
to spend at KBIS, and most times I have
been able to do it in one and a half to two
days. I hit the main booths on my list the
first half of the first day, and then I spend
time looking at the rest.
Comfortable shoes are essential! If
you are going to get to see all that you
want to, you do not want to be slowed
down with uncomfortable shoes.Typically I go with flats, dressier sneakers or
some sort of shoe with a cork wedge.
Share favorites with industry friends.
I always like to arrange meet ups during the show so we can walk a bit of it
together. Sometimes you will each have
certain brand relationships and contacts
that you can share, and it helps us all get
to know more people and more brands.
A hundred percent of the time you see
more than you would have alone, and
it's more fun!
Take advantage of the guided tours.
This is especially helpful if you are new
to KBIS. Tours are the best way to get
concise info and see a lot in an efficient
and organized way. I've given them and
have also been on many of them, and
they are always helpful.

/ NOV.-DEC. 2019 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of NKBA (NKBA.org) and KBIS (KBIS.com)

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Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2019

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