Pulse August 2017 | Page 44

2017 ISPA CONFERENCE & EXPO

Ways to Get the Most Out of the ISPA Expo

Discover the best of the spa industry on ISPA ’ s Expo Floor . With over 200 exhibitors and an estimated 60 new product launches each year , the Expo is the place to find innovative products and solutions for your spa . While the ISPA Expo is incredibly exciting , it can also be overwhelming . Here are a few tips to get the most out of your time on the Expo floor :

1 .

Go in with a plan . It ’ s important to know what your spa needs before setting foot on the Expo floor . This will help you stay focused and make the connections that will benefit your business .

2 .

Now that you ’ ve got a plan , make appointments with vendors ahead of time to get the most out of your time in the Expo . Log on to attendISPA . com to access a virtual Expo floor plan .

3 .

Allow for extra time . If you have scheduled appointments , be sure that you leave enough padding in your schedule to make it to each one . The floor is large and creating cushion time will prevent you from stressing .

4 .

Remain open-minded . We know you already work with some amazing resource partners , but be sure to check out one of the 45 ( and counting ) exhibitors who are brand new to ISPA . Who knows , it could be the start of a beautiful partnership .

5 .

Block out part of your time at the Expo to wander around and consider the booths of companies you are not yet familiar with . When you attend a presentation , ask your seatmates which companies or products excite them . If they attend the same presentation as you , chances are that they will have similar professional needs and interests .

6 .

When you ’ re wandering , avoid approaching booths when they are packed . If you approach when it ’ s busy , the chances of you getting in to the right person are slim . Make a note to come back and in the meantime , head to a booth that is a bit emptier .
veteran tip
Make appointments with exhibitors . Setting appointments allows you uninterrupted time to learn more about the products .
— kate mearns , 5Spa consulting

4 EXCITING CAN ’ T MISS CONFERENCE EXPERIENCES

Dessert Cart . Don ’ t miss the sweet

1 . goodies on the Revitalash Dessert Cart . Back by popular demand , this cart will make its way through the Expo floor each day and feature amazing treats that are sure to give you a mid-day pickme-up .

Room Drops . Attendees staying in

2 . ISPA ’ s room block at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino will receive a room drop full of goodies each night of Conference .

Keep in mind — if the “ do not disturb ” marker is set on your hotel room , you will have to retrieve your drop the following afternoon .
Keynote Book Signings . General

3 . Session Keynote Speakers Amy Cuddy and Daniel Pink will be signing copies of their books in The Hub after their respective sessions . Meet Cuddy after her Monday General Session from 11:15 am – 12 pm and Pink after his session on Tuesday from 11:45 am – 12:30 pm . Ruth Stricker ’ s Wise Voices 2 . 0 . As

4 . if you needed another reason to attend this year ’ s General Sessions , we ’ ve got two more . Before Monday ’ s session , Richard Blanco , the 5th inaugural poet in U . S . history , will present a special poem dedicated to the ISPA community . And on Wednesday , the APEXER a . k . a . Ricardo Richey will tell his story and show his unique graffiti artwork creations .

Consider what you want to achieve – networking , finding new products , or getting veteran tip inspired , and make a list of the presentations you want to see , the exhibitors you want to check out , and the people you want to meet . But be ready to forget the plan when opportunity arises . Be open to meet new people and flow from one opportunity to the next .
— ann brown , saltability
42 PULSE ■ August 2017