At last year’s NAMM show, nearly 100,000 people hit the floor of the Anaheim Convention Center to peruse the booths of 1,621 exhibiting companies and check out products from over 5,000 brands. With that many people and vendors milling about, a music conference like NAMM can be overwhelming. Ahead of the fast-approaching 2016 installment of the convention, we compiled the best tips and tricks from experienced NAMM show attendees to prepare you for the trade show floor.
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1. Wear Comfortable Shoes
Guests who attend the NAMM Show, even for just an afternoon, can expect to log miles of walking. During last year’s Media Preview Day, Joe Lamond, CEO and president of NAMM, noted, “We had one of our board members wear a pedometer last year to see how far they’d walk at NAMM over the four days, and it was more than 28 miles!”
2. Stick To Business
“Perhaps the most important thing to focus on is your business purpose. There are so many distractions with NAMM being the "Toys R Us" for musicians and it’s important that you try to find the right people and set an appointment. In my case, I would deal with around 4-5 booths basically: drums, cymbals, sticks, drumheads … Since I have chosen my brands and have some endorsements, I would keep my relationship warm with those people, get pics or videos, and advertise myself and them through the Internet.” — Thanasi Moustogiannis, studio drummer
3. Network Like A Champ
“Have business cards available and talk to as many of the artist relations people as you can. Just be real with them and treat them with respect and really show true interest in their products. You never know who you’re gonna meet at NAMM.” — Orion Rainz, drummer for Stonebreed
4. Start Big And Bring Cash
“Hit the big companies first. The reps will be fresh and can give you heads-up tips on something special they may have planned, such as a sponsored concert or a rock star you’d love to meet! Bring cash. Many of these companies will have some goodies they'd rather sell you on the cheap, rather than pay to ship it back to their headquarters.” — Guy Kowarsh, producer
5. Go In With A Plan
“Before heading to NAMM, make a plan on what you need to see first and what's most important to you. There are so many people and so many things to see! Start from the section that's most needed for your work. Also, check what events and after parties they have every day. Try and go to all these because you never know who you are going to meet.” — Nicolas Farmakalidis, producer at Neilaproductions
6. Get There Early
“We went in the mornings this time and had a better experience talking with the reps that we wanted. It was less crowded and people were able to actually spend some time with us as opposed to rushing through conversations with a line of people waiting behind.” — Neara Russell, musician
7. Plan For A Long Day
“I would suggest planning for an all day crazy event. I always bring a backpack, extra water bottles, snacks, and definitely wear comfortable attire. Pack a lot of business cards because you may pass out more than you think. Prior to getting to the convention, I also mark all of the booths that I for sure want to see. This helps me organize my day. NAMM can get very overwhelming with all of the noise and instruments, so this helps me stay on track. Lastly, bring your earplugs and hand sanitizer, for survival.” — Kelly McGrath, singer/songwriter
8. Go On A Weekday And Avoid The Crowds
“I went on Thursday this year and have enjoyed it the best so far. I've gone on Friday and Saturday before and It gets so crowded, so noisy, and so busy, that it is very overwhelming. Thursday was a much calmer day to go.” — Melissa St. John, professional keyboardist
9. Be On The Lookout For New Opportunities
“Keep your head up, eyes open. For most of us, this event is about networking, seeing old friends, and making new ones. The gear is fun, but most likely you're here to talk to others in your industry and help advance your career. Also, if you're paying attention, you might catch Stevie Wonder playing drums right on the floor! True story!” — Jordan Plosky, professional drummer (Miley Cyrus, Everclear, Perry Farrell, Jason Derulo) and founder & CEO of ComicBlitz
10. Don’t Let A Busy Booth Deter You
“There are gonna be a lot of people at NAMM and sometimes you don't get the chance to talk to the exhibitor because they get so busy talking to people. A great way to get around this is to send emails to the company before and make an appointment. If they are busy, you can reach out after NAMM.” — Aika Hirahara, singer/songwriter
11. Utilize The NAMM App
“The NAMM app proved to be very helpful for navigating around the conference. It gives you directions from one booth to the next, since finding a certain booth can be challenging.” — Elmo Lovano, founder & CEO of Jammcard
12. Keep Up On The Latest
“Look in the Upbeat Daily magazine to see what new products are being released. Wander downstairs to check out some of the new up-and-coming companies and products. If you can, get a pass to the TEC Awards.” — Ben Thompkins, regional sales manager at Blue Microphones
13. Do NAMM Like An Artist Playing A Gig There
“After we play, we head into the convention itself. Our first stop is usually to stop by some of our sponsors such as Sennheiser, Gibson and TC Helicon to say hello and to see all their new gear. After that, we navigate the hall … to check out a specific piece of gear we have heard about. We then just wander amongst the madness, which is usually the best way to discover new gear. There is always some crazy new innovation that blows us away. Meeting the different reps and getting business cards to hand off to our manager is also key; it’s all about personal relationships especially when the reps are getting bombarded by everyone.“ — Mandi Perkins, lead singer for Of Verona
14. Do NAMM Like An Artist’s Manager
“I always make sure to stop at the booths that sponsor the bands/producers I work with. I also connect with them later that night too to have a beer or some food at the Hilton or Sheraton. Everyone is so busy during the year, it’s nice to use NAMM to reconnect. For me, the best part of NAMM is discovering something new and making new connections. My clients will often let me know what gear they are interested in and I will make it a priority to stop by those booths to meet their reps. Even a quick three-minute conversation putting faces to the names helps when you follow up with them afterwards. Bringing along my artists and producers to meet people is helpful too since they can really talk shop and make that personal connection. If possible, it’s best to try and meet the actual head of artist relations and get their info. I’ve also been able to organize interviews and features for my clients in different magazine and publications through chance meetings while just hanging out on the floor and in the hotels afterwards.” — Ari Ingel, manager at De Novo Music Group
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