CES breaks people.
After 15 years of staffing CES booths, here's everything we've learned about surviving - and thriving - at the world's largest tech show.
#The Scale Problem
CES spans multiple venues across Las Vegas:
- Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) - The main event
- Venetian/Palazzo - Where the startups live
- Mandalay Bay - Automotive, health tech
- Various hotels - Satellite events
The fix: Pick your battles. You cannot see everything. Prioritize ruthlessly.
#The Staffing Reality
Here's what most brands underestimate:
Day 1: Everyone's fresh. Energy is high. The booth looks great.
Day 2: Fatigue sets in. Voices are hoarse. The carpet starts to hurt.
Day 3: Survival mode. Staff are running on coffee and determination.
Day 4: Zombies. Pure willpower.
The brands that win at CES plan for this degradation:
- Rotate staff frequently (4-hour shifts max)
- Build in real breaks (not "stand in the back of the booth" breaks)
- Have backup staff ready
- Provide comfortable shoes (seriously, enforce this)
- Hydration stations in the booth
#Booth Strategy
The LVCC show floor is overwhelming. Thousands of booths competing for attention.
What works:
- Movement catches eyes (demos, not just displays)
- Height matters (tall structures visible from distance)
- Sound is tricky (too loud annoys neighbors, too quiet gets lost)
- Staff in the aisle, not behind counters
What doesn't:
- Static displays that look like museum exhibits
- Heavy-handed sales pitches (attendees are exhausted too)
- Complicated demos that take 20 minutes
- Booths that are beautiful but intimidating
#The Meeting Game
For B2B companies, CES is really about meetings. The booth is just a place for them to happen.
Smart companies:
- Pre-schedule meetings before the show
- Have dedicated meeting spaces (away from booth noise)
- Qualify aggressively (don't waste time on tourists)
- Follow up DURING the show, not after
The post-CES inbox is a graveyard. By the time you follow up a week later, everyone's moved on.
#Vegas Logistics
Hotels: Book in August for January CES. By October, you're paying 4x normal rates for a room at a casino you've never heard of.
Transportation: The monorail is your friend. Rideshares during CES are nightmare expensive with 45-minute waits. Walk when possible.
Food: Convention food is terrible and overpriced. Bring snacks. Have team dinners off-site to decompress.
#The Content Opportunity
CES generates enormous media coverage. Every tech journalist on earth is there, desperate for stories.
The play: Have something genuinely newsworthy. A press release isn't enough. An actual announcement, demo, or exclusive gets coverage.
Timing matters: Announce Monday or Tuesday. By Wednesday, journalists are fried.
#What We Tell Our Staff
Before every CES, we brief our teams:
1. Pace yourself. It's a marathon, not a sprint. 2. Stay hydrated. Vegas is a desert. The convention center is dry. 3. Comfortable shoes are mandatory. Fashion doesn't matter when you can't walk. 4. Eat real meals. Convention center food will destroy you. 5. Sleep. The parties are tempting. Your performance matters more. 6. Stay positive. By day 3, everyone's struggling. Be the energy you want to see.
CES is hard. But it's also where deals happen, partnerships form, and brands get made.
Survive it right, and it's worth every painful step.
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