Behind the Scenes with ChargePoint at CES

By: Carrie

We look forward to CES all year long! With 3,200 exhibitors and 4,700 media attendees from 174 countries, we wouldn’t miss the annual conference for the world. 

Our favorite part of CES is supporting our clients who are either exhibiting, speaking or attending. From scheduling meetings with reporters to ensuring every news moment goes off without a hitch, we love helping create amazing stories and connections. This year, I worked alongside our client ChargePoint at the Mercedes-Benz booth, where ChargePoint announced that the two companies are joining forces to install 400 fast electric vehicle charging hubs across the U.S. It was a blast to be in the center of the EV action and to get an up-close look at the innovation at CES.

For those who are already looking forward to CES 2024, here are a few tips to make sure your clients’ conference experience is fruitful and fun.

Tailor your briefing materials – one size does not fit all

It’s best practice to pull together briefing materials ahead of an in-person event to make sure clients are armed with all the information they need to have informative meetings with reporters. At a conference like CES, a client spokesperson may be meeting with a dozen reporters or more, which means those briefing books can easily become short novellas. 

Pro tip: know your client. Will they read an in-depth briefing book front to back days ahead of time, or would they prefer a cheat sheet with reporter names and three top messages they can preview in the car ride over? Invest your energy where it will go the farthest — this is not cutting corners, it’s working smarter! Don’t be afraid to make your own cheat sheet to keep this info in the palm of your hand. Printing is out, Google Docs on your smartphone is in. 

Prepare for a hybrid experience

Even if you’re on the ground at an in-person event like CES, you’re not alone. We live in a hybrid world where your team can support you virtually from anywhere. The teammate who booked the meeting with a reporter can serve as a liaison by sharing contact information to help their on-the-ground counterparts find them. At a multi-thousand-person event, having this backup is game-changing. Your teammates want real-time updates too. Did that meeting go well? Tell them! Is the reporter going to write a story next week? Even better!

Support your clients outside the box

At any event, you’re there to support clients however they need. From media management and event-related problem-solving to transportation, you serve as command control so your clients don’t have to. Making sure executives get from Point A to Point B on time and have a calendar invite with all the details (or even a dinner reservation at night!) are meaningful contributions.

This is also an opportunity to apply the skills you use every day in new ways. Time management, prioritization, and creativity are essential and will come in handy at major events like CES.

Remember clients aren’t just there for the media opportunities

When you support events like CES, you’re laser-focused on getting your clients face time with reporters and hopefully, securing coverage. However, I came face-to-face with a good reminder: our clients have very full agendas! Sure, executives would love to meet a few reporters to share exciting product updates, but they also attend CES to meet with investors, partners, and sales contacts. In these moments, as you tally up what you brought to the table for your clients, remember you’ve done your job and should be proud. 

Have fun – seriously!

Conferences, trade shows, and events like CES present an amazing opportunity to grow relationships and support clients. If you’re there to support one client in particular, but you know there are other clients attending, visit their booth or attend their speaking session. I had so much fun stopping by to see our client Waymo and say hello. Take pictures throughout the day to keep clients updated. If your client invites you to dinner, go! This job is fun, so why not soak it up? 

Just being at CES is thrilling — even if I only got to experience 10 percent of it! But having the opportunity to see my clients release major news, showcase products, and tell stories of innovation and maturation are icing on the cake (it may even be the whole cake itself). Being at their side and at the heart of cutting-edge tech is why we’re in this industry. Can’t wait for next year!