SEMA blog: Communication in the digital age

LAS VEGAS — Two days in Las Vegas for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show this year and time is already flying and there is still so much to see and do. All this technology surrounding me has really got me thinking on how much the show has probably changed over the years.

With the social media blog, the topic of engagement is always at the forefront of the conversation and here at SEMA, engagement is everywhere. All day I meet people that I have been emailing back and forth with but never had a chance to make a face-to-face connection.

I have the opportunity to reach out to my Twitter friends in the industry to see if they are available to meet. All day long my phone has been dinging at me with likes and shares from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (i.e., not a good day to forget your phone charger at the hotel. I am glad I have a good team that has my back and remembers such things).

However, to me, one of the coolest aspects of it all is that communicating in the digital age means that you are not only reaching out to people at the show, but anyone who does not have the opportunity to be here can be up-to-date on everything that is going on.

The SEMA Show has promoted #SEMA2014 as the official hashtag of the event and tweeters and Instagramers all over the show have been flocking to social media, sharing what they see.

There are even some exhibitors who are streaming live coverage from the show, such as Chevrolet. The video was published Nov. 3 from the show, but is available now if you missed it.  

As a reporter, I love seeing what is up and coming in the industry, and following through my Twitter feed allows me to see which booths are getting huge traction.

I went to a session earlier today where Tim Hayden, of TTH Strategy, spoke about how we are getting out of the desktop era and straight into the mobile era. Humans like not being tied down to the computer screen at a desk, but having the ability to take it on the go.

It got me thinking about communicating in general, how easy it is to connect to anyone in the world so quickly. For instance, my best friend has been overseas in the Navy since February. Through Facebook and email, I have been able to touch base with her more often than I ever dreamed. I am not able to pick up the phone to call her every day, but I am able to connect way more often than if we were growing up in a different era. My boyfriend recently started traveling back and forth to Mexico and without an international phone plan, I was worried I wouldn't be able to talk to him.

This is not at all a problem. With the ability for iPhone users to connect via FaceTime, I am not only able to talk to him, but am able to see his face. FaceTime may also come in handy for me later this week as my sister is days past her due date. I will most likely get to FaceTime my baby niece from the show floor in between press conferences. Would this be possible without current technologies? No it wouldn't.

So I am thankful for being at SEMA in 2014. At a show where I can connect with our audience, those at SEMA and at home, by a swipe of my finger on my cell phone. It creates an ease of communication that just did not exist before.

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Are you finding something awesome at SEMA? Tweet to me @jenniferkarpus.