What to expect from your first expo!
Conventions and expositions are a big part of any community, and the vaping community is no exception. Every year all around the world hundreds and thousands of vapers will get together to meet up, talk vapes, and discover the latest and greatest products on the market!
Here at Flawless we are no strangers to expos! We've been to London, Copenhagen, Stuttgart, and Madrid, and will soon be going to Paris and Dortmund!
Right now we are gearing up for The Vaper Expo at the NEC in Birmingham, the biggest vaping convention in all of Europe! The exhibitor list is a who’s who of the vaping world, with almost any vaping brand you can think of.
Obviously we’re very excited to be going, and since we’re giving away tickets (more on that later!) we thought we’d put together a blog post telling you what to expect if The Vaper Expo is going to be your first vaping convention!
The first thing to expect is huge numbers of vapers, which of course means huge amounts of vapour! With so many people chucking clouds into the air in one building, it’s common for the air above the show floor to be a haze of vape.
Once you’ve gotten over the size of the crowds present, you’ll notice the upbeat festival atmosphere of the place. There will be music, there will be food and drink, and sometimes even stuff like fairground rides for you to enjoy! Everyone is there for a good time after all, and they do a great job of making sure there is plenty of stuff to entertain you!
Of course with so many brands in one place, the next thing to be prepared for is huge amounts of merch! Many of the stalls will be giving out things like hats, hoodies, t-shirts, vape mats, vape bands, and all sorts of other cool freebies. Be sure to take a good look around, and make sure you don’t leave it too late to visit your favorite brand’s stand if you don’t want to miss out!
Speaking of brands, the other thing you will almost certainly find is products from brands you have never heard of. This can be a great opportunity to find a new favorite juice or your next piece of hardware! These expositions can be make or break for smaller companies looking to find an audience, so if you find something you like make sure to support them! Talk about them to your friends and mention them to your local vape shop employees.
Once you’ve had a good wander around, you may start to notice a few familiar faces in the crowd… indeed, if you’re a fan of vaping YouTubers then expos are the place to be! Many YouTube personalities from all over the world will fly in to the UK just to visit The Vaper Expo, show their viewers the sights, and meet some fans! This is your opportunity to get a selfie, and maybe an autograph if you’re into that sort of thing.
Of course, the biggest and best thing to do at conventions is socialising! There’s no better place to meet other vapers, swap stories, compare setups, and discuss your favorite juices. Everyone you meet at an expo is there for the same reason as you, they either love vaping or work in the vaping industry themselves. Get out there and make some friends!
If all of this sounds as great to you as it does to us, here is a quick little list of rules to make sure that your first expo experience is an amazing one!
Rule Number 1:Bring deodorant. Seriously.
Rule Number 2: Bring extra batteries! Whether it’s your vape mod, your phone, your camera or your laptop, SOMETHING will run out of battery while you’re on the show floor. If you need it on, bring spare batteries! (Don’t forget chargers either!)
Rule Number 3: Keep your things safe. Big crowds will always mean the potential for petty theft, no matter where you are. Zip up your pockets if you can, and if you’re carrying stuff in a bag make sure it’s closed tight. Most of all, don’t leave your shiney rare mech mod unattended on a counter! It may not be there when you look back…
Rule Number 4: If you know there are stalls that you’re going to want to visit, plan out when you’re going where, and know the layout of the expo beforehand. There is an awful lot to see, and if you’re hoping to pick something up you’re not going to want to leave it till last!
Rule Number 5: Finally, keep an open mind! At previous expos we’ve encountered folks who are there for one thing and one thing only, and when this happens all we can do is sigh. If you’re ignoring everything around you, you’re completely missing the point. Go find that random juice made by two guys in their shed, that limited quantity 3D printed mod, or that crazy new tank you’d never have thought of. The real fun lies in discovering the new, don’t just stick to what you know.
If you’d like to go to The Vaper Expo this October, listen up! Right now we’re offering the chance to win expo tickets to anyone who leaves a product review on our webshop! All you have to do is review a product you’ve bought from us and voila! You’ve entered the draw! We’ll be picking out a winner in September, so get reviewing!
Thanks again for reading, and if you’re coming to the NEC, we look forward to seeing you there at stand C605!
Until next time, stay Flawless!