You've put real money and months of planning into this week. This short guide brings together the small, practical things that separate a good show from a great one—on the floor and off it.

Read it now, and keep it handy during the week. Much of the most useful information—routes, medical help, coffee, and where to relax—is near the end, so it's worth reading all the way through.

Table of Contents

• Part 1: Get more and better leads from your booth with 11 practical fixes.

• Part 2: Find last-minute help for prints, staffing, gear, interpreters, and lead capture.

• Part 3: Get venue logistics, show hours, transport tips, and side events.

• Part 4: Keep Chicago essentials handy, from weather and medical help to food and downtime.

• FAQ: Quick answers on transport, lead capture, printing, and what to carry on the floor.

Part 1: Getting More and Better Leads From Your Booth

1. Say who it's for and the benefit in 3 seconds

People walk past dozens of booths a minute. Most of us lead with the engineering: “5-axis, ±2 microns, servo-driven.” That impresses the few who already know the terms. But in the first three seconds, a stranger only wants to know two things: Is this for me? and What do I get?

If your booth answers that in plain words, people slow down. If it reads like a spec sheet, they keep walking. Lead with the benefit, not the technology. “Cut your changeover time in half” works better than “5-axis simultaneous machining.” And say who it's for: “For job shops running short runs.” Save the specs for after they stop.

Stuck for words? Use this prompt in Levo AI

“Act as a B2B copywriter. My company makes [product] for [type of customer]. Write 8 booth headline options, each under 8 words, that say who it's for and the one biggest benefit—in plain English, with no jargon and no acronyms.”

2. Don't trust your memory—capture every lead

By mid-morning you can have three good conversations waiting and cards going straight into your pocket, with no time to write anything down. By the evening they're just a pile of cardboard—and the buyer who needed a quote by Friday is suddenly impossible to place.

Every forgotten card is money that walked away after you spent thousands to be there.

3. Lead with what's new

Most people come to IMTS to see what's new. Put your newest product at the front and make it your opening line: “Would you like to see the machine we just launched?” pulls people in.

Just as important, have someone on the booth who can really explain how it works—not only sell it. Buyers came to talk to an expert, and a clear, honest explanation builds more trust than a hard pitch.

4. Get on their pre-planned booth list before they arrive

Most attendees plan their route before they walk in, and many already know which booths they'll visit. The floor is not a blank page—people arrive with a plan. The good news is there are still a few days to get onto it.

5. Give people something hands-on to do, not just something to watch

People don't remember slides. They remember picking up a part, watching a cut, or pressing a button. A plain booth holds someone for 10 to 30 seconds; a hands-on booth can hold them for minutes. You don't need a bigger stand—just a reason to stop.

6. Brochures: hand one over, and send one too

You need printed brochures on the booth—people will ask for one, and it's a useful thing to point to during a conversation. But most visitors are flying home, and when they pack, brochures are often the first thing they leave behind.

So do both: give a printed copy as a prop, and send a digital copy too. A QR code on the booth, or a quick scan of their card, can deliver your brochure straight to their inbox while the conversation is still fresh.

7. Busy booth? Give waiting prospects a way to stay or sign in

If your booth is busier than you planned, that's a good problem—it means the show is working. But busy booths lose leads too. A visitor waits at the edge, sees everyone occupied, and quietly leaves after ten seconds. That is often your most serious buyer—the one who didn't want to interrupt.

8. Qualify visitors early so you know who's a buyer

Not everyone at your booth is a buyer. Competitors sometimes visit posing as customers to check your prices and plans. Partners and suppliers work the aisle too. Spend fifteen good minutes on the wrong person and a real prospect walks past.

Ask early: “What do you work on?” and “What brings you by?” Then note who each person really is.

9. Make it clear who to talk to

If your team isn't in matching shirts, visitors often can't tell your staff from other attendees. People need to see who to ask at a glance.

10. Follow up fast—this is where the return is won or lost

The show ends, everyone flies home, and the cards sit in a bag. Around 80% of trade-show leads never get a proper follow-up at all.

A Harvard Business Review study, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads, found that companies who reach a lead within an hour are seven times more likely to have a real conversation with a decision-maker than those who wait even a day. Speed is the whole game.

11. Small habits that save the show

• Start every saved contact with “IMTS -” so you remember where the number came from once you're home.

• Mark your best leads while it's fresh, so they get followed up first.

• Clear your leads at the end of each day. Five minutes each evening beats a mountain on Monday.

• Brief the whole team—including temporary staff—on the one-line pitch and two questions to ask before the doors open.

Part 2: Last-Minute Help

These are the things exhibitors scramble for at the last minute. Prices are approximate, so confirm directly before you buy.

Prints, banners, and signs—today

FedEx Office has a print and ship centre on-site at McCormick Place (Grand Concourse, Level 2.5) and at the McCormick hotels. You can print banners, table covers, “Ask me” signs, business cards, and counter signs. Order online ahead so it's ready when you arrive; same-day is possible if you go early.

Extra booth staff

Chicago agencies can place greeters, badge scanners, and demo staff quickly, often with quotes in hours.

• Kinetic Events — +1 888-351-4126

• Brand Ambassadors — brandambassadors.com

• PUSH Agency — pushmodels.com

• Levo team — call or text +1 628 500 8929 and we'll help you find staff.

Booth gear, furniture, AV, power, and Wi-Fi

These are typically ordered through the official exhibitor e-Kit. Day-of rates apply now, so expect a premium.

• GES for furniture, AV, and labour.

• McCormick Place Technology Services for internet and Wi-Fi.

• The hall electrical contractor for power. Watch the same-day cut-off for extended power.

Interpreters for international visitors

On-demand booth interpreters are available in 100+ languages.

• InterpreNet — interpreNet.net

• AML-Global — alsglobal.net

Shipping and storage

Sort out how your samples and materials get home before tear-down day. FedEx Office is on-site, and the show's shipping desk is listed in the exhibitor e-Kit. Booking a day early saves the last-afternoon rush.

Capture and follow up on every lead

Levo lets you scan a card, add a note, and send a personal follow-up in real time. It can also flag whether the person is likely a customer, competitor, or partner, and later let you search your leads in the app.

Marketing and tech help

Need something fixed at the last minute? The Levo team can help with a brochure design change, a business-card design, a quick website update, or other urgent tech and marketing work during the week.

Part 3: Getting There and the Venue

Venue: McCormick Place, 2301 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60616.

Show hours

Show hours differ by building, so plan your meetings around your hall.

If your booth is in West or East, you'll close an hour earlier than North and South.

Getting in and avoiding traffic

• Fastest and cheapest: Metra Electric train. About 7 minutes from downtown to the station on Level 2.5 of the South Building, with no road traffic.

• CTA Green Line: Cermak-McCormick Place stop, two blocks from the West Building. About $2.25, roughly every 11 minutes, from 5:00 a.m. to midnight.

• From the airport: Go Airport Express shared ride from O'Hare or Midway, about $39 for one person and $33 each for two or more. Direct pick-up from South Gate 3, Wednesday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

• Hotel shuttles: Free service to and from most official hotels on all show days.

• Driving: On-site Lots A, B, and C fill up fast, so arrive early or book ahead. Roads are worst right at opening and closing time.

• Also useful: Divvy rental bikes at McCormick Square and Cermak/Wabash. Taxi and rideshare pick-up gets very busy at closing, so walking a block can save time.

Finding your way inside

There are four buildings—West, South, North, and Lakeside (East)—joined by walkways. Get the floor plan ahead so you're not hunting for your hall: mccormickplace.com/floor-plans.

Coat and bag check is available in South Building room S100C and East Building room E256.

Side events worth your time

Conference tickets include IMTS entry. Full list: imts.com/education.

Useful numbers

Part 4: Chicago, Once You Step Off the Floor

Weather this week

Mid-September in Chicago is usually mild: daytime around 75°F (24°C), evenings near 60°F (16°C), with roughly a one-in-three chance of rain on any day. Bring a light jacket, a small umbrella, and shoes you can stand in all day.

Worth keeping in your bag

A power bank, comfortable shoes, a water bottle, mints, your ID and badge, any daily medicine, and a few spare business cards.

If you need a doctor

Travel can take it out of you, so it helps to know your options.

• First aid inside the venue: staffed medical stations at McCormick Place—South and North on Level 2.5 near FedEx, West on Level 1, and Lakeside on Level 1. Ask any staff member or security.

• Walk-in clinics nearby: South Loop Immediate Care, Physicians Immediate Care, and MinuteClinic at CVS. Approximate cost: $130–$250 without insurance, with MinuteClinic often lower.

• Pharmacy: CVS or Walgreens in the South Loop.

• Hospital: Mercy Hospital, 2525 S Michigan Ave. In emergencies, call 911.

Coffee and where to relax

A long day on the floor is tiring, and a good morning coffee helps. These are good options to know:

• Overflow Coffee ($): very good coffee in the South Loop, quiet enough for a call before the doors open. 1449 S Michigan Ave.

• Fatpour Tap Works ($$): close to the hall, with a big tap list and sport on TV. 2206 S Indiana Ave.

• Pizano's Pizza ($$): classic Chicago deep-dish, with a good thin crust too.

• MingHin Cuisine ($$): in Chinatown, about five minutes south; good for a team dinner. 2168 S Archer Ave.

• Chicago Firehouse ($$$): a steakhouse in an old firehouse, good for a customer dinner.

A quick guide to the city

• South Loop / Museum Campus: right by the venue, with the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and the lakefront path.

• The Loop: downtown, including Millennium Park, Cloud Gate, and the Riverwalk.

• River North: bars, restaurants, and galleries for the evening.

• West Loop: one of the best areas for dinner, especially Randolph Street. Book ahead.

• Magnificent Mile: shopping along North Michigan Avenue.

• Chinatown: quick, good-value food just south of the venue.

FAQ

Have a Great Show

Levo is the AI platform that captures and follows up on every lead.