How to Convince Your Boss to Send You to CONEXPO-CON/AGG
If you’re curious what the future of construction looks like — and how your company can stay ahead of your competitors — attending CONEXPO 2026 is a must. You only get this chance once every three years, so if you need help convincing your boss to send you to Las Vegas, take these steps to build a solid case for attending the show this March.
Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the show. With around 2,000 equipment and service exhibitors and 150 education sessions, CONEXPO is massive — there’s a lot to see and do during the days you’re there. It’s important to understand what types of companies exhibit, who exhibits in certain buildings or lots and what kinds of educational sessions there are.
Step 2: List your top three reasons for attending and document how your trip will be valuable to your company. What are your primary goals for attending? What new things would you like to learn about? Who might you want to start relationships with and why? These are the types of questions you should ask yourself to establish goals for attending the show. Once you develop a list, pick the top three that show the value of sending you to the show and share them with your boss. They’ll want to know what you expect to get out of the show to understand why it’s worth the investment.
Step 3: Map out which exhibitors you’d like to visit and which educational sessions you plan to attend. Map out which exhibitors you’d like to visit and which educational sessions you plan to attend. Document this information by day to determine the number of days you should attend — you can even break it out by morning and afternoon. If you need help getting started, use the CONEXPO Exhibitor Directory on the CONEXPO-CON/AGG website. Tip: Once you register you can use the My Show Planner feature to map out who you want to see and when.
Step 4: Estimate your costs to attend. Your boss will want a ballpark estimate for your travel costs to Las Vegas. Conduct some basic research and document your hotel, flight (if needed), show registration, meals and transportation costs.
Tip #1: There are different CONEXPO attendee registration levels, so you’ll want to think about what you want to achieve at the show, then price out the registration amount that matches. And don’t pay full price — use promo code VOL4838C at checkout to save big on your show registration.
Tip #2: If you’re flying to Las Vegas, there are CONEXPO flight discounts on this page that can save you some money.
Step 5: Have a plan for who can manage your work while you’re out of the office. Prove to your boss that your company won’t miss a beat while you’re gone. Talk to your co-workers and see if they’ll agree to cover any of your work for you while you’re out.
Step 6: Document all of these details into a one-sheeter for your boss. Keep it concise — an outline format or bullets are good. Tip: Have a co-worker review your one-sheeter. They may have questions you can address or edits you can make that can help you fine tune it before you share it with your boss.
Step 7: After presenting your case to your boss, thank them for considering you for attending the show and ask for a follow-up conversation to determine next steps. A sincere thank you can go a long way. You should also ask them for a timeline when a decision might be made and add a reminder in your calendar to follow up if that deadline arrives and you haven’t heard back.
CONEXPO 2026 promises to be another terrific show. We hope these steps help you build a solid case for attending. If you do, you’ll see and experience some of the latest machines, innovations and technologies on display. And don’t forget to add Volvo to your CONEXPO Las Vegas plans — we’ll be in the Festival Grounds, Booth F24029.