10 tips to help you organize your trade show booth--Part 2

 

In our previous post we discussed all that is involved in being an exhibitor at a large trade show such as the 2014 HD Expo.  We have developed this checklist that may help you organize the process and actually enjoy yourselves:

1. Select the size and type of booth you will be renting.  Will it be a corner booth, how close to the entrance is it, are there complimentary exhibitors nearby etc?
2. Decide which pieces you will be debuting and which signature pieces to take
3. Design and make the plinths and mock-up doors that will display your pieces
4. Design the fabric banners that will separate and enclose your booth
5. Decide how much to spend promoting your booth at the show. This is in one of the most expensive aspects of the show as it involves upgrading your listing on the official website by adding images that can be showcased on the site; enhancing your appearance in the official Show Guide with a full page or half page advert; promoting attendance at your booth by means of a physical postcard mailing etc.
6. Arrange transportation for both you and your products.  Fortunately for us we are within driving distance so we rent a van and drive to the show 2 days before the show begins.  This allows us plenty of time to set up the booth.
7. Book accommodations – we always rent a self-contained flat so we can have our breakfast and dinner in a quiet and calm environment.
8. Rent a lead retrieval system so that you can scan and record details about people visiting your booth
9. Rent necessary chairs and tables from the show administrators
10. On arrival find out where you need to unload your van and if you are able to use the “caddie” system to get your products to your booth. This is very effective as you literally pay the staff by the trip to move your pieces on a small electronic cart. If you have larger displays then you will have to crate your goods, organize a shipping company and hope that nothing gets damaged. You also will have to pay substantially for what is known as “material handling” which is the cost of getting your crate delivered to your booth. We have been down this road before and as a result re-designed our booth to easily “break down” into easily manageable components.

We would love to hear your input on how you handle your booth as an exhibitor or what you as a participant look for from exhibitors.  And to view our entire collection of custom hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com  See you in booth #4659.