Preparing for your first trade show? A professional, engaging display can make or break your experience at the trade show and the benefit you get from it. From creating your booth design, training your team, and ensuring that all of the components you need arrive in one piece, there are a lot of moving parts in trade show logistics. Learn what you can do to prepare.
8 Steps To Nailing Your Next Trade Show
#1: Registration
Ensure your company and any attending team members are registered for the trade show you’re planning to attend.
#2: Booth Design
A great booth design is mandatory to make the right impression at your next trade show. Walking the floor, you’ll see booths that range from enormous, interactive, flashy exhibits to simple booths with a table and products on display. Whatever scale works for your business and your budget, just make sure your presentation is polished. Choose table cloths, backdrops, and other items that fit with your business and brand.
#3: Travel Preparations
If the trade show you’re attending is out of town, don’t put off making travel arrangements for your team well in advance. You don’t want to be caught with a last minute reservation that leaves your team staying 10 miles away. This should include hotels, flights, rental cars, and any other preparations necessary for a comfortable stay, so that you can focus on the show.
#4: Shipping
Make sure your exhibit gets there in ship shape. You’ll want to double and triple-check to confirm it’s going to the right location, on the right date, and that every item is accounted for. This is a common mishap costing a company thousands in two-day shipping or missing targeted move-in dates. But beyond that, you’ll want to account for any bumps in the road along the way. For example, if your tablecloths come out of the package wrinkled, you’ll ruin your booth’s polished appearance. That’s why we include steamer kits with tablecloths we ship!
#5: Team Management
Touch base with your team and make sure everyone knows who owns setup, breakdown, and who will be manning the booth. Go over any presentations or demos that need to be done, and how to set up the booth.
#6: Giveaways & Demos
Give your audience something to engage with. When preparing for a trade show, you’ll want to make sure you’re going to leave an impact. Bring products for people to see and interact with, or plan a demo or a free giveaway to really grab people’s attention.
#7: Other Collateral
Finally, don’t neglect the details. Make sure you have plenty of business cards, brochures, flyers, and any other collateral your team will need to ensure people remember you months after the show ends.
Preparing for a trade show involves a lot of legwork, but it’s worth it if you want to make an impact and really reap the benefits a great show presence can bring. If you’re overwhelmed with preparations, reach out to Logi-Cor. Logi-Cor is an extension of your events team and can take the worry of organizing for your next show off of your plate.
#8: Follow Up
Follow up is crucial to connecting with your future client. Your window of opportunity is 24 to 48 hours after the show with a personal phone call. This is also the perfect time to create that drip campaign. Our friends, Tytanium Ideas, are ready to help with your marketing needs.