The Ultimate Trade Show Survivor Tips
1. My feet start to hurt
2. My brain begins going a mile a minute
I am no rookie when it comes to trade shows and planning events. On the contrary, I say I am the mastermind to trade shows and events. I have executed “world’s largest” festivals and managed over 80 trade shows in one year, internationally and nationally. If you name it, I have seen it go wrong. From my own trials and errors to the sales team—nothing surprises me anymore.
Since we tend to learn from our mistakes than our successes, here is a real life example and survivor tips that have helped me ensure trade shows run smoothly. Just imagine. . .
It’s the day before the start of a three-day trade show, you are feeling good. You have checked off all your lists and double-checked them. You have confirmed with marketing that pre-event emails have been sent to your contacts. You looked over your business attire for the next three days to ensure there are no holes or stains on anything. You walk into the conference center and think to yourself, “Wow, what a mess, how is this going to come together? At least, I am ready.” You continue to walk to your booth and as you get closer, your jaw drops.
The booth is empty. The freight that was supposed to arrive is nowhere in sight. The tables and carpet you ordered are also nowhere to be found. You want to have a heart attack but as an experienced trade show veteran, you pull yourself together and start making calls.
Over Communicate
From office personnel to trade show attendees, over communicate the details and save everything by e-mail. This timeline has proven to be successful:
