Getting Your Product There is The Biggest Step to a Successful Show

You cannot have a trade show without your product, booth, accessories and other important merchandise.

Think about it…you have invested in booth space, made travel arrangements, printed new banners and flyers, you have awesome giveaways, you know you will get Hot! Hot! leads at this trade show! Your boss will be so impressed!

Then, something goes wrong…You get to the trade show floor, only to find that your booth and merchandise has not arrived. In fact, it got sent to another state or country.

Trade show logistics is integral in executing a smoothly running show with merchandise that has arrived to the correct place, on time and in one piece. Trade show logistics encompasses companies that ship locally by truck, domestically by freight truck, train or plane or internationally by cargo ship and/or plane.  A reputable logistics company will have freight experts on hand at the show and also staff versed in customs to help you.

No matter where you are shipping, following the basics will make all the difference in your trade show logistics experience.

• Schedule your trade show shipment early if time permits. Many trade shows have advanced shipment warehouses where you can store your materials.  Check your exhibitor prospectus for dates for your particular venue.

• Ask questions before choosing your logistics company.
  Will there be an on-site freight manager to check in your shipment?
  Does the company provide 24/7 service?
  Do they have pre-printed shipping labels?
  For international shipments, is there an international department?
  Are they versed in customs?
  What are their packing and crating services?
  Will they assist you in filling out material handling forms and bill of ladings?
  Do they offer Installation & Dismantling services?
  Will they provide you with references or customer testimonials?

A reputable logistics company will offer these services and many more. Visit websites and request quotes before making your final decision.  Your trade show is an investment and your merchandise an asset. By researching logistics companies and making the right choice, you will find that your trade show journey is both fun and lucrative. Your boss will be impressed!

Mobile Apps, Social Media and LRS are Your Trade Show’s Best Friends

A few months ago, I was asked to plan the trade show logistics, including the email marketing, for a company.  It was the first time the company was exhibiting at the show, so a list of attendees to whom we could advertise had to be generated.   With the regulations about email blasting, bought lists and using opt-in methods on websites and emails, this would pose a challenge. Fortunately, show management was way ahead of me and invited me to install a mobile event app for the show. It was great! It gave me access to attendees, the ability to reach out to other vendors, advertise specials and learn about what the competition was planning.

Using technology to gain buzz is a great way to market your trade shows and events.

Mobile Event Apps

Mobile event apps are evolving and becoming are able to perform many more functions than only standard event information. Event planners can access attendee lists, advertise their speaking engagements, their booth, company profile and their giveaways. Some mobile event apps can create surveys to monitor the pulse of the attendees, which is helpful to any marketer.  App makers, such as CrowdCompass  and DoubleDutch are working toward making event planning easier.

Some of the benefits of using a mobile event app are:

• Who are the top speakers at a show
• Which types of booths draw the most attendance
• What are other’s using to drive traffic to their booths
• How event activities are rated
• Who the key influencers are
• What aspects of your event are most engaging

Social Media

In 2016, most savvy event planners know that Social Media has to be integrated into their marketing plans. No longer is posting a few lines on Face Book or a 140 character Tweet enough; images should now always be integrated into any social media platform. Of course, Instagram is based on pictures, so make sure to take and post immediately the happening at your trade show booth. Quick time lapsed videos of booth setup are a fun way to make the trade show experience interactive and drive traffic to your booth. Also, filming y our speaking engagements and posting them on your website as an educational social media into events has unlimited potential.

Create a social media calendar for pre, during and post shares; a lot of advertising prior, all the fun moments during-especially of the winner of your awesome raffle prize, and follow up after.

Encourage your team and clients to share, retweet and like your social media advertising. You can make this sharing easier by including a “Tweet this” button in your event app that prepopulates the hashtag.

For companies that are very active on social media consider using a large screen to stream all the hashtag conversations provide. These are extremely interactive and increase participation and followers.

Lead Retrieval Systems

By now, most exhibitors realize the importance of a Lead Retrieval System (LRS) to qualify leads.  Collecting business cards is a thing of the past and LRS are usually available with different features to suite your individual team’s needs.   LRS are badge scanners that retrieve registration information from an attendee’s badge.  The registration information is useful to salespeople and marketers as it contains name, company and email addresses. Most LRS have the technology to pre-set qualifying questions. With these qualifying questions, the generated leads are easily parsed to the correct department or salesperson after the show.

I have seen LRS come in all shapes and forms, form handheld scanners to mobile apps.  All of them collect data and have varying features.  Check with your upcoming trade show exhibitor prospectus to find out which LRS the show is using and by when to order the system.

By using technology that is either new to you or to the trade show industry, you increase your reach and sales.

 

Simplify Your Trade Show Experience

Planning a trade show exhibit? Aim not only to make a striking first impression on the crowd, but also present a booth/company messaging that will draw people in to learn more.
Messaging is important, not only for the overall feel of what you want to get across to potential clients, but also for your staff, so they know the reason behind attending the trade show. Starting the theme of the show through email blasts and a promotion (raffle, giveaway) and following through with that theme will keep a cohesive form to all your marketing and sales efforts. Make sure you have a presentation for your trade show team that delineates marketing efforts, a schedule of booth personnel and the overall message.
The following are ideas that can help you make every trade show you exhibit at a successful, profitable event.

Market the Message of your Show

Your planning team can collaborate on the overall feel of how you want your booth to look and the reasoning behind attending. Look into the following to make sure everyone is on the same page:

• Email blasts that promote the show, date, your booth number and your special promotion
• Any advertising that show management offers; while some of these get pricey, there are free advertising opportunities such as directory listings (make sure you know the deadline to get your company profile to the show).
o Email blasts/social media that the show sends to their attendee list
o Sponsorships such as coffee breaks during the show, cocktail parties, attendee bags and lanyards (while not free, your company logo will have increased visibility)
• Pre, during and post show Social Media. Using your LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts is a great way to promote your message for free.
• Your team needs to know why they are exhibiting. Set up a Power Point Presentation a week before to go over all pertinent details and answer any questions your staff may have.

Don’t Pay Too Much

• By sticking to a budget for each trade show or booth you coordinate, you should be able to get all the materials you need for your trade show booth design ideas without spending more money than your business can afford. Plan to spend a large portion of your budget in any of these five categories:
  • Venue
  • Special Attractions
  • Program
  • Promotions
  • Miscellaneous ItemsGet Everything You NeedAs you’re paying the fees and purchasing the supplies to make your trade show booth design ideas a reality, remember to get everything else you need for a successful show. Organize each item into the six categories to help you stay under budget.• Venue Costs: Space rental, furniture rentals, and equipment rentals, such as display screens, microphones, decorations and signage.
  • Special Attractions: performer, speaker, celebrities and other offerings.
  • Program Costs: Labor, travel and accommodations for your special attraction and staff.
  • Promotion Costs: Paid advertising, social media campaigns, web development and special offers or giveaways.
  • Miscellaneous Costs: Name tags or badges, printed agendas or programs, stationary and pens or pencils and promotional giveaways.
  • Shipping and Drayage: Shipping, storing and moving show materials can add up quickly. Have a budget and keep on top of it constantly.Consider a Trade Show Solutions Company
  
  Trade shows can become costly really quickly. Between advertising, travel, printing and shipping costs, trade shows are an investment from which you will see return, if you have budgeted correctly. There are companies, such as Trans-Exhibit Solutions, that offer an answer for businesses that want visibility at shows and events, but may have a stricter budget, or space to store large banners and booths.Benefits of Renting
  
  • Screens, projectors and displays
  Tables, counters display cases and other materials
  • Cameras, lighting and sound
  • Signage and banner frames
  • Walls, doors and shelving
  • Booth frames for your already printed graphics

A trade show solutions company also provides trend-setting exhibit designs that drive traffic to your booth. To learn more about trade show solutions offering, visit: http://www.transitair.com/services/trans-exhibit-solutions

Trades shows are an exciting way for business to reach many potential clients at once. They can get unwieldy, but by adhering to the above ideas you can streamline your overall exhibit presentation, so your business will see the return on investment.

International Shipping: In-the-Know Shipping

Getting international shipments to a foreign country is a challenge for even the most experienced event manager.  From experience, I know that shipments can get lost in the customs fray once it reaches the country of destination. The worst is having your trade show staff stuck at a booth with no merchandise because there was a mix up or a mistake in shipping.

The following are some common snares that can hinder a successful shipment and how to avoid them, so your shipment winds up at your event on time, every time.

PLANNING TOO LATE
International shipping takes longer than domestic as there are more things to consider: ocean and air travel, customs and any regulatory laws that the country of destination may have. Contacting a freight carrier early, such as Transit Air Cargo, with the dates of the show, what you are shipping and from where the shipment is originating, helps with planning ahead for your freight.  TAC can look up shipping deadlines and the International Team is experts in getting freight through customs. Waiting too long to plan a shipment overseas will impede a smooth trade event experience.

Create timelines for yourself and your event team. Adhere to these time parameters as you prepare your cargo. One day late is a deal breaker when speaking in terms of international shipping and trade shows.

IMPROPERLY CRATING AND PACKAGING

Not packaging your international shipment properly can lead to a disaster when setting up your booth. Broken merchandise or banners, items lost or stolen has been the downfall of shows that could have been great if only the cargo was packed properly.

Custom crating is one of the most effective and secure ways to transport fragile material.  Transit Air Cargo has a diverse line of quality trade show crating and packaging solutions. Trade show crates have compartmentalized construction and vibration stability engineering.  The durability of a crate takes the worry out of shipping overseas; after all, your freight is going to be touched by a lot of hands on its journey to the trade show.

NOT HAVING A CHECKLIST(S)

When I am planning an event, domestic or international, checklists are my best friend. With international shows, checklists become even more crucial to peace of mind and overall organization of the event. As deadlines are tighter and there are more forms to fill out for international shipping, a checklist is imperative.

A separate (check)list should be your shipment’s inventory list.  This list establishes what is going and what has arrived, so there is no discrepancy. An inventory list is a good insurance policy. It is also good to provide the inventory list to your logistics carrier.

GUESSING INSTEAD OF LEARNING

Sometimes, if we have planned enough shows, we begin to think we know what it takes, what is involved and what to expect.  While trade shows are all similar, many have nuances that can be overlooked, especially the international shows.

Because International shipping requires more attention to detail, using your resources becomes even more important. Read your exhibitor prospectus for important dates, such as advanced warehouse and different electrical requirements as each country is different. Also, read up on international custom laws for what you cannot ship to a particular country.   Remember, your freight carrier, especially Transit Air Cargo that has been in business for over 25 years, can answer your logistical questions when it comes to timelines, packing information and customs procedures.

With priority planning and following the above suggestions, your international shipments will make it to your trade shows without a hitch.

For more information visit: http://www.transitair.com/services/international-shipping.

Whether you’re on a budget or just don’t want to over spend on your show (those promo items are very cute, but can be very pricey), here are some valuable (and free!) tips we have gathered for you.

Plan Ahead
You can request a written shipping quotation 30 -60 days before your ship date. Though fuel may fluctuate, it will lock in your transportation rate thus allowing you to plan your budget and stick to it.

Work with Experts in Exhibit Transportation
You need a logistics company that specializes and is familiar with your show’s details, such as: deadlines, arrival dates, driver check-in times, advanced warehouse location and the facility personnel.

Use Small to Medium, Completely Packed Boxes
Compact boxes allow less opportunity for contents to shift and damage. Using larger, less than full containers may result in the dimensional weight of your package to exceed the actual weight of the goods inside. Transportation charges are based on a per-pound-rate not per piece.

Low Ball Pricing
Beware of the “TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE” prices from carriers not affiliated with your event. You may be victim of hidden costs, over commitment and unreliable service. Do they pick up or deliver on weekends? Are they familiar with the Marshalling Yards & “Waiting Time”? Or will you get hit with “special handling “fees because they stacked your freight.

Avoid Incurring Additional Charges
Have your shipment ready on a weekday (weekends usually cost more) and during normal shipping hours. Narrowed pick-up windows are considered “specials” and will cost you more money.

Advanced Warehouse vs. Direct to Show Site
There is often a price difference when selecting to deliver your goods to the advanced receiving warehouse versus directly to show site. The extra expense going to the advanced warehouse can easily be offset by not incurring “Specials” or “Waiting Time” at show site.

Cut Down on Shipping Segments
Shipping show to show versus back to your facility between events eliminates an additional shipment thus saving you money.

Protect Your Shipment
Label each piece. Also, include a business card within each piece just in case the label becomes detached.

Know Your Deadlines
Avoid late fees by following the guidelines established in the Exhibitor Service Manual of the show you are attending.
Delight in the Details
Doing your due diligence will save you thousands and allow you to place those funds elsewhere such as a new booth, new graphics or fancier promo items.

You may now pat yourself on the back for saving you and your company money.