You won’t be surprised to hear that trade show displays require a lot of pre-show planning. From designing a custom exhibit to arranging the transport, your team will have many different tasks. To keep your event planning running smoothly, we’ve put together the ultimate pre-show checklist. Find out our top 9 tasks for trade show planning:

1. Determine your main goals for exhibiting.

When it comes to trade shows exhibiting, your first step should always be to set measurable goals. Whether that’s the number of leads you want your sales team to capture, industry leaders to network with, or surveys for market research, think through what you’d like to gain from exhibiting (and most importantly, track!) Knowing your main goals will help you make decisions throughout the process and grow your trade show exhibit ROI.

2. Pick the best booth location.

You’ll want to snag a great exhibiting space as soon as registration opens for a show, or you know that you’ll be attending. Remember, the best booth spaces go early. Pick your booth location strategically. Corner booths stand out, or booths located near the event food or entrance can attract more foot traffic.

3. Start designing your trade show exhibit!

If you’re new to trade show exhibiting, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time for the exhibit design process. Large, custom trade show displays can take months to design and fabricate – but custom exhibits are worth the investment. Great trade show booth design will allow you to craft your brand message, attract your ideal visitor, and increase the return on your investment.

4. Design your marketing materials and message.

The design process doesn’t stop at your exhibit. It’s important to think through a cohesive brand message for all your trade show marketing materials. This can involve everything from banners and flyers to social media or email graphics. After all, visuals are what will really tell your brand story. You can even use graphic design to update the look of an existing exhibit.

5. Select the right team to attend the show.

After you design the perfect trade show display, it’s key to have the right staff in it. They’ll be the face of your business at the event. You might be surprised by who the trade show trends & statistics suggest – it’s not your high-level executives. 59% of trade show marketers say salespeople are their best booth staffers.

6. Start pre-show marketing and networking.

You don’t have to wait until you’re at the expo to start marketing! 74% of trade show marketers say pre-show emails to existing or prospective clients are the most effective way to increase attendance and drive booth traffic. Consider inviting key prospects and existing clients to meetings, stop by your booth, or schedule breakfast, lunch or dinner meetings for more face-to-face time.

7. Plan the promotions you’ll use at the show.

Attract more attention and foot traffic at the event with additional promotions. You might consider giveaways, food, or games to draw people in. Giving a presentation at the convention can also increase your business’s brand awareness. For more ideas, check out our top 9 creative ideas to attract trade show visitors.

8. Arrange exhibit shipping and setup.

You don’t want to be scrambling last minute to ship a large exhibit across the country. Working with a full-service exhibit agency is the easiest way to ensure your trade show display arrives before you do. Look for event management services that offer everything from installation to dismantle.

9. Pack and make travel plans.

To save on stress, make your team’s travel arrangements well ahead of time and prepare for emergencies. It can be good to create a “booth packing list” as a team and brainstorm anything you all might need – from batteries to cleaning products. Now you’ll be ready for any trade show that comes your way. Don’t forget comfortable walking shoes!

Are you currently planning for an upcoming show? Contact us today to discuss your booth!

We’ve discussed the strength of our custom exhibit rental inventory before, but it bears repeating. We truly have options as diverse as our list of clients. We have the pleasure of serving companies from multiple major industries. As a result, our inventory needs to be as varied as our client list.

One of our largest clients is Largo, FL based ConMed Linvatec. As a global leader in the fields of arthroscopy, endoscopic video systems and powered surgical instruments – they felt the need to establish a trade show presence that matched their global reach.

With a 50’ x 50’ booth space secured at the AAOS show in San Francisco, the planning began for how to best make an impression and support their brand. Working with our design team, a concept was developed that fit their corporate identity and event strategies perfectly.

With our rental inventory, it is never necessary to sacrifice the look of your design due to the limitations of the structure. We utilize several different solutions fabricated in-house to achieve any shape, height or angle necessary.

In the case of ConMed Linvatec, a very rectilinear layout for the perimeter and double-deck structure stands in sharp contrast with the curved back wall and ring header elements that stand at the center of the exhibit.

These contrasts combine to form a unique look that is not recognizable as a rental structure. The impression given by the enormous 6’ tall x 48’ wide four sided hanging sign and the 14’ tall display units with integrated double-sided backlit graphic panels and the double deck structure is decidedly custom.

With options like this available, why would anyone want a rental exhibit that LOOKS like a rental exhibit?

We don’t know either…

Are you looking for a more successful show floor experience? Try starting with your pre-show planning. Create pre-show marketing material that can generate buzz before the show and target touch points relevant to your key audiences. Set up appointments prior to the show to help smooth out the trade show experience and show your customers and prospects respect for their time.

Source an exhibit house that can create design solutions that not only meet your budget but that can attract attendees and remain consistent with your brand. Look for an account team that can develop new and innovative ways to promote your products and services and create a positive experience with all of your prospects.

An important consideration is managing onsite show services.

Shipping, I&D labor and account management are very important to your trade show program’s success. Having a great exhibit design is wonderful if it gets to the show by your targeted time. If your exhibit is not set up correctly, the delays can only lead to costly overtime fees. You should include technology that can obtain lead data and follow-up electronic collateral. Seasoned account managers and onsite supervisors can coordinate and navigate all of these services to put your mind at ease. After all, your exhibit house should be as invested in your shows being successful and exceeding your expectations as you are.

After the show, you should have a follow-up meeting with your exhibit house to discuss ways to improve the next event. Measuring your Return on Investment and Return on Objectives helps to quantify your results and justify an increase in next year’s budget.

A recent success story: Midland Radio’s new exhibit 

We were asked to produce an outdoor lifestyle exhibit for the Consumer Electronics Show that showcased their new product line while staying true to the overall brand. Our approach was to create a rustic exhibit that had many natural elements and captured the feel of a wilderness lodge in the great outdoors. To keep consistent with the corporate brand, we prominently showcased the brand’s logo with modern LED back-lighting. The exhibit showcased the outdoor lifestyle that their customers experience every day. The exhibit was well received by both the client and show attendees.

Interested in building your own success story? Check out more examples of our work.