Welcome to our Exhibiting Advice section. Here we will offer you advice and warnings on products and services in the Trade Show Industry. If this is your first experience in preparing for a Trade Show or you have had a bad experience in the past then we highly recommend you read the categories below.

 

Booth Staffing & Talent

We have been to many trade shows where the exhibitors have their booth staffed with good-looking women. (Models known as “Booth Babes”) It has been are experience in many cases that when we speak with them we find out they have very little knowledge of the products they are representing. Now don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of having beautiful Models but the whole purpose of going to the trade show is to get new customers interested in the products you have to offer. We at TSM suggest you find someone in your company to staff your booth or if you decide to use a talent agency make sure that part of the deal is that they learn the details of the products you have to offer. If you decide to use a beautiful model to attract people in, make sure that there is always at least one person at all times in the booth that knows the products well.

If you are using a larger exhibit booth area you might consider using some “Trade Show Booth Talent”. This person could be an announcer talking to the people about your products as they walk by or someone juggling golf balls with your company name on them and passing them out to the exhibit attendees. Whatever you decide to do, make sure the person you hire has an outgoing personality and is fun to be around.

 

Choosing the right Display Booth to represent your company

When attending a Trade Show, choosing the right Trade Show Display can be a fun or frustrating task. You have many choices but first you must establish a budget for your entire trade show project including Graphics and everything else that is involved to attend the show. Next you must be sure of the booth size that you will be renting at the Convention or Conference Center. Now it is time to explore the many different types of displays you have to choose from. Be sure when choosing the colors for your display that you keep in mind the colors of your company logo and basic color scheme. As we have mentioned before we recommend you go with the most portable display possible that offers you a high quality professional look.

Also look into accessories that will compliment your display. You might be interested in Brochure Racks, Display Shelving, Custom Flooring, Custom Exhibit Lighting, Banner Stands & many other products. Be sure to plan ahead and know all of your options before you make any final decisions.

 

Booth Location – Location – Location!

Have you ever been to a Trade Show and as you walked around you found a few exhibitors way off in the corner all by them selves? In fact the only way you found them was because you were looking for the bathroom or food court and took the wrong turn? Many times those people are paying the same amount or close to as the people with a booth near the entrance or center of the trade show! You may be better off not exhibiting at the show if you cannot have your booth in a “High Traffic” area. Before you sign an agreement please do your homework. Do NOT let the trade show organizers sell you on an exhibit booth spot that will make you feel like you are on Gilligan’s Island!

 

Arrive early to the Convention Center

Be sure to arrive early to the Convention Center so you can make sure all of your display items and accessories are there and set up correctly. You may run into some issues with the Union getting your exhibit to your booth area. Many times they will charge you to wheel your exhibit to your booth. This is something you can do on your own but at many convention centers you have to carry the exhibit. If the cases have wheels you cannot take them yourself in most cases. This is insane and it amazes up how they get away with this. The Union is looking for every opportunity to charge you for something so get there hours before your trades show so you can be fully prepared.

You might discover that you forgot something or an item was broken during shipping. Arriving early might not solve all problems that might come up but there is nothing worse than having all of your competitors watching you stress out while you are still putting things together after the show has already begun. Get up early and have the coffee flowing!

 

Choose a Portable Display and save big!

You have a huge selection of trade show displays to choose from and if you are concerned about your budget then you want to be sure to go with the most portable display possible. Pop Up Displays are an excellent choice because they travel easy and set up fast. If you dress up a pop up display with eye-catching graphics you will look very professional while keeping your costs low.

You can also choose a Modular Exhibit. Modular Exhibits take a little more time to set up but they are very portable in most cases and will also give you a bit of a “Custom” look.

Also consider Fabric Displays, Table Top Displays and Banner Stands if you are looking to getting in & out of a Trade Show fast and keeping within your budget.

 

Renting an Exhibit Vs. Purchasing

Depending on what type and size Trade Show Exhibit you are interested in may make a big difference in whether you should purchase or rent. As far as pop up displays and other smaller exhibits that are designed for 10’ x 10’ & 10’ x 20’ booths you might want to rent first to make sure you are happy with your display. Many times when you exhibit at a trade show you will see competitors with a display booth that you really like and might want to go with a new idea. Many companies will rent a smaller display to you and will offer you up to half off of the rental price if you decide to purchase. Always ask for a new or good as new display when renting.

When it comes to larger exhibits we have found that renting is a much better solution. When you rent an exhibit you want to choose a company that will handle the entire project from design, delivery and set-up at the convention center. Exhibit Rental pricing can vary from company to company for the same product or close to the same so do your research.

 

Custom Exhibits a good idea?

Custom Exhibits are an excellent choice if you have a large budget. In most cases when visiting a trade show it is the larger companies that have the custom exhibits. You have many options using modular exhibits to build a large exhibit that looks custom without spending the “Custom” money. If you decide to go with a custom display be sure to check how much it will cost to set up and take down. Also check with the cost of transporting the exhibit to and from the convention center. An important thing you need to know is how much it will cost you to store your exhibit. Many of the custom display builders will offer storage at a monthly fee.

Many times when people purchase a custom trade show exhibit they think they can just sell it to recoup most of their money if they decide “custom” is not the way to go.  This is not the case and you will find out that selling a custom exhibit is very hard to do, and if you do get lucky and find a buyer it will probably be pennies on the dollar.  Many times people try to give them away so they don’t have to pay for the exhibit storage any longer.

Make sure you know what you are getting into before purchasing a custom trade show exhibit.  Consider renting! If you decide to rent you will not be stuck with the same exhibit for every show. Many of the custom exhibit houses offer a Turnkey solution. They will handle everything from design, transportation, set-up and take down. This will eliminate and storage fees.

 

Budget – Know the costs of Exhibiting at a Trade Show

Exhibiting at a Trade Show can be very costly so the more you know what the costs are the more prepared you will be and will avoid unwanted surprises. Over the years we have spoken with many exhibitors that complain of all the extra costs that they had no idea existed.

Here is a list of some of the expenses you need to be aware of:

• Purchasing or renting a trade show display
• Graphics for your exhibit (Include Design if needed)
• Transportation of exhibit to hotel or convention center (Price will depend on what size exhibit you have)
• Installation & Dismantle (I&D) * This is a major part of exhibiting that catches many people off guard.
• Staffing your trade show booth (Consider how many people will be in your booth and how much the travel cost will be for each one of them including meals while out of town)
• Renting booth space at the convention center (This is a big expense so make sure you have a good location and not somewhere in a corner that does not get much foot traffic)
• Internet access inside your booth This price can range from $200 to $2000 depending on the show and how much internet bandwidth you need)
• Vacuuming the floor and empting your trash each day of the trade show (Yes they do charge for these!)
• Power to your exhibit and booth (In most cases the convention center does not include power so find out how much extra it will be)

Remember that it is very important to know the rules of each convention center. The union rules can change from show to show and many exhibitors complain of being squeezed for more money every time they turnaround. It seems the unions that control the trade shows are in it to make as much money as possible and sometimes forget that it is the exhibitors that allow them to have a job. You would expect them to work together with the exhibitors to make sure they are happy so they would want to return to many future trade shows, but that doesn’t seem to be the case so make sure you are prepared and know all of the details of each charge you will incur.  Also remember that depending on the size of the exhibit that you have there might be a substantial difference in costs on how much it is to set up.  The unions usually allow close to a half hour to set up your own display so if you have a pop up display make sure you set it up fast. If you run out of the time the union will step in and set it up for you and charge you for doing so. If your display is a bit tricky to set up you will pay someone to try and figure out how to set your display up. This will drive you insane so be prepared and good luck!

 

Exhibit Graphics must look awesome!

So you spent thousands of dollars on your trade show exhibit and covered it with horrible graphics? Yes, I have seen this over and over in the many years I have been in the trade show display business. Make sure you are dealing with an exhibit company that has in-house designers with many years of design experience. Ask to see samples of previous designs and also ask to speak with the graphic designer so you can get a good understanding of the work that needs to be done.

Also update your trade show exhibit graphics as you attend more and more trade shows. Make sure your new products are featured on your new graphics. If you have a better design that you feel will grab the attention of the exhibitors better than the older graphics then make the change.

When attending a new trade show and re-using your existing graphics make sure they are clean. I have seen many people using dirty graphics and this will only do harm to the image of the company you are representing. In addition to making sure your graphics are smudge free, also make sure they are not full of dents or tears. When the graphics are stored in their cases many problems can happen if they are not packed correctly. We recommend you purchase a separate case for transporting your graphics. Take care of those graphics!

 

Are Table Top Displays a good option?

Table Top Displays are great for small convention and conference settings. Using a table top display vs. a full sized pop up display is just fine as long as you have a nice set up & your graphics look nice. You can fill up some of your booth space by adding a banner stand or two or even a nice custom podium. There are also many different types of table top displays to choose from including “suitcase” styles. These are very nice and they set up in seconds. The graphics stay attached and are very easy to change, as your graphic needs change.

 

Choosing Retractable Banner Stands

Retractable Banner Stands have become very popular in the trade show and convention business. They work well as a compliment to your pop up display and are also a good choice for larger exhibits. Retractable Banner Stands are excellent for people that want to get into the convention center and out just as fast without the hassle of breaking down a larger display. They are also very convenient for traveling, allowing you to carry on an airplane or store them in the trunk of your car. You will find that there are many different styles of banner stands on the market but they basically do the same thing. Some have a nicer looking stand and will cost a little more than others that may look cheaper but the graphic will look the same no matter which one you choose. Remember that there are many of these retractable banner stands out there from China so be sure to check out the quality.

 

Hanging Display Signs – Good idea?

Hanging Displays with your company name and logo displayed on them is an excellent way for convention attendees to find your exhibit booth. You can choose from triangle, square & circular hanging displays. If you don’t mind spending more money you can have your circular hanging display rotate. We at TSM think that spending the extra cost in another area “might” be a better choice unless you have a much larger budget. If you decide to use a hanging banner display at your next trade show, make sure you don’t go with a frame that is too small. You want to use a large enough size that can be seen from a distance. Also make sure the person that is doing your art design fills up the space with large text or your logo. Try and avoid using small text like a tagline on your hanging display because it will be hard to read.

 

Flooring advise for your Trade Show Booth

The last thing you want is for someone to trip inside your booth. There are many flooring option available to you for your booth and our favorite here at TSM is the many different types of “Portable Flooring”. You will have a wide range of color choices and designs to match your trade show display and graphics. Puzzle Flooring sets up easily and is easy to ship. The puzzle flooring ships in it’s own case with handles and wheels. Not only is the puzzle flooring portable, but you can also ad your company logo for an extra touch. Ask your sales representative to show you’re the many different styles they offer including carpet style and basic rubber mat.

You can also choose to use carpet but you must know that carpet costs more to ship and is much harder to keep flat. We have seen at many trade shows where people have stumbled over un-even carpet.

 

Trade Show Lighting – Know the lighting rules of the Convention Center you are exhibiting at

Lighting rules change from one convention center to another. On basic pop up display many convention centers only allow 150-watt lamps due to safety reasons. 200-watt lamps have been used for years but we recommend that you purchase lamps that are 150-watt to avoid any problems at future shows. Also ask for paper work showing the details of the lamps you purchase. You want to make sure that they have been inspected for safety issues and are up to the basic standards of the trade show industry. There are thousands of lights from China in the market place that have not been approved and do not meet the basic safety standards.

Warning! When the show is over and it is time to pack up your exhibit booth, make sure you unplug your display lamps an hour before you pack them.  These lights get very hot and many people have gotten severely burned. There have also been instances of fires being started when the hot lamps touch the exhibit fabric or are packed inside the trade show display cases.

 

Should I have “Giveaway” items in my Display Booth? Have a drawing or contest?

It is always a good idea to have “Giveaway” products better know as “Promo” or “Promotional Items”. Whichever products you decide to go with make sure they are items that people can use. Also make sure your logo and website address is on all of the items you pass out. You want to keep your company name and image in the customers mind long after the show and promotional items are the way to go.

You might also consider having a drawing or some kind of contest for people to win a prize. Let them know that at a certain time of the trade show that you will be announcing the winner. This gets people coming back to your booth and also allows you to get their contact information. Consider using a mini spinning wheel or a Bingo Ball type of game. Whatever you decide to do be sure it is fun and simple.

 

Trade Show Display Products from China

Yes, the trade show industry is flooded with products from China. Over the last several years many trade show companies have been offering products from China. When these products first hit the Trade Show Market there were many problems with the quality. The products were made from very cheap material and the overall construction was very poor. Although over the last few years the quality has gotten better, you still need to be careful with display products from China. It seems every manufacturer in China is now in the Trade Show Business! Some of them have figured it out and offer pretty decent products. Many of them are cutting costs by offering cheap, flimsy and in some cases unsafe material. Remember if an item is priced at such a great price that you find it hard to say NO to… well saying no might be the best thing you ever did.

There are thousands of nightmare stories of exhibitors showing up at their trade show booth and finding that their display has been broken, and that is a headache you do not want or need. We at Trade Show Mania recommend you do the research to make sure you have a successful Trade Show Event by getting the fine quality products you deserve. Do NOT let pricing be the only reason you choose a certain trade show product or company. Buyer Beware!

 

Know the Union Rules of the Convention you are exhibiting at!

Union Rules vary from one convention to the other and also from city to city. They have many regulations and policies that you must be aware of including: Exhibit Set-Up Time, How long you have to set up & tear down. There are certain things the union will and will not let you do. If tools are required to set up your trade show display, it is almost certain you will not be allowed to set your own display up but will have to let a member or two from the union take over. (Yes you will pay for this) If you decide to purchase a Pop Up Display, be sure to buy one that does not need tools to set it up.

There are many other things the union will charge you for so be sure to check way before you get to the convention center so you are not caught off guard.

 

Thank You for reading our Exhibiting Advise section and we hope we have helped save you time and money and have helped you in making good decisions when exhibiting at all of your future Trade Shows!