By Trade Show Manager, Breanne Loyd C.T.S.M.
As a Trade Show Manager I cannot stress enough how important it is to PLAN, and no, there is no such thing as over planning! Tradeshow success is essentially based off of how well you planned, and how well you executed your plan. There are many stages in the planning process of a tradeshow; the first stage starts at month 12, and ends 90 days after the show…. That’s right, I said 90 DAYS AFTER the show. Just when you think the show is over and your job is done, just wait, there’s more! I won’t bore you with all of the details, but here is a glimpse at the planning cycle.
Stage 1- Intake Month
• Gathering the basics. Take it all in…gather as much information needed to help you get through planning and executing this thing we call a “Tradeshow”.
Stage 2- Let’s Talk Dollars
• You guessed it, this is the budget month.
Stage 3- The Clock is Ticking…
• Let’s be real, everything in sales and marketing has a timeline, right? Right. So don’t procrastinate!
Stage 4- Be SMART.
• Set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic (or relevant works too), and time based.
Stage 5- Are you packed yet?
• What will you take, what do you have, what do you need?
Stage 6- Eenie, Meeny, Miny, Moe
• Selecting the right team of staffers. This will either make you or break you come show day.
Stage 7- The Early Bird Gets The Worm
• Order whatever services you may need BEFORE the discount deadline ends!
Stage 8- Yellow is Not My Color, Darling
• Uniforms. The topic that everyone will find something to complain about!
Stage 9- The Red Carpet
• Have new products you will be showing off onsite? Then talk about it now! Create those press releases and meetings to get the excitement flowing.
Stage 10- Who Needs Sleep?
• It’s here…it’s FINALLY here! You are onsite and things are rockin’ and rollin’.
Stage 11- The Walls Are Falling Down On Me!!!
• Yes, all of that hard work and stress is over…and literally the walls are coming down! It took you 11 months to execute this thing to watch it fall down in less than 12 hours.
Stage 12- I Quit.
• No, no, no! Not so fast… You aren’t quite done just yet. This is the last stage, but it’s also one of the most important stages. Recap, and report.
Seems simple, right? To one who has experienced the life of a show, you know there is much much more involved in all of these stages, but this is the simplistic view of it! Here at Marketing Plus, we are SMART when it comes to executing your next Tradeshow. Please call us for any of your planning questions or needs.
TRADESHOW PRODUCTS
Don’t be fooled! Our “tradeshow” products are so diverse that they can be used for any type of display use, such as office lobbies, wall art, showrooms, conference rooms, meetings, table top displays, retail outlets, store fronts, the list goes on and on. Our fully customizable pieces offer versatility in any setting. Contact Marketing Plus for a free quote and design today!
***Introducing the new H-Line
***Wall Frame- Office Walls or Displays
***Tradeshow Portable Display- hello. Xpress
Jet Setters
Marketing Plus takes the all-in approach when it comes to Trade Show Management. In the month of February we had teams traveling to Berlin, Las Vegas, Tulare, and Orlando. Did we mention all of these shows are being executed within a two week span of each other? It’s just what we do. We make the impossible possible. When there are a number of shows you need to be at but only feel like you can be in one place at a time, we are there to see you through it all, from the flight, to that long set up and tear down ahead of you.
As Jet Setters to MANY different shows, we know the ins and outs domestically and internationally. Have a question, need help? Call our Trade Show Department to set up a meeting, and we will help execute those handful of shows that needed to happen yesterday!
99 Pallets on the truck… You take one down… Pass it Around…$200 LATER. 
It sounds crazy, but yes, there are in fact different rates for those packages and pallets you are shipping to a show. Palletized, Crated, Skidded, Special Handling, Small box, BIG box, its all the same, right? Nope! Definitely not the same. Did you know you could be charged different rates for each type? This fee is called “Material Handling”, each item shipped is considered a “piece count” and a fee is charged based on the type.
To give you an idea: a skid weighing in at 245 lbs. can cost you roughly anywhere from $200-$350 depending on the show rates (based on the city and union that has jurisdiction), whereas a small box or package can cost you $50-$100. Are you shipping smart? Think about it. If you don’t know, the answer is with Marketing Plus.
