Exhibiting During “Trade Show Season”
Snuggled in nicely around the holidays, early winter trade shows can be a great way to promote your brand and your products during the highest consumer spending months and dedicated promotional sale days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In late winter and early spring, often called “trade show season,” many companies and organizations participate in expos and conventions.
There a few precautions and tips you can use to make your event more enjoyable and to keep unexpected happenings from ruining your exhibitor experience:
1. Anticipate Travel Delays
Exhibiting somewhere snowy? ❄️ The road to your event may be fraught with travel delays, whether by car, plane or train. And although shipping carriers try their best to avoid them, freight delays for your exhibit and other show components are often the reality. If you’re exhibiting in a cold climate, consider shipping to an advance warehouse 2-4 weeks ahead of showtime when possible. Have alternate arrangements at the ready and advise your staff to not wait until the opening morning of your show to fly in!
Travel Delays
2. Bundle Up
Another “chilling” revelation, most exhibit halls, convention centers and other event facilities do not turn on the heat for installation and dismantle inside the venue. BRR!!! ☃️ Ensure your build teams have the appropriate attire!
Winter Weather Gear
3. Package Materials with Care
If you’re sending perishable items or liquid products, a climate-controlled shipping provider or some insulated packaging may be the way to go. Transportation and loading times may vary, and if your materials can freeze 🥶 or be ruined by cold temperatures, make arrangements to protect them! Even small, single items such as a bottle of water or can of soda can freeze (and explode) during transit causing a big mess and possibly even damage.
Cold-Conscious Shipping and Packing
4. Pad Your Event Budget
If you’ve ever booked a flight ✈️ or a hotel around during an important local event or a holiday, you know that prices consistently increase in response to the calendar. This is something to keep in mind both for labor costs but also for traveling booth staff. Anticipate additional expenses! The earlier you book your show services and your lodging, the better pricing you will receive for not only your booth staff but your labor team as well.
Extra Event Budget
5. Strategize Your Booth Giveaways
To get the most out of your promotional items and show-floor handouts, remember the season! Temperature-conscious apparel (hats, scarves), cold-weather tools (ice scrapers, mini heaters) and other seasonal giveaways are good starting points. Plan your props!
Seasonal Giveaways
6. Pick a “Seasoned” Trade Show Partner 😉
In choosing an exhibit house to design, manufacture, ship, build and store your exhibit, consider a service provider who is experienced with trade shows in all seasons, has an in-house project management staff as well as a dedicated install/dismantle team, and is consistently available in case of emergencies. Partner wisely!
Condit Snow Day
Winter Trade Show Success with Condit: Snow or Shine
Condit Exhibits can help your winter trade show process run smoother than an ice rink! ⛸️ Take a look at this trade show calendar to see which winter events make sense for your brand, and let’s start a winter trade show project. You can also contact us to learn more.