Trade Shows Hints & Tips

Tomorrow I will board an airplane and head off to our industry's most important trade show, the International Toy Fair. Today I am nervous, edgy and as my horoscope said, "tending to be confrontational." Darn right! This show costs a fortune. In return, if I keep cool and the winds of fate blow favorably, this show can return that investment tenfold.

The question keeps running through my mind, "What am I forgetting?" The show is in the New York Jacob Javits Center. It's so far from home; so far from whatever it is that I have neglected to pack up and ship. So I shrug, sigh and utter the old exhibitor credo, "Well, there's always FedEx."

This type of anxiety is typical, even from us old time-worn trade show war horses. There are so many things that can and do go wrong. Once at a show in Chicago, our booth contents didn't arrive. We spent the night before the show opened traveling by cab to all of our Chicago accounts, buying back our puppets. Believe me, they mystery novel titled "Trade Show Booth--Missing, Stolen or Strayed" is not a very good read.

Then there were the "Sorry, we don't have a reservation in your name" hotel clerks and the "We promise we will bring your luggage to your hotel as soon as we find it" airline ticketing folks and the vast array of other travel nightmares.

Acts of God and the airlines aside, there are some trade show disaster-prevention techniques that, if heeded, will help make things go smoothly.

The first thing is to play way ahead. Request your exhibitor kit 11 to 12 months ahead of the show. This is especially important if the show is a revenue-generating block-buster. Premium booth space goes to the early birds. Then figure out how much it is going to cost to attend. This will include the cost of the booth real estate (carpeting, tables, table covers, electricity, garbage cans, chairs, etc.). Don't forget the cost of travel, lodging, food, entertainment and transportation fees.

If it still looks like a doable deal, fill out all of the paperwork, reserve your hotel, and start watching for airfare wars. Put copies of all the paperwork in a special folder and remember where you file it.

Between four to six months before the event, start putting your booth together. If you can, set it up in an unused space. When it is as perfect as you can make it, start taking if down one piece at a time. Make a list of each and every piece and part. Put the list in your special file folder. This is also a good time to get your press packets and invitations started.

Start advertising and sending out newsletters and press releases three to four months before the event. Check the exhibitor kit to see whey you need to send in your listing for the show directory and your rental forms. If you are going to use give-aways, order them now.

At the two-month mark, check to see if all your previous planning is on course. Assign specific show duties to each and every staff member. If you haven't bought your airline tickets, do so now. Plan your travel itineraries, including ground transportation. If it is your first time to the destination, request a visitor- information packet from the local chamber of commerce or the show management.

A month before show time, work on your demonstrations and sales strategies. Design a database if you have a laptop. If not, print some lead forms. Create follow-up packages and letters.

When there are two to three weeks to go, send invitations and schedule in and out bound freight. One week before you depart, check all of the details (hotels, etc.) If your badges have been mailed to you, be sure they are in your file folder. Put the folder, your airline tickets and any other vital information in your briefcase.

One day before you leave, avoid reading your horoscope, try not to think of all the things that could go awry, clip your toenails (you will be walking miles and miles) and be sure there are some jammies in your suitcase. Tomorrow will be a brand new day. Let the show begin.