21 Oct Trade Show Preparation

Thinking about exhibiting at a Trade show this year?

If you are here because you aren’t sure if you want to exhibit, please read our previous post here  on why you should consider exhibiting.

If you’ve just come from there, welcome to step 2 in planning your exhibition booth; your trade show timeline.

Here at VE we know how stressful this is, especially for a first time exhibitor! We have created a timeline to help you to get fully up to date on your trade show preparation.

4-6 Months Out

Planning Phase

When intending on exhibiting a custom trade show booth, you must be prepared in advance of 4 months to plan your trade show goals, your marketing proposal, your intended budget, and compile a Request for Proposal.

4 Months out

Once you have compiled your RFP, you can now send it on to your chosen trade show display team for their perusal, and organise a concept meeting to discuss your trade show preparation. Your trade show team will help flesh out some ideas, send mood boards and basic concepts.  Once this part is accepted, your design can begin.

3 Months out

By this point, your design should be underway, with a month to 10 weeks to allocate towards the design. 

2 Months out 

At this point you and your design team should have come to an agreement on a booth design that fulfils your brief and will have started production. With your design finalised, your exhbition specialists can produce and procure your hardware as per the approved design.

1 Month Out 

2 months to go, you should begin your social media and your email marketing campaigns.  You should be determining staffing requirements,  travel arrangements, including airfare, hotel and car rental reservations, if necessary.

2 Weeks Out 

Determine staffing requirements, 
Begin making travel arrangements, including airfare, hotel and car rental reservations, if necessary.

Once the Party’s Over….

Once your show has finished, it is imperitive to make sure you follow up with your potential clients as soon as possible to make the most of your leads!

How did your trade show go? Let us know in the comments below!