Execute the Perfect Expo with This Trade Show Checklist

Published on: 09 November 2018 Last Updated on: 19 July 2019

Are you heading to a trade show?

Anyone who’s ever tried putting together a public product launch knows a trade show checklist is essential to standing out. After all, your competition includes anywhere from 50-250 companies as hungry as yours.

Each one will bring passion and planning to their table. You have to assume that anyway. With that assumption in mind, here’s what your to-do list should look like.

1. Get the Budget on Paper

Any preparing for a trade show checklist should start with the finances. How much money do you have allocated for things like marketing, travel, personnel, and materials?

Will you be there for the launch of a new product? Or will your attendance be more informational in nature?

Either way, there’s going to be overheard. Will that overhead, justify the projected cost-benefit you hope to achieve from the trade show itself?

This isn’t something you should ballpark. Details reduce expenses and create profits. They also provide a benchmark for future trade show marketing efforts.

Some other benefits of budgeting include the following:

Ensuring you don’t overspend
Helping achieve profitability if you plan on selling anything
Providing relevant numbers for tax purposes
Giving you a clear idea of which spending efforts are producing the best results

And that’s just a start. You also may be able to create partnerships from these exhibitions that inform data such as the cost of customer acquisition or indirect revenue generation.

2. Make the SMART Objectives

Any trade show exhibitor checklist will need to be written in the form of objectives. Objectives are specific things you hope to accomplish in the planning, execution, and breakdown of your trade show exhibition.

But for objectives to be effective, they need to be SMART, not smart. (Okay, maybe it’s both.) By SMART, we mean:

Specific: Your list shouldn’t say, “Pack up all trade show materials.” It should say, “Pack booth into box truck rental.” In other words, each item or group of items should have tailored directives.
Measurable: You should be able to look at your objective and determine whether (and how) it was accomplished. This ensures you remember to pack the important stuff. It also helps avoid partial shipments.
Action-oriented: Each piece of your inventory or each goal you hope to achieve should be attached to an action verb. Think “employ,” “carry,” “ensure,” etc.
Realistic: Can it actually be done? Or are you trying to do too much, too quickly?
Time-sensitive: Being time-sensitive keeps you on track. It makes sure everything gets the level of attention it deserves.

Make sure your trade show preparation aligns with these components. Doing so will ensure all your objectives are SMART ones.

3. Learn Your Audience

Another essential step in how to prepare for a trade show is getting to know the people who will be there. Take the annual San Diego Comic-Con, for example.

Superhero, horror, and fantasy films and TV series earn billions of dollars each year. But that’s from general audience support.

The audience at Comic-Con is a lot different. A lot more, shall we say, fanatical?

Playing to their sensibilities have made Comic-Con one of the largest and most successful trade shows in the world. Exhibitors give the people what they want.

These “fanatics” create a culture of fandom that helps put whatever property they’re supporting on the radar of general consumers. Only when exhibitors fail to make that connection to the fanatics do their films/TV shows fall flat. So make sure your audience is priority number one.

4. Make Early Reservations

Content should be your primary focus. You need your attention on it early and often. So get room and space reservations out of the way early.

Determine how many are going, how many rooms you’ll need, and when you plan on arriving. It usually doesn’t cost anything to make a room reservation, especially when you get ahead of it.

5. Dot I’s and Cross T’s

What are the legal terms of your attendance? Is there anything you may be overlooking?

Don’t just assume you can show up and be good to go. Read the fine print. It’s not a bad idea to hand it off to your attorney either, especially when the contracts are written in legalese.

6. Figure out Your Materials

Will you have any tents with your logo on them? Printed marquees or business cards?

Flyers, handouts, reports, books – what will help you leave your mark so the audience doesn’t forget you after visiting 40 other booths?

Now’s the time to figure it out. Don’t be afraid to try something no one has thought of before.

7. Test Your Wares

Launching a product at the trade show? You don’t want the show itself to be the first test run you give to it.

If it’s possible for the product to break or malfunction, make sure it happens long before accepting your first customer. Do extensive testing on your advanced prototypes in the weeks or months leading up to the event.

8. Work out Installation

Any trade show exhibit will have a “storefront” of some kind. It could be a simple gateleg table or a more elaborate booth. Whatever you choose, make sure you’ve got the manpower and the timing down to get it installed so your people can get comfortable with the environment before accepting guests.

9. Select Your Reps

Ideally, your representatives will be an even mixture of competent and personable. Now that package can be hard to come by in just one employee. Do a deep assessment of your talent and make sure they complement one another.

You wouldn’t want a couple of Big Bang Theory-type programmers manning a software demonstration if they weren’t very good with people. The goal is to make the product accessible to general customers. Always keep the intention in mind.

10. Make Sure You Document It

What good is a successful trade show if you can’t blast out pictures on social media? Whether paid or organic, the exposure you can get from a few well-tagged, well-captioned photos gives you a lot more bang for your buck – and meaningful relationships – than a dozen Super Bowl ads.

11. Identify Your Neighbors (And Competitors)

Part of getting comfortable with the surroundings in which you’ll be operating is reaching out to the people around you. You’re both in a strange new setting. Even if you’re competitors, it’s not going to hurt to introduce yourself and share pleasantries while waiting for the crowds to build.

Beyond passing the time, however, identifying your neighbors and competition gives you a chance to learn from them and they from you. Watching each other work in the same environment will tell you whether it’s a positive or negative interaction, and it can give you ample ideas for next time.

12. Actively Promote Yourself on Social Media

Promoting the event is important before, during, and afterward. It’s important before for a rather obvious reason – you want people to show up.

During the event? Just as essential. That’s because you can pick up impulse traffic with your social media posts or provide updates to followers who couldn’t feasibly be at your location.

Finally, afterward is a nice time to reflect, post pictures, tag new and existing contacts, and make a new checklist of the things you’ll do the same (and differently) next year.

One final tip here is to consider building a paid marketing campaign before the event. That said, you can go a long way with organic if you bring your relationship marketing skills to the social network.

13. Bring Your A-Game to the Event

In many cases, trade shows are the biggest events of the year for a business. They’re a great way to get whatever you do in front of the people or companies who can help take them to the next level.

As such, you don’t want your B-Team working the room. As mentioned before, bring your most knowledgeable and outgoing people to the event.

But don’t stop there. Ensure they’ve prepared a list of personal objectives for the event. Make sure they get the proper rest and show up to the event in proper attire and ahead of schedule.

14. Ensure Demobilization

Finally, demobilization is an important part of the trade show experience. That’s because conference halls often limit the amount of time you have to clear out your displays and materials before they start charging past the contracted time.

Either hire a moving company ahead of time or ensure you bring along the appropriate amount of muscle to disband and transport trade show materials away from the location. And it helps to have an effective portable trade show display going into the event.

Make Your Trade Show Checklist a Priority

Your trade show checklist will be one of the most important documents you have when gearing up for a major event. The other stuff is important too – exhibits, materials, accommodations, but something inevitably will fall by the wayside if you wing it.

And while you’re here, check out our top tips to help you build a brand for your small business.

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Four Ways to Help Others and Bring about a Social Change

Social change is the transformation of cultures and institutions through human interactions and relationships. It is an ever-evolving process and has an overwhelming long-term impact on society. Unfortunately, many people and influential forces try to resist change in the status quo. But, change is constant. Three things trigger change: Conflict: Conflict is a constructive force as it prompts required adjustments by indicating the presence of an issue. Inequalities, racism, failure to provide justice, religious intolerance, and status quo give rise to anger and anarchy. People come forward to address the issues raised due to conflicts. Governments get overthrown or restructured because of these conflicts. Demographic Change: Demographic change refers to the transition from high to low birth and death rates. When society’s demographic composition shifts, change becomes inevitable. A larger population affects the quality and quantity of resources. The demographic change occurs either by the variations in birth and death rates or migration and immigration. Cultural Change: Cultural change takes place by adding new elements to the existing culture. It opens up new ways, inventions, discoveries, and ideas of living. Innovation and interaction with other societies also contribute to cultural change. It is essential because it helps in modernization and acceptance of new and better ways of life. Ways to bring Social Change: To bring social change, one must have adequate knowledge and understanding to address societal issues that create differences. It is also fitting to understand the role of social work and workers in the larger scheme of things. If you are interested in contributing, consider enrolling in accredited masters in social work programs to gain skills and create positive change for better well-being. These programs enable students and professionals to learn ways to help in adult mental health, child protective care services, and formulating social policies. With that said, the following are some commonly raised issues to be sorted out to help the ones in need. 1. Increase literacy: Access to primary education is the right of every human. The role of education is significant in healthy and democratic societies. The Social Change model combines learning and community development by teaching literacy skills, cultural expressions, and analytical thinking to the individuals and collective group. Many changes happen in the social sector, but they are unsuccessful in practice because of a lack of education. Thus, education is required to bridge this gap. It is supposed to change people’s attitudes and beliefs and instill a desire for success in them. Education helps in awareness, problem-solving, and decision-making. Increasing access to primary education in poverty-stricken areas has proven beneficial in raising living standards and growing employment opportunities. Thus, social work efforts must focus on expanding opportunities to meet the needs of those who have limited access to quality education with minimal barriers. As an educated individual, consider taking out time to teach others and spread your knowledge. And this brings us to the next point. 2. Volunteer in your community: Volunteering is an act of virtue, per se. Volunteering in your community expands equitability in society. It helps a person learn new skills, enhance connectivity in the community, and advance their career. It provides a sense of achievement and allows one to have self-confidence. We often think volunteering requires a lot of time and energy. But that is not the case. You can dedicate as much or as little of your time as you wish. No matter the differences, volunteerism in your community is always beneficial and gratifying. You can support NGOs and other charitable organizations by volunteering your time. By serving meals, planting trees, tutoring children, or caring for aged and terminally ill patients – you can volunteer in numerous ways. These simple acts can make a profound impact on society. 3. Donate for a cause: People usually look for charitable causes and then give money. It seldom happens that people become desensitized towards such initiatives. However, donations do not necessarily have to come in monetary form. Clothes, shelter, food, books, and even organs are all forms of contribution. Donations allow the donor to have an increased sense of self-worth. Philanthropists worldwide help promote social change by providing funds or advocating reforms. It significantly helps in the efficiency of non-profit organizations. By maximizing the resources available, philanthropy helps in strengthening the economy and encourages social innovation. It helps boost employee morale and customers’ brand loyalty in the long run. 4. Encourage kindness: Acts of kindness and altruism will help you feel good. Small random acts of kindness have a substantial impact on social change. Smiling and greeting people, picking stones from the way, a caring attitude, spreading positivity and hope, and complementing are examples of kind gestures that require little to no effort. One can practice kindness by performing small selfless acts. Consider how you can construct explicit mappings in the world to improve the actions of people around you. People are more likely to support strangers if they previously have been observed acting kindly. It has positive psychological effects on well-being. Helping others not only feels good, but it also has health benefits. Even helping others via donations is an act of kindness. Kindness begins with the ability to empathize with others, to put yourself in their shoes, and understand the challenges they face. Conclusion: COVID-19 has brought disastrous changes to the world. Under the haze of anxiety, fear, we are inundated with tales of compassion, voluntary action, and daily heroism. By helping others, we build a strong society. The pointers mentioned earlier will help you decide how to help others and bring radical changes to the community. Read Also: How Does Smoking Weed Affect The Society Reasons to Support Nonprofit Organizations That Help Save the Environment Six Main Reasons Why You Need to Care for Environment

Is Social Work Getting Enough Praise In Today’s Society?

Social work is a profession that is growing by leaps and bounds, but the public does not always recognize the contributions of the many social workers who keep society running. Social work deserves more praise for its wide scope of services and achievements. However, it seems that it is not getting the recognition it deserves. This is not mere observation; it is a fact, as according to a 2020 survey by Social Work England, 76% of the people involved do not think that social work is respected by society. Social work encompasses a broad range of services with an emphasis on prevention; these include assistance with children in care, assisting with homelessness and poverty issues, developing policies that support individual rights, advocating for improved conditions in prisons, or addressing addiction problems, among many others. There are many issues that social workers face that are possibly a foundation for the lack of praise for their field. Let us take a look at them. Social Work Education The fact that many qualified social workers and practitioners find it difficult to move from the sector to other sectors is telling of social work education. A lot of people who were educated in the field ended up working in various aspects of this field, such as clinical, developmental, and health social work. These are all aspects within the same field, and that should not be a problem. The good thing is that due to the rise in awareness regarding social work, getting a degree in the field has become more accessible now. In fact, many people with bachelor’s degrees went on to pursue social work masters programs online to find places of even more influence in their fields. The issue is that society, in general, does not consider social work to be a “competent” or “competitive” degree. Social work degrees suffer the same stigma as gender studies and other social sciences degrees that people who pursue these degrees will not end up with stable jobs. In reality, social workers can find jobs in HR unions, public relations, and even in education as professors or counselors, among many other fields of work. Negative Media Coverage With the increase of negative media coverage and social problems, it makes sense that people are not respecting the field of social work. Many believe that the reason for this is due to a barrage of negative media articles. The fact is that there are hardworking social workers in all areas of the field, and they are making strides for humanity every day. However, many do not hear about these inspirational deeds. They only hear about when things go wrong, which is far too common. Most of the media coverage that social workers get is when a group, community, or NGO is found to be involved in negative areas such as bribery, corruption, spreading lies, and other matters of the ilk. In a survey by YouGov, it was revealed that 82% of the masses involved believed that the media was responsible for the negative image of social workers. Whenever the authorities instigate any action against negative matters, it becomes the most publicized headline on the news bulletin and ends up making the front page of newspapers. Disregard For The Vulnerable Although social workers toil away for everyone, they are considered a godsend for those susceptible to harm. Whether we’re talking about religious minorities, sexual minorities, marginalized communities, or victims of assault and violence, there are branches of social work readily available to help everyone. The issue arises that the general majority does not pay much attention to the issues of minorities. Unless people are activists, they do not actively take part in bringing light to the issues of marginalized communities. Since social workers are associated with minorities and marginalized communities, when the aforementioned get sidelined, so do those who work for them. Lack Of Funds The lack of adequate funding and resources is a major problem that persists in the social work field. Since social workers often belong to private organizations, their requirements to put their plans into action often go unfulfilled. Social workers have a wide range of issues that they deal with in society, and these issues cost them a lot of money to deal with. The fact that many state and local governments are cutting down on social work budgets is disheartening for the many who work hard every day to serve their communities well. Unrealistic Expectations The general public has set unrealistic expectations in the field of social work. These general expectations are the reason why social workers feel like they shouldn’t be satisfied with their jobs. The more demanding a job seems to be, the more dissatisfied they become, feeling as if they should do more and more. Often, many social workers do work for organizations, but they do so at a very low cost. Many of the causes for the lack of respect given to the field of social work lie in the history of the field. Social work is officially a recent profession despite the fact that many have unknowingly served under its banner, so its history has not been as long and glorious as other professions. But with time, society will come to realize how much social workers do and how important they truly are for their stability and betterment. Read Also: Learn More About Social Security Disability in Deland 5 Things to Consider While Medicaid Planning – Keep This In Mind! Types Of Eldercare Centers

5 Tips for Turning Your Church Around

Recent years have seen a rapid decline in church attendance. One of the harsh facts of the current climate is that the institution has become all but irrelevant to many Americans, especially the younger generations, and so congregations have shrank. There are many reasons that church membership is down, and not all of them even relate directly to the clergy or to the church. One contributing factor is that Millennials and Gen-Zers are more averse to a commitment to any institution, including marriage and religion. However, another major factor is that America is becoming less religious as fewer people claim to have any religious affiliation. Ignoring these facts will do nothing to change the trends, but turning your church around isn't impossible. Read on to get some tips to help you revive your church and make it more durable. Here are 5 Tips for Turning Your Church Around: 1. Acknowledge that your church has a problem. As a church leader, you're probably accustomed to helping people through life's hardships. As a counselor and minister, you know that the first and most important step of solving a problem is admitting that there is one. You have to apply that same principle inwards, especially when it comes to turning your church around. It's equally important to be able to recognize the signs that your church is in trouble. One of the crucial signs that your church is trending downward is that you have a lack of young people in your congregation. Growth is important for the survival of any organization, and you can't grow without an infusion of youth. Also, if there is no talk of the church's direction and goals for the future, then it is going in the wrong direction. The goal shouldn't be to simply exist and maintain the status quo--you need to always have a vision for how to make it something greater. 2. Hire people with skills that can help your mission to grow. Even though the goal of your church isn't to make money, you need to approach turning it around with a business mindset. In business, you need to have the right personnel in place to facilitate growth, and you need to take the same business-like approach to revive your ministry. Growing your church should be a project with many steps and initiatives that you put forth with the goal of revitalizing the ministry. You should consider hiring a project manager who has successfully completed PMP certification training. A project management professional undergoes years of schooling to get their project management certification, or PMP certificate, and they specialize in planning, and in managing the funding of projects. You may even want to consider sponsoring one of your members for the PMP certification process as a way to facilitate growth from within your flock. By helping them get the credentials needed, through on-site project experience, they can quickly gain their own project management certification, and help you in return. The more qualified hands you have on deck, then the more ready your church will be to undertake the task of turning the ministry around. 3. Get the youth involved. One of the major issues facing churches around the United States is that young people are losing interest in church. If this trend continues, then from where will the clergy and church leaders of the future come? One way you can attract youth to your ministry is to give them responsibilities. Adolescents are on the cusp of adulthood, and the desire to have a role in shaping the institutions of which they're apart. Create programs specifically for the younger people in your church, and also empower them to give suggestions and spearhead small projects. 4. Encourage members to become leaders. One of the most important prerequisites for ministers to remember is that you can't build a ministry alone. If you want your members to become more engaged in church, then you need to get them active. One way to get members to become more interested in growing the ministry is to facilitate their personal spiritual growth. Creating a school of ministry for members who dream of someday wearing priest shirts is an excellent way to help your members grow, as well as attracting potential new members to step into the church for the first time. Put your credentials and years of experience in ministry to work by becoming a trainer for future ministers and leaders. 5. Get active in the community. One of the unfortunate trends in the U.S. is that people are beginning to feel like the church is irrelevant in modern society. One of the main reasons for that sentiment is that many churches are inactive in their community. If you want to revitalize your church, then community service is one of the best ways. Programs like neighborhood cleanups and food drives are excellent ways to ingratiate your church to the community through service. Read Also: Uses and History of Prayer Beads in Various Traditions

Execute the Perfect Expo with This Trade Show Checklist

1. Get the Budget on Paper

2. Make the SMART Objectives

3. Learn Your Audience

4. Make Early Reservations

5. Dot I’s and Cross T’s

6. Figure out Your Materials

7. Test Your Wares

8. Work out Installation

9. Select Your Reps

10. Make Sure You Document It

11. Identify Your Neighbors (And Competitors)

12. Actively Promote Yourself on Social Media

13. Bring Your A-Game to the Event

14. Ensure Demobilization

Make Your Trade Show Checklist a Priority

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Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Related

Four Ways to Help Others and Bring about a Social Change

Is Social Work Getting Enough Praise In Today’s Society?

5 Tips for Turning Your Church Around

Execute the Perfect Expo with This Trade Show Checklist

1. Get the Budget on Paper

2. Make the SMART Objectives

3. Learn Your Audience

4. Make Early Reservations

5. Dot I’s and Cross T’s

6. Figure out Your Materials

7. Test Your Wares

8. Work out Installation

9. Select Your Reps

10. Make Sure You Document It

11. Identify Your Neighbors (And Competitors)

12. Actively Promote Yourself on Social Media

13. Bring Your A-Game to the Event

14. Ensure Demobilization

Make Your Trade Show Checklist a Priority

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Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related