This week, a colleague asked me why we promote Exhibit Specials during our busier months, like August and September. He said, “Is it really necessary to offer discounts when we’re already getting those orders?”
It’s a fair question. Discounts would seem illogical when business is good, like watering your garden when it’s raining. The answer is yes… and no.
From a Classic Distributor Perspective:
You have clients with healthy budgets. Others with mystery (or delusional) budgets. Some clients ask about specials. Exhibit Design Search allows you to appeal to all of those clients.
Your Sales and Marketing teams want a reason to communicate with clients. This Unbranded Specials make that easy with downloadable literature.
Specials spark conversations with clients, and those conversations usually land on an exhibit solution (that isn’t an Exhibit Special).
Specials have deadlines, which encourages your clients to decide — sooner rather than later.
From Classic Exhibits Perspective:
Not every Classic Distributor is familiar with Gravitee and Symphony, which are featured in August/September. Specials spark conversations with Distributors about those products. Those conversations lead to increased product knowledge and future orders. Like during slower months.
We’re very needy at Classic. We want you to visit our website regularly. Exhibit Specials give you a reason. Same with our monthly Lightning Deal.
Specials are easy for us. We’ve built those designs many times, so they flow seamlessly through Project Management and Production.
Here’s a secret we probably shouldn’t share. We don’t sell as many Specials as you would think. Not that we don’t want to, but the statistics don’t work in our favor. For August/September, there are (8) Gravitee and (8) Symphony 10 x 20 inlines in Exhibit Specials. All beautiful designs. However, there are over 1500 designs in Exhibit Design Search. That’s 16 vs 1500+ which is approximately 1% of all designs in EDS.
In the end, whether you choose the 1% or the 99%, we’re happy. Overjoyed actually. 😊
You’ve done the hard work preparing for your next trade show: formulating a marketing strategy, creating a budget, designing a new exhibit, and completing the show forms. However, you still have this nagging feeling you’ve forgotten something. You have. It’s time to pull together your trade show supplies.
No matter how prepared you are for the upcoming trade show, there will always be surprises. Every trade show warrior has learned to pack a treasure trove of essential items, from trade show supplies like extra lights, pens, and cleaning supplies to crucial trade show accessories such as banners, display stands, and charging ports. In this article, we’ll share multiple lists of trade show supplies that you should consider bringing to your next event. You may not need every item at every event, but having a checklist will (hopefully) make your preparations a little easier. Every booth needs a superhero who comes to the rescue when disaster is about to strike. It might as well be you.
A Breakdown of Essential Trade Show Supplies
Everyone’s definition of trade show supplies varies. However, most exhibitors would define “trade show supplies” as essential items used to create a professional and engaging booth at trade shows, conferences, and exhibitions. These supplies can range from basic necessities to more elaborate elements designed to attract attention and showcase products or services effectively.
For the sake of simplicity, we’ll organize tradeshow supplies into four categories. This will make creating a personal checklist easier and allow you to organize these supplies into groups. These trade show booth supply categories are:
Office, Sales, and Marketing Supplies
Cleaning, Packaging, and Tools Supplies
First Aid and Personal Supplies
Other/Optional Supplies
Trade Show Booth Supplies: Office, Sales and Marketing
Every trade show marketer has had that moment on the show floor when someone says, “Do we have [fill in the blank] or any more… ?” Finding the right balance between too much and too little can be challenging. No one wants to ship multiple unopened boxes of promotional products back to the office after the show. But not having enough can be equally frustrating for your booth staff. Here are some office, sales, and marketing supplies you may want to consider:
Office Supplies:
Sharpies/felt tip pens/highlighters
Batteries (if you use any wireless devices)
Business card holders
Notepad
Pens
Superglue
Stapler
Post-it Notes (or a staff that actually uses the lead retrieval software as intended)
Trash bin(s)
Sales and Marketing Supplies
Giveaways/Promotional Products
Printed Literature (This is one case where is better to undershoot the mark rather than overshoot)
Business cards (yes, these are still important)
Phone chargers (consider incorporating wireless charging pads into your exhibit design)
Candy (indispensable)
Chapstick
Extra branded clothing
Trade Show Display Supplies: Cleaning, Packaging, and Tools
You want a tidy booth space, not just when the show opens on the first day, but every single day during the show. By having basic cleaning supplies in the booth, you and your team can spend a few minutes each day restoring your booth to the Opening Day sparkle.
Perhaps no supplies are more crucial before and after a show than packaging and tools. Velcro and duct tape can fix just about any problem, at least for 2-3 days and packaging tape and stretch wrap are indispensable during the exhibit dismantle.
Cleaning Supplies:
Laminate Polish and/or Glass Cleaner
Towels – Paper or Cloth
Tide Stain Sticks (for fabric graphics)
Clorox wipes (mostly to clean your hands before touching graphics)
Mop and/or vacuum cleaner (if not using show cleaning services)
Packaging Supplies
Duct Tape
Packaging Tape (a must during dismantle)
Stretch wrap (if appropriate)
Foam (if appropriate)
Tools:
Basic Tool Kit, including Allen wrenches
Utility knife
Tape measure
Velcro
Screws, bolts, andfasteners specific to your booth construction
Laminate scratch repair pens
First Aid and Personal Trade Show Supplies
Blood on your graphic? That’s probably not the message you want to send to potential clients. Grab that first-aid kit. It’s in the box on the top shelf of your crate.
Scary Stuff
Basic first-aid kit: pain relievers, band-aids, disinfectant, burn cream, etc.
Hand sanitizer (Be wise. Sanitize)
Tissues
Breath mints
Safety pins
Other/Optional Trade Show Supplies
Everything Else (excluding the kitchen sink)
Carpet tape
Power strips/extension cords
Light bulbs/LED light modules
Bottled water (no one should have to pay $8 for a bottle of water)
A/V cables and supplies
Extra keys
Security equipment
Emergency contact information
Organizing and Transporting Your Trade Show Supplies
When not being used, trade show supplies need to be stored and properly maintained in order to maximize their lifespan. At the show, organization, and accessibility are critical. No one wants to rummage through three boxes, two counters, or a pile of jackets to find the first-aid kit. All too often, trade show supplies get tossed into the crate at the end of a show, forgotten like tangled Christmas tree lights until the next trade show or event.
If possible, organize your supplies in durable containers that can be clearly marked with the company name and contents. Since not all supplies need to be in the booth during the show, you’ll want to separate them into install/dismantle supplies and show supplies. Once your cases/crates leave the show floor for storage, they’re all but inaccessible during the trade show.
Finally, everything about a trade show is chaotic. Things get misplaced or lost, which makes an accurate inventory important. Taking a little time both pre- and post-show to review your supplies will ensure you avoid any last-minute surprises. There’s nothing more stressful than having to send someone to the nearest hardware store while at the show site for an item you thought was in your trade show supply inventory.
Trade Show Supplies: The Key to a Smooth and Successful Event
Trade show supplies are the unsung heroes of any exhibition program. They may not win design awards or attract attendees to your booth, but they have the power to divert a disaster, make your exhibit sparkle and shine, and keep your booth staff happy and focused. All that’s required is a little pre- and post-show planning and organization. For over 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands. Find success on the trade show floor with an exhibit that reflects your marketing message. For more information, see www.classicexhibits.com and explore Exhibit Design Search or request a meeting with a Classic Distributor Partner.
Join Mel White, Gina Porcaro, and Harold Mintz on August 14 for a FREE Tips and Tricks Tutorial on Exhibit Design Search. In this session, you’ll learn how to:
EDS Webinar Topics
Located the latest design trends in islands, inlines, and accessories
Search by price ranges, exhibit sizes, and features
Create a customized search in Advanced Search
Save and share designs, photos, and trade show marketing tips using My Gallery
Download unbranded literature
Browse through over 10,000 photos
Find Exhibit Specials and Lightning Deals
Explore Classic Strategic Partner Galleries like Brumark, CORT, Taylor, DS&L and others
Compare Purchase and Rental designs
Discover the fastest way to pinpoint a client’s budget
For 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands.
On July 8, 1994, 30 years ago, I was offered a job by a friend (now my brother-in-law) to work for his father’s new business. At the time, I was working overnight shifts at a supermarket from 11 pm to 7 am. Then I’d head to college until about 3 pm. It was summer break from college, but I jumped at the chance for a normal work schedule and shift to evening classes in the fall.
Aside from the schedule, joining the small (5 people) team at Classic Exhibits was super intriguing to me. I knew it would likely grow and that I could be a part of that growth. What I didn’t know at the time was that the decision to “get off the night shift” would have a meaningful impact on my life, both professionally and personally.
Accepting the offer from Lowell Nickens at Classic was a real tipping point for me. Not only did Lowell become my first professional mentor, to whom I still lean on at times, but he also became my father-in-law in 1999. Accepting this job set off a course of life events that 30 years later includes having met my wife, having an amazing set of 17-year-old twins, and developing many friendships in this industry.
We all often muse about wanting to work with friends in a family environment with like-minded people. I have been truly blessed when it comes to ALL of that!
I was asked recently by my mother what my favorite part has been. The answer was/is simple — the people.
All of you (you know who you are) who have impacted my life professionally and personally.
All of you who have not been afraid to tell me what I need to hear… even when I don’t want to hear it.
All of you who have spoken into my personal life along the way.
For 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands.
Are you headed to Connect Marketplace 2024 in Milwaukee, WI? We’ll be there too! Look for Classic Exhibits in the show hall. We’ll be featuring a Symphony Portable Display, along with messaging about our private-label services to exhibit and event companies.
To schedule an appointment, contact Mel White, VP of Marketing and Business Development (mel@classicexhibits.com). Or stop by the booth from August 27-29.
For 30 years, Classic Exhibits has been designing and building creative custom solutions for our Distributor Partners and their clients. As North America’s largest private-label exhibit manufacturer, we have the unmatched capability, capacity, and creativity to create 3D projects ranging from 10 x 10 inline displays to 60 x 80 double-deck islands.
