Trade Show Preparation: Getting Ready

Whether you’re new or a veteran when it comes to trade show events, preparation is still an extremely important part of the whole process! It’s possibly even more essential if you always join this type of event; falling into the pit of the rut and doing things the same way over and over again is so easy.

By keeping track of today’s trade show trends and innovations, you will be able to use your efforts more efficiently and maximize your return on investment.

So, you need to understand that no matter how much time, effort, and money you invest, the key to having a successful trade show experience is very simple: early preparation.

“Next Year” Is Not Far Away When Planning for a Trade Show

While “next year” may sound a long way off from the present, you have to keep in mind that time goes faster than you imagine. The earlier you start the easier for you to avoid all the hassle of preparing for your booth and the bigger the possibilities for you to be successful in the event. You can start early by making a list of your goals, needs, and expectations.

Doing the preparation earlier may feel like a huge task, however, adding the effort will guarantee that you make the best of your trade show asset.

A Trade Show Timeline to Help You Prepare:

To help you get started, here is a pre-show guideline you can follow to make sure that you will have a successful trade show experience.

10 to 12 Months Before the Trade Show

  • Know your trade show goals – How many leads do you want to make? How many orders do you want to take can you accommodate? What benefits can you give and get to and from your audience?
  • Sign up for the trade show event – It is always better to start early as you will have a lot of time to decide on the space that you think is perfect. This will also give you more time to prepare.
  • Set the trade show budget – It is smart to calculate how much you are going to spend on registration fees, transportation, props, meals, and other possible expenses.
  • Do preliminary research on your booth design company- You should start planning right away to find a trade show display builder, as these professionals have the resources to make all your planning easier.

7 to 10 Months Before the Trade Show

  • Choose present promotional materials you’ll use in the exhibit.
  • Start creating new marketing collateral if needed.
  • Know what extra accessories are needed for your trade show booth: banners, lighting, pop-up displays, tables, and chairs are some normally overlooked items.
  • Start finalizing your trade show booth design plan, and be ready to invite a couple of companies to bid on it.

4 to 7 Months Before the Trade Show

  • Plan travel arrangements – Rent vehicles needed to carry the items, book hotels, etc. You make sure your necessary documents such as passport, driver’s license, or the like are still valid on the day of the event.
  • Produce the promotional hand-outs or items you would like to give away at the event.
  • Decide on your trade show design company to wrap up the presentation and look of your booth for this year’s display.
  • Execute your trade show booth design

1 to 4 Months before the trade show

  • Staffing and Training – During this period, you should have all the staff ready and have the training they need to get started.
  • Marketing – Have a marketing team to promote the event and your presence at that event. Make sure to send the message of what you can offer if people make an appearance in your booth.
  • Review Everything – Make sure you are not missing anything. Test all the displays, and items you are going to present.

The Week of the Event

  • Make sure that all show services you set up are available and prepared.
  • Manage booth setup and make the setup supervisor recheck everything.
  • Double-check if everything you need to set up the booth is complete and nothing is broken.
  • Take a deep breath, smile, and be positive!

Preparing for a trade show event can be a challenging task. Setting up your plans into a simple timeline will make the whole process easier. With all things in place, you will be all set to focus on running an amazing exhibit to make a lasting impression on your audience which you can turn into leads over time.

What Our Clients Say

I love working with the Beaumont Team; I know any project I work with them on is in good hands! The team is professional, knowledgeable, great at communicating every step of the way and keeping our projects on time. Their flexibility to work within our budget is always appreciated and I know on event day, things will go smoothly with their ready assistance.

Adriana Dimitri

Marketing Qinetiq Canada

James, Jamilyn and the Beaumont crew really came through for us on a last minute booth rental request. We had a show in Atlanta and they turned around the project in less than 3 weeks, handling all logistics, setting us up in a professional looking booth and responding quickly to all our questions along the way. Looking forward to working with Beaumont for future conferences.

Steve Macleod

Marketing Samdesk

James and team worked with us for months on an extensive exhibit booth trade show in multiple locations. They were always accommodating with our requests and always easy to get in touch with no matter the situation. There truly wasn’t anything they couldn’t do!

Brianna Mincieli

Producer ADM Productions, Inc.

We recently had the pleasure of working with Beaumont & Co Exhibits; this was our third time using them during the ESRI event in San Diego, and I must say, it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. James and Jamilyn from Beaumont Exhibits were the epitome of professionalism, and their dedication to supplying top-notch service truly made a significant impact on our booth rental experience.

Leia Abreu

Operations and Facilities Coordinator Ecopia

From concept to follow through, the team at Beaumont got it right! I was thrilled with the collaboration to see our vision come to life – all with the an excellent collection of support. James and Karen with great to work with and did well to keep the ball moving and ensure we made it to the finish line promptly.

Our 20FT Linear had a custom die-cut logo and digital interfaces, that deployed in Ottawa at the RIMS Canada Conference. We were a show stopper to say the least. When the time comes for another project, I know where I’ll be going!

Donny Cooze

Manager, Digital Media, Engagement & Communications ARS

We had a very positive experience working with Beaumont in the Vancouver Convention Center. The booth they created for us was designed and installed on time and with the best quality standards. Thanks to Maria and James who helped us step by step before, during and after the process.

Alexandra Ortega – Testimonial

Marketing
Inter-American Development Bank

Trying to plan a trade show in Brussels while being located in the US was nerve-wracking, but finding Beaumont & Co. and Luciana, made it much easier! Luciana went above and beyond when there were shipping mishaps and made sure that we received our booth on a tight timeline. The quality of the booth was great and easy to put together. They really work to meet your needs.

Cassandra Morrison

Senior Marketing + Content Manager

Beaumont Exhibits. We love the new signage. It shows Halifax beautifully.

Cara Salci

Halifax Partnership

Just outstanding work all week guys. As always.

John Benson

Deputy Director of The Canadian Defence, Security & Aerospace Exhibition Atlantic

The Exhibit Area has been a hit all conference long, thanks to our wonderful partner Beaumont Exhibits, who has made sure our booths and signage have been on point with their top-notch work. Thank you!

Kiki Cloutier

EM Director, Marketing Communications and Events Canada Public Relation Society

“There is nothing that compares to the Beaumont Exhibits booth system; it will be in my mind or even should be the industry standard. Our booth was revered by all who came upon it. In fact, a comment I heard from a passerby was “Now that’s a booth!” comparing it to all the thousands of other booths at the Las Vegas AHR convention”

Greg Gallagher

Marketing Manager, Rosemex

“MetOcean Telematics appreciates working with Beaumont Exhibits for our trade show needs. Beaumont Exhibits understands the complex nuisances of the industries in which we do business and has played an important role in helping us present our products to clients worldwide.”

Jeff Smeltzer

Marketing and Communications Lead, Met Ocean

“Assembled the booth this morning. Looks fantastic. Next week I am taking it with me to Tampa for a trade show there.”

Angela Archibald

Manager, Business Development and Administration services, CarteNav Solutions

“Our company has used Beaumont Exhibits a few times now and each time they have delivered high-quality products in a timely manner. Highly recommended.”

Jason Giffin

Maritime Gourmet Mushrooms

“Fantastic company to work with. Their attention to detail and deadlines is second to none. Very pleased with my experience!”

Steve Collette – Beaumont Exhibits

CEO, 3rd Degree Training

“Beaumont Exhibits is great to work with, they have a wide selection of products and know the industry.”

Kaley MacDonald

Seafood Marketing Officer, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

“Beaumont Exhibits provided COVE with a fantastic booth. Now we can begin representing and growing the ocean tech industry in the region with the marketing presence to match the task.”

Callahan Murphy

Project Manager, COVE – Centre for Ocean Venture and Entrepreneurship

“The Canadian Defense, Security and Aerospace Exhibition Atlantic: DEFSEC Atlantic is Canada’s second largest defense and aerospace trade event. We cater to some of the world’s largest defense contractors in the world. We have no hesitations in recommending Beaumont & Co. to them as a provider of quality display materials. The feedback we received has been most positive and we are looking forward to a long relationship with James and Sean as they grow their business here in Atlantic Canada and beyond.”

Colin Stephenson

Executive Director, DEFSEC Atlantic

“Beaumont & Co. was great to deal with in that they incorporated all our design suggestions in a timely fashion and their superior customer service made the this process very relaxed and straightforward. The final products turned out nicely and to our satisfaction – the displays look professional and high-quality. The banner’s LED component allows us to stand out at trade shows/career fairs. They went the extra mile and set-up the display for us on two separate occasions which was very much appreciated. They have also responded to additional follow-up queries related to the products. All in all, we are quite happy with the end product and experience on a whole.”

Kyle Davis

Admiral Insurance