Trade show and event managers face situations people in corporate offices are not accustomed to seeing as well as solving problems on-site. Establishing your global branding in the exhibit design, showcasing new products and services may seem like the natural part of managing a corporate trade show program compared to Plan B situations. What about the unexpected? Reducing stress levels can be possible when being proactive and creating a trade show kit to be part of your exhibit.
Three parts of the trade show kit are for your staff, the exhibit, and office supplies.
Exhibit Staff
- First aid kit . simple items to include would be various sizes of band-aids, pain relievers, disinfectant, eye drops and possibly allergy tablets.
- Breath mints . you and your team will be talking with a lot of visitors to the exhibit so fresh breath is always welcome.
- Hand sanitizer – staff will be shaking hands with a lot of visitors, so this important.
- Tissues
- Basic sewing kit – it won’t take up much room, but sewing on a button or repairing a small tear will be helpful.
Exhibit
- Spare light bulbs – lighting in your exhibit is important for graphics, products, and exhibit. Keep spare bulbs in the exhibit, not in the crates that are stored because you may need them during the show.
- Packing tape – at the close of the show, everyone is ready to pack up so having a roll or two in the counter will help expedite the process.
- Small tools – the exhibit may have been installed by union personnel, but small items may need tightening during the show so a screwdriver and/or hammer may come in handy.
- Double-sided tape – sometimes with heavy traffic, seams in carpet may come apart or loose. This heavy duty tape may be useful for other small fixes.
- Cleaning wipes and stain remover . these will take care of smudges or possibly small spills that happen.
Office Supplies
- Extra pens – it’s surprising how many pens disappear
- Additional giveaways – traffic could be higher than expected
- Note/message pads – this will ensure customer notes are recorded and passed along to team members
- Batteries/ external power sources for electronic devices
- Contact information for the exhibit staff and support/backup staff
- Scissors
- Paper clips
- Stapler with plenty of extra staples
These are all pretty standard items and easy to assemble into a kit that remains with your exhibit every time it ships. Before each show, don’t forget to replenish the supplies. Can you get all of these items in larger cities and venues – of course, but who has time to leave during a busy day in the exhibit? For help preparing for your next show, contact us at 817-370-1400 or email us.
