The spring and summer months are the peak season for trade exhibitions, as venue halls up and down the country and around the world will open their doors for entire industries to show their works and be at their best.
Exhibition shows are not only exceptionally good networking opportunities but are often a lot of fun, bringing businesses and organisations together, sharing stories, having speeches about the pressing matters of the industry and showcasing new products.
Everything from discussions about successful business practices to the reveal of a consumer product which literally changed the world is found at a trade show, and this is what makes them so fascinating.
At the same time, anything with complex logistics and multiple stakeholders requires a lot of organisation to run smoothly, and sometimes emergencies involving delegates and exhibitors happen.
Here are some of the most common emergencies, as well as some creative ways around them.
What Should You Do If The Display Does Not Arrive?
The most complex logistical aspect of many trade exhibitions is the displays, and whilst they can vary from a simple table of current and previous products to an elaborate bespoke display, they will typically require logistical assistance to make it to the show.
This can prove to be a problem if the show is international and there are problems with air or sea freight, or if travelling by road, and weather conditions cause delays or closures.
What should you do then, if you have representatives but nothing to show? Set up what you can.
Get a banner of some kind up and come up with a creative way to at least get contacts and spark conversations. One particularly enterprising campaign had delegates guessing when the display would actually show up, offering a prize to the person who came closest.
What Should You Do If There Is A Technical Difficulty?
Whenever you work with technological equipment, such as displays, tablets, presentation aids and product samples, there is always a chance that something might go wrong. Rather famously, Windows 98 displayed the Blue Screen of Death during a Bill Gates presentation.
The power might go out, there may be no charging points, a glitch could cause an app to break in an unexpected way, and online access might be spotty if you are not connected to the venue’s wi-fi.
This is where printed visual aids are ideal, as any form of display material or presentation aids is better than nothing. Sometimes, you can even make it an enjoyable joke by sticking them onto existing equipment to act as screenshots or visual representations.
What Should You Do If The Goal Of Your Exhibition Changes?
Generally, representatives exhibit with a specific goal in mind. They either want to sell their product, network with other businesses, generate leads or generally show off. So what happens if there is a last-minute change of plan?
Specifically, what should you do if a product you intend to showcase at a trade show is delayed or cancelled? Work with what you can, know what you are allowed to show and not show, and focus on working towards some kind of goal.
This is often an ideal point to go around the venue and network, talking to other businesses and doing market research.
