Staying Safe at Out of Town Trade Shows

Staying Safe at Out of Town Trade Shows

Business, Trade Show

I have been blessed to travel a lot and to travel for work to different trade shows across the country. It is fun and exciting but it can also be tiring and even scary. I am often traveling by myself and have learned the following tips to keep me safe.

Take Your Badge Off When You Leave the Show

I see so many people walking outside the venue with their badge around their neck and their personal information available for everyone to see. These badges hold your name, the company you work for, and your home city at a minimum. People off the show floor do not need to know that. 

Your badge also immediately identifies you as an “outsider”. It makes you easier to track in a crowd for pick pockets or even kidnappers. 

If you take this one step further, most badges have a QR code that has your address, phone number, email address etc. While these are encoded, we all know that there are smart people who do bad things. 

Be Aware of What is Happening in the City

I have traveled during major sporting events and always make sure to know what colors I should avoid wearing, when the game is done, and if the home team won. Some places can get really out of hand – if their team won or lost. I will eat early or even order delivery so I am not stuck in a crowd.

This also includes any strikes, political rallies, or major construction. These can all affect your travel and should inform you of places to stay away from.

You can also get a feel for the city. If you sit quietly and just look around, you can see if the city is on edge or if it is calm. Trust you gut on these feelings and take stock each time you step outside of the trade show venue and your hotel.  

Just Be Aware

Don’t walk around with your head in your phone, you have plenty of time to answer that email or text later. You are in an unfamiliar place, keep your head up and watch what is happening around you. Watch your back and any bags you are carrying. It is really easy to grab something out of a backpack.  

Watch your drink – college club rules apply. If you didn’t see it poured or opened, you don’t drink it. 

Stay in the well lit areas and never feel bad about taking an Uber if you feel uncomfortable walking. 

I recently had to ship an Xbox and there was no FedEx office in the convention center. It was a 7 minute walk and is normally something that I would easily do but the Xbox was heavy and very visible. I decided to take the $10 Uber to ensure that I stayed safe and that my clients materials were delivered safely. 

I did walk back to the convention center after that but that short ride allowed me to be safe. 

Have a Check In Buddy

Find someone that you will check in with at least every 12 hours. It is much easier to stay in contact with people now but having that one person who knows that you are alive and okay every 12 hours can help you in a worse case scenario. This person should know where you are staying and your planes etc. 

I take this one step further. I do not normally have tracking on my phone but while I am traveling by myself, my husband can track my phone. This gives him a place to start if I don’t check in. This can help law enforcement to find you if something awful happens. 

I love to travel by myself; trying new restaurants and exploring a new city. I just know that I have to be careful while I travel. Staying aware is the best way to stay safe. Enjoy your travel! 

Bonus: Staying Healthy at Multi-Day Trade Shows

Tools that I Use to Keep My Events (and Business) Straight

Tools that I Use to Keep My Events (and Business) Straight

Business, Events, Trade Show

When you are juggling events, trade shows, and life in general it can be hard to keep everything straight. Over the years, I have used multiple tools and systems. I now have a system that I love and the tools that I use. 

1. A Project Management Tool

I use ClickUp. I have used Monday.com and Basecamp as well but ClickUp is the one system that works really well for me because I can have just one license at a super affordable price. They even have a free version but I like the automation that the paid version comes with. 

I am able to type a blog title into my “board” and it automatically fills in my 6 substeps and due dates. I am able to change one due date and it changes all of the sub dates. This also feeds into a main calendar and syncs with my Apple calendar. This allows me to know at a glance what I should be working on at any one time. 

Almost any project management system will allow you to do all of the above but the biggest thing is to keep everything in one place. Anything that I am doing with Events Made Sane lives in ClickUp. This is not something you go in halfway. 

Why should you have a project management software? Because it saves time. The automation, the visibility, and the tracking allows you to be efficient with your time (and track your time). When you are not searching through excel worksheets or post it notes to find deadlines you can focus on taking your business where you want it to go. 

2. TUL Notebook/ Happy Planner

I still love to take notes by hand and I like to keep all my event notes in one place. I may have 5 – 6 events going at once. Rather than leaving space in a traditional notebook and hope that I have enough space and wont waste too much space, I use the TUL notebooks. This system allows me to move pages around, remove them completely when I am done with an event, and add move events as needed. 

This gives me the flexibility to keep just one notebook that is small enough to fit into my bigger purses or travel with me easily. 

3. Color Coding

This last tool is more of a trick that I use across everything else. My calendar is color coded, the different sections that I have in my project management system are color coded, and my notes are color coded. 

For my notes, I use three colors. Black is just taking notes and writing items down. Red is for symbols that tell me what needs to be done with that information. Blue over red indicated that I have completed the items.

Finding the right system for you can take some trial and error and constant improvement. Each quarter, take an hour and look at your processes and systems. Where can you improve? Where can you be more efficient? What isn’t working anymore? These incremental increases in efficiency across your business can add up to major gains at the end of a year. 

Bonus 1: Social Media and Blog Scheduling Tools

Find a system that allows you to schedule your social media ahead of time. You can always add posts but noting having to worry about what you are going to post each day or if you have posted in the past few days gives you so much time back. The same for blogs. There are a ton of systems out there find the best one to work for you. 

Bonus 2: Zapier

I use two different systems for my emails currently because each system does its own thing. I am working on consolidating but it may take a bit. Zapier allows me to move new email clients from one system to another automatically. Zapier can connect so many systems and it super simple to use. Automation is the key to gaining more efficiency. Automate the 80% so you can humanize the 20%. 

What are the systems and tools that you use?

Embracing Local Flavor in Your Booth Design

Embracing Local Flavor in Your Booth Design

by | Feb 13, 2024 | ,

In a world that often seems dominated by global trends and mass production, there’s a growing appreciation for the unique and authentic. This sentiment is also true in the realm of trade show booth design. Businesses and brands are increasingly recognizing the power of bringing local flavor into their displays. Using regional influences in your setup can elevate your brand, create a memorable experience for attendees, and foster a deeper connection with the local community.

Pick the Right Giveaways for Your Trade Show

Pick the Right Giveaways for Your Trade Show

Business, Trade Show

Giveaways are the sprinkles on a trade show – they are not needed but they make things more colorful and memorable. The question is what type of giveaways do you want to give out. Here are the three main questions to help you decide what to choose and some examples. 

What does your target market need/ what will they use?

You are not at the trade show to reach every person attending, you want to reach your target market – so pick a giveaway that will resonate with them. When you are having meetings with them – in person or virtual – take a look at what is on their desk or around them.

Example: Your target market is gardeners – giveaway nice gardening gloves or neck coolers. 

Your target market is busy moms – giveaway a mini quick spa kit that allows them to have “me” time in their busy schedule.

What is the reason for the giveaways?

You should have a reason for the giveaway. Is it to collect leads, draw people to your booth, or to increase brand awareness? Know what you want to do with the giveaway. There are always the people who walk around looking to fill up their bag (or even wagon) with as much stuff as possible. This happens more at consumer based shows verses professional shows. If you are at a consumer show candy is a great option to set out. This allows you to have a giveaway for everyone without having to put out a ton of money. 

Example: Are you looking to get social media interactions? Ask people to post a picture of them at the booth and tag you to get one of the giveaways. Here is how to use your promotions the right way.

Example: If you are looking to collect leads, make sure you scan everyone before you hand out the giveaways.

What is your budget?

Once you have the above questions, then you can start your search for items that fall within your budget. 

Some things to look for that are not included in the pricing on most sites. 

Logo cost – there is normally a one time fee for the company to take your logo and put it into the right format. This can be from $20 – $80. 

Shipping Cost – Shipping is almost always extra. Some places will estimate the shipping for you, others will wait until check out. 

If you cannot find an item that you like to give out to everyone – consider doing one or two large gifts that you raffle away to those who are in your lead system or give you their information. 

Example: If you are at a womens conference, you can give away a Coach purse. 

Example: If you are at a hunting show, giveaway a very nice cooler. 

Some items to consider when looking at giveaways

  • Some items have some assembly required.
    • I was at a booth that was giving away these great flashlights. They came individually wrapped and when I tried to turn them on in the packaging – none of them would turn on. I opened a package and discovered that each flashlight had a piece of plastic on top of the battery that had to be taken out for them to turn on. We had 250 of them. I spent at least 3 hours unpacking them, unscrewing the battery compartment, removing the plastic, and ensuring that they worked. 
  • Where will you place the items that are not on display?
    • If you get large items like water bottles, you need space in your booth to hide them, or you can pay for accessible storage. 
  • What are you doing with any leftovers?
    • I rarely suggest branding items for specific shows unless you know that you will give them all out. Having your company branding allows you to use items at many shows or even give to clients as gifts. 
Getting the Most Out of a Trade Show as an Attendee

Getting the Most Out of a Trade Show as an Attendee

Business, Non-Profit, Trade Show

Trade shows are an investment. Learn how to get the most out of them when attending with our 6 tips. 

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    When you are ready to speak at shows you can see my Tips for Speakers!

    Navigating Everyone’s Wishes while Event Planning

    Navigating Everyone’s Wishes while Event Planning

    Business, Events, Non-Profit, Trade Show

    Event planning in general is not easy, our goal is to make everyone enjoy the event if not feel genuinely happy – and you can never make everyone happy. It is a constant dichotomy that is at play. So how do you manage everyone’s competing wishes? 

    I set people and their wishes into different tiers and use that as my hierarchy of event needs. 

    Tier One: The Client

    The person who is hiring me is the person that I listen to the most. If I have been hired by an organization or committee, I have them appoint a point of contact and decision maker. I did an event recently where the CEO wanted to make some changes at the event (think 15 minutes before we started to serve food), and I still turned to my point of contact to approve those changes. I am happy to shift things on the fly and a good event planner can make miracles happen but I do not take direction from just anyone. 

    Tier Two: People with Major Allergies, Medical Accommodations, or Religious Restrictions

    I always bring up food allergies and ask if anyone will need any special accommodations. I want to make every one who is attending feel welcome and to enjoy the event. Vegetarian options are easy but knowing about major food allergies and conveying that to the caterer is crucial. Also, do you need a sign language interpreter? Do we need to make sure that we have wheel chair accessible spaces? Do we have people who cannot eat certain food due to their religion? I want the host to tell me about their guests and how we can make sure they all enjoy the event. Learn to avoid Event Food Pitfalls here. 

    Tier Three: The VIP’s

    Events often come with a VIP Tier and these people pay extra to be treated well. I am not changing the menu for them or having the caterer make special food, but I will bring out extra bread and ensure that they receive a higher level or service. 

    Tier Four: Everyone Else

    The guests at the event are there to enjoy, but we cannot please everyone. If you are serving soda, people will complain about the type. The key is apologizing for the inconvenience and then offering alternatives. You also get very good at seeing who just wants to complain, who is trying to flirt with the servers, and who has a genuine concern. 

    Their tier system allows you to know when to make major changes and when to just move on. Knowing who your main client and stakeholders are is the key. 

    Remember that not even an ice cream shop can make everyone happy – some people don’t like ice cream, others will want a flavor that isn’t offered, and others will be angry about where the milk came from. 

    Your job when planning an event is to make the client happy and as many of the guests as possible. 

    After Trade Show Hours – Your Job Isn’t Done When the Floor Closes

    After Trade Show Hours – Your Job Isn’t Done When the Floor Closes

    Business, Events, Trade Show

    A trade show is not done until everything is packed up and you are on your way home. If it is a multi day show, your job and marketing lasts long after the trade show floor hours. The hours after the trade show floor closes are precious and you need to use them. Here are the ways you can. 

    Breakfast Meetings

    Grabbing a cup or coffee with a prospect or customers is an underused opportunity. 30 minutes can help to close a deal, understand pain points, or clear up a misunderstanding. 

    People often drop their guard more during a breakfast also. Breakfast is often a personal or family time so people are more relaxed. You need to use this time to your advantage. 

    Group Outings/ Activities

    If you have a smaller budget, skip the expensive dinners and unlimited bar tabs. Consider taking a mixed group of prospects and customers to go carts, on an exclusive tour, or any other activities. 

    You will stand out from the crowd, mingle more than a sit down dinner, and save money. To learn more about help planning out of town events read here. 

    After Hours Party

    If you have the budget and the team to work it. After hours parties for clients and prospects can have a great ROI. You keep people away from your competitors and your sales people can get to know your guests in a less formal environment. 

    Limiting the type and level of liquor can help keep you on budget. Offer signature cocktails to give the event a more branded feel.

    Hang Out at the Bar

    Those chance meetings while relaxing after the show in the bar can turn into great conversations and opportunities. 

    For the money you are spending at trade shows, you need to take advantage of every opportunity to talk to your customers and prospects.