Seismogram Archive
Seismogram | June 18, 2004
Tradeshow! What Tradeshow?
Recently a client approached us with a wonderful opportunity. They were planning on introducing a new product line at a trade show and needed everything. A designer’s dream…the motherload…the whole kit and kaboodle! The client needed a pre-show teaser, the product sales tools, the tradeshow booth, signage and a website! Then they told us that they had a limited budget and a 4 week window to get everything accomplished. Of course, we did it. And we could help you do it too…but we would rather spare you the stress and give you a few insights into tradeshow preparedness.
Although we are trained to be forward thinking, always looking to the future, and to be on the bleeding edge of technology, the best way to approach any deadline is to work backward. To plan for a tradeshow you need to start with the day the show begins and work your way back. In this case, our client needed to ship their entire booth to the location. It may take up to a week or more to get your supplies from one end of the country to the other. International venues could take longer.
To be on the safe side, allow a printer at least two weeks to complete your print collateral. This gives them enough time to get the job through their pre-press department and show you a proof. It also allows you plenty of time to take a good look at your proof, making sure it is exactly what you are looking for. Often times, a rushed job results in costly errors and unnecessary “rush charges.” If your print collateral requires special papers or interesting die cuts, additional time may be required to order these items. If you’re planning on a direct mail piece, allow an additional week for the fulfillment house to complete their mail merge and postage requirements.
Allow your design firm adequate time to pull all the pieces together for you. Rarely does your creative team get everything right on the first try. There is usually a round or two of proofs. E-mail and PDFs have made this process much easier and quicker, however you should plan on a week or two for creative development and the same for production. If your agency is handling the printing of your collateral or the construction of your booth, requests for quotations and accurate pricing may take two to three days to complete. Equally important are the trade publications developed by the show sponsors. Many times the advertising in these publications is due months in advance of the show. Supply your agency with the ad specifications and deadlines as soon as you know you will participate in a tradeshow.
Creating an effective website requires the same time and consideration as any of your marketing materials. We were able to get our client’s site up and running within their time frame, but the information presented was very limited in scope due to the abbreviated information-gathering and development period. Once traffic from tradeshow visitors subsides, we plan to revisit the site with the intention of developing it fully ‚Äì with all its bells and whistles. Be sure that all domain name registration and hosting details have been addressed well beforehand. When you register a domain name for the first time, it can take 24-36 hours before your domain name “finds” your site, allowing it to be viewed by the general public. Keep this in mind if you plan to launch your site on a particular day.
So let’s add it up. A stress-free tradeshow starts months before the show actually begins. Allowing your creative firm ample time and resources…say one month and an unlimited budget. The printer (web developer, sign/booth construction, etc.) will need at least three weeks for production, and mail fulfillment requires an additional week. We’re up to eight weeks already! Let’s throw in the shipping to sunny California and we end up with 10 weeks prior to the show. Of course, none of this is free! Know and plan for the costs associated with your tradeshow early in the budgeting process. Planning for all the aspects of a tradeshow in advance will reduce stress and allow you to concentrate on your product and your customer.