You Might Be Ready for Trade Shows to Resume, But is Your Exhibit?

Trade shows have taken a halt this year and exhibitors have had to deal with the stress of canceled and rescheduled shows. With this downtime before most trade shows resume, it’s the perfect time to check in on your exhibit properties and determine if they are ready to go as is or if they may need some updates or repairs before they make another appearance.

Here is a useful checklist when it comes to making sure that your exhibit is up to par:

Are there any missing or broken pieces?

As exhibits are shipped from trade show to trade show, it’s common for pieces to be broken or misplaced. Making sure that your exhibit has everything it needs to run smoothly is key to avoiding a stressful installation day trying to find or replace those missing or broken pieces.

Now is a great time to fully assemble and inventory your exhibit to ensure all the parts and pieces that make up your exhibit are intact, so you aren’t caught by surprise at your next live event. If your team has been impacted by this year’s turmoil and you find yourself with more on your plate that ever before, it may be a good time to consider an asset management program that will be able to do all this work for you. Along with pre- and post-show inspections of your exhibit properties, an asset management program will also keep an up-to-date list online of every part you own, assist with shipping coordination, and alert you when they notice any piece of your exhibit that may need some attention.

Have you been struggling to keep your exhibit ‘safe’ in storage? Things like temperature changes, dust, direct sun, being piled on top of by other supplies, etc. will reduce the lifespan of your exhibit materials. It may be a good time to take a good look at where you are keeping your booth properties in between shows and potentially invest in a secure, climate-controlled storage area to keep your exhibit looking its best.

If you own a Skyline exhibit and need replacement parts, please contact us at info@skyline.com and we will follow up as soon as possible (photos encouraged).

Is it time to refurbish your display?

Is your exhibit updated and still as shiny as the day you got it? If not, you may want to consider refurbishments. Since first impressions are everything at trade shows, it’s extremely important that your exhibit is looking its best and representing your brand well. Refurbishments can include things like inspections, repairs, and even replacing display elements to make sure that you are effectively representing all of your offerings as your business grows.

Ask yourself and your exhibit team questions like:

• Is our trade show display consistent with our current social media efforts, website messaging, and overall brand?
• Do our exhibit design and aesthetic represent our current brand?
• Has our business grown out of any of the graphic messaging we are currently using?
• Are any elements looking dated or worn?
• Most importantly as of late – is there ample room in our exhibit to allow for social distancing when shows pick back up?

If you designed your exhibit more than a couple of years ago, your company may have experienced changes that need to be updated to reflect in your trade show marketing efforts. An exhibit that looks brand new should be your goal at every show! Refurbishing your current exhibit will save you from having to purchase an entirely new one, and it’s also a more environmentally friendly option.

Renovating and refreshing your exhibit is a great opportunity to replace graphics for updated messaging, clean and repair wherever applicable, replace/update furniture, and reconfigure components into different shapes and sizes. Having the option to shift the layout within your booth space will allow you to better accommodate traffic flow and create more eye-catching results. Here are some exhibit design considerations to start thinking about to ensure everyone feels safe while interacting with your brand at shows in the future.

Do you need an exhibit that better fits your brand?

As mentioned earlier, sometimes with growth, businesses evolve and change. With changes in messaging, product offerings, goals, and branding, it may be difficult to refurbish your current exhibit to fit all of these changes. You might be better off investing in a new exhibit altogether that fits all of your branding and marketing needs and also allows for the space that will be needed to address safety concerns at trade shows in the future.

Here are some things to consider when deciding if a new exhibit is your best option:

• Could your exhibit display as a whole be more unique and catered to your brand? Are you creating an experience for guests as they interact in your exhibit space?
• Do you need an exhibit that helps you stand out more than your current display has while on the show floor? Should you add more engaging features to draw more people in?
• Has your business, goals, brand, and products/services altered tremendously over the past couple of years?
• Has the current size of your exhibit enabled you to achieve all your goals at trade shows? Is there ample space for both booth staffers – as well as your booth guests – to move around freely without feeling crowded or unsafe?

Trade shows will be back before we know it, and hopefully, your exhibit is ready to be pulled out of storage and good to go! If that’s not quite the case, whether you need a few repairs, replacement parts, refurbishments, or a new exhibit that better aligns with your brand and goals, now is a great time to get those items taken care of. Instead of sitting idle waiting for live events to resume, utilize this time to strategically be planning ahead for when we are all able to meet face-to-face once again!