Exhibit Design is Great, But Who’s Running the Show?

I am reviewing my blogs, and this is more true today than ever. Your back-end team is the difference between exceptional and painful.

VC

For over two decades, I was immersed in trade shows. I lived and breathed trade shows every day, and I’ve spent my career as an Account Executive learning and building relationships while delivering many successful projects. But what makes a successful trade show delivery? To me, it’s all about relationships and trust.

Trade shows are complex and come with high stakes. Companies that exhibit put forth a significant investment of time, money, and human resources – and I didn’t take that investment lightly. I valued my clients’ trust in me and my team to manage their trade show program.

I want to share my thoughts on what makes a fantastic trade show partnership.

Often, people choose an exhibit company based on a booth design. It’s an essential part of the investment. The presentation of your brand, the functionality, and the versatility of an exhibit hit many critical requirements that exhibiting companies need to consider. But I also challenge you to consider what happens after the design phase.

Choosing a well-designed and well-functioning exhibit is only the first of many steps in forging a successful partnership with your exhibit company. Do you know who is going to manage your project? Who is your main point of contact for everything? What is their background and level of experience? You need to be able to trust them and communicate effectively with them. Asking these questions upfront could help ensure you are setting your program up for success and that your exhibit company is in tune with your expectations (and can meet them.)

Your exhibit Account Executive should be a strategic partner, understanding your goals and providing ideas that help maximize your trade show results. And yes, they are your immediate go-to when something unexpected happens on the show floor. They fix, they find, and they take responsibility. They are your advocate and have a highly effective support team to do everything for you. As an Account Executive, the goal is to be a one-stop resource for your clients. They call you for anything and everything; you must be okay with that! It shows that they trust you, and they know you’re accessible.

So, back to the original question, who’s running the show? You are calling the shots, and this is your trade show. But you must be in the starring role, not the Director’s chair. Your Account Executive and project team should be ‘running the show’ to your expectations. They make it all happen behind the scenes so you can perform to your full potential. Trusting them and empowering them to effectively manage your program with a strong (and fun) working relationship makes it a great show every time.

Have a fantastic day!

VC