One of the most important aspects of the exhibiting process is keeping your timelines. By simply adhering to the dates the show provides for electrical orders, carpet rental, cleaning, electrical, and more, you can save your company up to 25% on the cost of these items by getting these orders submitted early.

The most important part of the timeline is deciding if you are going to ship “Advanced Receiver”/”Warehouse” or “Direct to the Show”. Shipping to the “Warehouse” is the best option in my opinion, here are a few reasons:

1.) The exhibit will be one of the first to be brought onto the show floor
This allows for seamless coordination of labor and services as most shows have a targeted move in date that tells you when the exhibit will be getting to your booth space. This is extremely important if your display has a hanging sign. Those are usually put up before the show to avoid slowing down the labor on the floor.

2.) Lower expenses on Material Handling charges
The show can know in advance how much freight has to be moved into the show and when and how long it will take; therefore giving you a discounted rate.

3.) Waiting time
There is a certain clause in the trucking contract for any freight mover that holds the shipper accountable for any waiting time. If you ship your exhibit materials “direct to the show” and that is based on a first come first serve basis. Your truck will get in line and unload when it reaches the dock. This wait time at larger shows can be almost a full day, throwing off the services and labor you may have scheduled for the install (which also costs to have labor standing around), as well as costing you in freight, with the shipment going to the warehouse, there is no wait time to be accountable for.

4.) Shipping delays
Murphy said it best “Things that can, will.” Any delay in the exhibit materials can not only end up costing you money, but if they are serious delays, they might even cause you to not have an exhibit for a show.

Warehouse shipping is usually closed a week or so before the actual install dates, with direct to show running simultaneously with the install dates. You can find all of this information on the shows quick facts page or by delving into the showbook itself.

Even after 10 years, the more time I spend in this business, the more I realize it is all about the details. One detail can cause a domino effect that can explode your budget, alter your image in the exhibit, or cause you to miss a show. Stay on your timelines, and cross your t’s and dot your i’s and you will be under budget and have a successful exhibiting experience.