When you’re prepping for a trade show, knowing what to expect will go a long way to making the whole process easier. Familiarizing yourself with key players in trade show shipping is a great way to prepare. Knowing who you’ll be dealing with and what you can expect from each party will ensure a seamless experience from start to finish.
Let’s look at the major players in trade show shipping:
These are the most common exhibition personnel you’ll encounter during your trade show preparations:
The association is the group responsible for hosting the trade show. They will be responsible for leasing the exhibition facility, hiring official contractors to work the event, and will do the majority of promotion for the show. They may be called the exposition manager, show manager, producer, or organizer. The association’s main objectives are to sell booth spaces and maximize attendance.
The general contractor will be hand-picked by the event organizers to deliver a range of services, like arranging and dismantling the trade show setup. The general contractor may also act as the “official carrier” for the event if they hold a freight forwarding license. In this situation, you will be provided the option to use the trade show contractor to ship your exhibition materials to the event, but you can also use a trade show shipping company like Diversified Transportation Services.
The top general contractors for trade shows in the USA are:
This refers to the venue where the trade show is being held and where your materials will be shipped. It could be a convention center, conference center, general-purpose arena, or even a hotel with a large function room. When planning trade show shipping, you must know which facility you’ll be going to, as each facility will have its own expectations when it comes to shipping materials.
Common trade show facilities include:
Official trade show contractors are specialized service providers that will handle any jobs the general contractor isn’t assigned to. They’ll have an agreement with the general contractors to provide supplementary services during the trade show, which can include:
Trade show shipping companies are logistical service providers that specialize in transporting exhibition materials from exhibitors to the trade show. The trade show shipping company will manage inbound and outbound transportation for materials. They will act as your main port of call for getting your materials to the event.
Going into a trade show with a strong understanding of who the key players are will help ensure a smooth exhibition experience. The more information you can gather beforehand, the more prepared you’ll be to work with trade show organizers, and the better you can coordinate with event staff.
There’s a lot you need to know about heading to a trade show, and it can be a little overwhelming for less experienced exhibitors. Partnering with DTS for your trade show shipping needs will eliminate any confusion you may have. We can manage all the hard parts for you!
For more information on how DTS can help you with trade show shipping, we’re just a message away. Or, if you’re ready to get started, get a trade show shipping quote today.
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