Trade Show Exhibit Shipping Tips

Your trade show costs can dramatically escalate ifreliable hands. You are better able to avoid
you just happen to hire an inexperienced shippingunnecessary charges if your transportation carrier
company to transport your trade show booth to thedeals regularly with the trade show conference hall
conference site. You may suddenly be faced withunions. Your carrier benefits from knowing the
broken or missing parts, late delivery and a budgetindustry venues well--whether they be the
that could put your company's trade show display inMcCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the Kaiser
total disarray and your job in jeopardy.Convention Center in Oakland, the Moscone Center in
Although unforeseen events such as a major winterSan Francisco, the Santa Clara Convention Center or
blizzard can cause havoc with your trade showthe San Jose McEnery Convention Center.
delivery schedule and budgeting, it is always best to3. Look for a transportation company that handles a
minimize your chances for error by picking the rightlarge volume of trade show business. You can get
professional transportation company. If you wantprice breaks if your cargo company has multiple or
your trade show booth to arrive in good condition,less than truck load shipments to a convention site.
on time and within your budgeted allowance, youAn example of what can happen is the recent
need to be informed on how to pick the right freightSemicon West 2006 Convention at Moscone
handler and transportation company.Convention Center in San Francisco July 11 -13th.
You can take control of your trade show booth'sPoppe reported that, due to the popularity of this
destiny by becoming fully informed.show, his National Transportation Company had to
Bad weather, causing flight delays at certain times ofwait in the marshalling yard for 11 hours before
the year, is a concern beyond your control. But justdelivery at the unloading dock. Because he had 3
like you can reclaim lost luggage from an airliner if youtrucks and multiple shipments, he was able to waive
have your name tag on it, you have a better chancethe waiting charge fees which would normally be
of finding a lost or misplaced trade show boothcharged. A less experienced trucker most likely would
element if, for example, you labeled every part ofpass along these charges to the trade show
your trade show display in advance.exhibitor. Marshal yard fees range anywhere from
Although GPS technology has been a boon to$45 - $85 hour.
tracking trade show booths, it can't find what is not4. Select a trade show freight company that has first
labeled. And, since there are so many differentclass communication capability. Check to see if they
people handing the shipment of a trade show booth,offer 24/7 contact with a live person, since trade
there is no guarantee that your trade show exhibitshows are not a 9 to 5 business. Also make sure you
will arrive safely on the other end. You can, however,give them contact names and cell phone numbers of
improve your odds of success by taking steps toyour exhibitor reps on the trade show floor. Check
insure your trade show display's safe journey. Thus,to see if the freight company has the capability of
the first step is to find an experienced trade showsending Internet air bills and bill of ladings in case an
specific carrier.air bill is lost and you need a duplicate copy
George Poppe of National Transportation in Elimmediately.
Segundo, California, offers the following tips on whatPoppe suggests that once you select your freight
to look for in a trade show freight carrier. They are:company, you should ship 7 - 10 days ahead of your
1. Make sure your transportation company records alltargeted move in date in order to avoid late
of your trade show exhibit information, such aspenalties. And be sure to also communicate your
destination, schedule, weight, number of pieces, andtrade show exhibit details with the company you
exact dimensions of your pieces. This detailedselect to do your trade show installation and
information not only determines the cost ofdismantling. It's really all about communicating.
transporting your trade show booth to the exhibitRemember, do your homework in advance and know
site but also drayage costs (what the unions chargewhat you can do to avoid major mishaps of shipping
to deliver your booth from the loading dock onto andyour trade show booth. By picking an experienced
off the trade show floor)freight company, you can minimize your exposure to
2. Look for a freight carrier that has a good rapportmislaid or damaged trade show booth components
with the unions soyour trade show exhibit will be inand budget cost overruns.