| DECIDING HOW MANY SHOWS TO DO PER YEAR | | | | common carriers, i.e. UPS or FedEx. However, you |
| Depending on whether you are a manufacturer or a | | | | can charge your customer the cost of the shipping, |
| wholesaler dependent on a manufacturer, the number | | | | which is common practice and they are used to |
| of shows that you can do are limited to the amount | | | | paying the UPS charges. |
| of product that can be realistically produced per year. | | | | Another problem you will encounter is accepting |
| If you are depending on the Department of Trade to | | | | payment for your orders. The greater percent of |
| finance your shows, you will only be able to do 4 per | | | | your customers pay on their credit cards. Unless you |
| year, and that is only while they have the money | | | | have a USA company, or you have a Dollar Account |
| allocated for trade shows. | | | | in South Africa, you will not be able to process |
| If you do 4 shows per year, and are being funded | | | | cheques or credit card deposits into your South |
| by the DTI, you will have to return to South Africa | | | | African bank account in US$. You will need a USA |
| after every show, and all goods and monies have to | | | | based company to process your credit card |
| emanate from South Africa. They will not consider | | | | payments. |
| any claims that are paid for with foreign money, i.e. | | | | A similar problem is acceptance of cheques, which |
| by agents on your behalf. | | | | carry high bank charges if deposited into a South |
| PLANNING THE BOOTH | | | | African bank account. You are also at risk that the |
| It is imperative that you take as little equipment with | | | | cheque may not be good. Once again, your logistics |
| you, because when the show is done, you will either | | | | company can arrange the collection of money on |
| have to dispose of all your furniture/stuff, or place it | | | | your behalf. |
| in storage in the USA if you want to use it again. | | | | An ideal situation would be if |
| The DTI gives you an allowance to get your samples | | | | You are a manufacturer:o Look for a reputable |
| and equipment to the USA, but they won't pay for | | | | logistics company, and keep a stock holding in their |
| you to take it back home again, unless you are | | | | warehouse. In this way, you will be able to service |
| participating in a Pavilion show, where they will pay all | | | | your customers on an ongoing basis when they wish |
| your expenses. It is essential that you decide what | | | | to re-order. USA customers do not like to wait for |
| you will do with the entire booth once the first show | | | | months for an order to be fulfilled.o Try and find a |
| is finished. | | | | rep who will sell your goods. It is preferable to have |
| The DTI will also not pay the costs of warehousing in | | | | someone in place all the time, rather than trying to |
| the USA and the transport of the booth to the | | | | sell from afar.o Your logistics company can arrange |
| second show from that warehouse. If you do want | | | | the picking, packing and shipping of the order. If you |
| to go that route, you will have to pay for that | | | | want to take their responsibilities further, they can |
| yourself. | | | | do your invoicing and collecting of money on your |
| A typical charge to get goods to a show is approx. | | | | behalf.o As soon as you have an amount of money |
| $400, obviously depending on the weight and size of | | | | in your trust account, the logistics company can |
| the shipment. | | | | transfer one bulk sum. This way you can save on |
| It's a good idea to set up the booth beforehand and | | | | bank charges and wire transfer charges. Each wire |
| plan exactly how you want everything to look. Pare | | | | transfer fee costs approx. $20, with another |
| it down to the minimum. After all, you are selling | | | | corresponding fee in South Africa which can run at |
| goods, not decorations. Use your imagination to | | | | R200 or more. |
| exhibit the samples in the most cost effective way. | | | | If you are a wholesaler/representative:o Try and |
| Make sure that you have all the risers and | | | | arrange with the manufacturer to let you have |
| decorations that you envisage. Pack all office needs, | | | | consignment stock, which you can hold in a USA |
| i.e. invoices, brochures (very important), staplers and | | | | warehouse.o You could follow the above scenario as |
| spare staples, pens, etc. etc. Although there are of | | | | far as logistics are concerned.o Your manufacturer |
| course many shops around, sometimes the shows | | | | may possibly help you with brochure and advertising |
| are in out of the way places, and it is not easy to | | | | costs. |
| get photocopies done and buy forgotten essentials. | | | | AFTER THE TRADE SHOW |
| SHIPPING SAMPLES AND BOOTH EQUIPMENT | | | | Once your first trade show is complete, you will have |
| "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray" | | | | to decide what to do with your booth contents. |
| Allow plenty of time for your samples to arrive at | | | | As advised before, the DTI will not pay for the |
| the warehouse so that it doesn't cost you anything | | | | shipping costs to return your samples. They give you |
| extra by way of drayage. | | | | the option of selling the samples and re-couping the |
| Also, although your shipping agents will give you an | | | | money. |
| idea of how long your goods will take to get there, | | | | You could store the samples in a rental warehouse, |
| always allow an extra two weeks, because there can | | | | but you would then have to go to that warehouse |
| be delays with Customs Clearance and delivery. | | | | at a future date to move the goods. |
| Make sure that you have clear and precise invoices | | | | You could warehouse the samples with a logistics |
| accompanying the samples, with prices, tariff | | | | company. When you next need them, you can |
| headings, and clearly marked as Trade Show samples | | | | arrange with the logistics company to forward the |
| which are duty free. | | | | samples to the next trade show. You will not, |
| If you are sending any seeds, pods, grasses, make | | | | however, be reimbursed by the DTI for that cost. |
| sure that you have fumigation certificates. Leather | | | | You could abandon the samples and booth |
| and animal goods have to have a Wildlife Permit. | | | | equipment. That would be costly, because you would |
| Try and contain your booth equipment into as small a | | | | have to replace those samples for future shows. |
| size as possible. It is easier to move compact | | | | LOGISTICS IN THE USA |
| equipment around than large, oversize pallets, which | | | | When you supply goods into the USA market, you |
| cost more because of the volumetric size. | | | | need to have good packaging. Each item needs to be |
| BOOTH SET-UP | | | | in its own box and clearly labeled. Packaging is a very |
| Plan on getting to your destination at least one day | | | | important part of merchandising. |
| before set-up day. If you have not been to the site | | | | If you are going to use a logistics company, again, |
| before hand, go down to the show site and check | | | | each item needs to be in its own box (unless you |
| that your samples have arrived in your booth. | | | | sell, say, a dozen items per box), and they need to |
| Check your directory entry to see that everything is | | | | have clear codes and labels. You will also have to let |
| correct, and familiarize yourself with the lay-out of | | | | the logistics company know the price of each item |
| the hall. Make sure of the time that you can start | | | | so that packing lists can be generated for the orders. |
| setting up, and be there promptly. If you have to go | | | | If your goods are fragile, packaging is vitally |
| out to buy anything that you may have forgotten, | | | | important. They should be securely packed in bubble |
| now is the time to do it. | | | | wrap, and wedged into their boxes so that there is |
| Prepare your "office" so that everything you may | | | | no movement when the boxes are shipped locally. |
| need to write orders, give out brochures and price | | | | All common carriers here recommend that your |
| lists is neatly available. | | | | goods pass "the drop test" : If a box is dropped |
| Make sure that all your samples are clearly marked | | | | from a height, no damage will be done to the |
| with the prices. Once you get busy and have more | | | | contents. They are notorious for throwing the boxes |
| than one person in the booth, you don't want to lose | | | | around. |
| a sale because the samples aren't marked. Customers | | | | The same applies to airfreight consignments. You |
| are happy to browse if you are busy, and will wait | | | | should make sure that your boxes are packed |
| patiently if they can see everything clearly. | | | | securely onto pallets and then shrink wrapped so that |
| You may also want to bring some see-through | | | | they don't move. That will also ensure that your |
| netting or other covering with you to tie across the | | | | consignments are not split up en route, causing |
| booth at the end of the day. | | | | delays in deliveries. |
| Always be on time in your booth. You will lose | | | | Always allow two extra weeks for delays in |
| valuable sales if you are late coming in, or early going | | | | Customs Clearance, air delays, etc. Your goods will |
| out. | | | | never arrive at its destination when your agents tell |
| TAKING ORDERS, ARRANGING PAYMENT | | | | you they will. |
| Always give a clear indication when you plan to ship | | | | TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS |
| your orders. USA customers usually work with | | | | It is important that you plan your travel to the USA |
| budgets, and may ask you for shipment on a specific | | | | very carefully. The weather plays an important part |
| date. They also don't want to have to worry with | | | | in planning your trip, as it is not uncommon for flights |
| importing their goods, and won't deal with Customs, | | | | to be delayed or cancelled altogether due to |
| or pay customs duties. They will all ask for shipment | | | | inclement weather, either snow or rain or wind, etc. |
| from a USA city. | | | | This can play havoc if you haven't left yourself |
| The reason for this is that it makes no difference if | | | | enough time to arrive at your destination in order to |
| you are shipping one carton, or one hundred cartons. | | | | set up your booth. It is preferable to allow an extra |
| The clearing charges are the same, and the customer | | | | day earlier than the show set up day, so that you |
| will not happily pay those costs, which can run to | | | | don't have to panic if there is a delay. |
| $300 per shipment. | | | | TAKE A VACATION |
| This is where a logistics company can help you. You | | | | Once your trade show is over, take an extra day or |
| can ship your entire trade show orders to one place, | | | | two to visit the city. You won't have much time |
| and there will be only one Customs Clearance charge | | | | when the show is on, and you may as well take a |
| for the consolidated shipment. Your logistics company | | | | breather before the hard work starts to supply the |
| will then strip down the shipment, and send the | | | | goods. |
| individual boxes onward to the customers. You will | | | | HAVE FUN !! |
| then be charged the cost of the local shipments by | | | | |