You invested a lot in your trade show booth. The last thing you need is to begin assembling it at a trade show only to find that it is broken or even worse, pieces are missing. Sometimes, it is too late to do anything about it for that show, and you have to back out (which, if you’ve advertised to customers you’ll be attending is very bad for business! They will not appreciate searching for you among all of the other vendors only to find you aren’t there!)
Proper storage of your exhibit display is crucial – it’s your first defense against any damage or issues. There are ways to keep everything in tiptop shape while being stored and transported. Here are some tips.
Inventory is key. When you are packing everything up to head to storage, you need to inventory every single piece to make sure it’s all there, and that each piece is in good shape and functional. Be sure one of your employees conducts a thorough inspection of the booth, including any graphics or pop up banners you might use. The graphics can rip or tear, and exposure over time to light can cause fading in spots. Finally, as the booth is being taken down, be sure that all hardware is accounted for. This way, you know that everything is there when it comes time to set it up again, and you can quickly replace anything that’s broken or missing before the next show.
Watch how you store it. Your booth from Blazer Exhibits will come with a storage case specially designed for your display. But if you purchased it elsewhere, it might not. You want to make sure you keep it in a case designed to keep it safe, typically made out of hard plastic. The interior of the case should feature foam with cut outs for smaller pieces. This works to keep it all safe while traveling and in storage, while also helping you ensure that all the pieces are present and accounted for.
Choose your storage location wisely. You should always choose a storage facility that isn’t prone to floods, as water damage is a big deal. When you are touring the area it will be stored, look around for any signs of moisture that could indicate a future mold issue. Something you might not consider is keeping the temperature regulated. You don’t want your booth and its components being subjected to sudden changes in temperature. A temperature-controlled storage facility is the only way to go.
Security is another concern. You want to make sure that the facility is as secure as possible, with your booth locked up properly. If you can, choose a facility with surveillance cameras for extra peace of mind.
Before each show, you want to be sure that everything is as it should be. A good trade show booth storage facility will gladly set up the booth prior to shipping it out to be sure that everything is present and accounted for, and that it all looks as it should. This means that when selecting a storage facility, you want to make sure they have adequate space to do this. Have a two story booth, or a booth with large overhanging signs? Be sure the facility has the clearance for this. Don’t worry if your facility is far away – they should be able to take some pictures of the exhibit once they’ve set it up so that you can give it the green light to be packed and shipped to the trade show.
Finally, you want to make sure that you are able to contact the storage facility at any time to discuss any last minute changes, such as if the shipping information is changed at the last minute. Discuss this with the storage company prior to signing up with them to be sure there is 24/7 access in case you need to contact someone in an emergency. Also, be sure that they provide tracking as part of their shipping services. In this way, you will know where your booth is at any time, negating the worry that can come when shipping the exhibit.
Choosing the proper storage facility is critical to making the trade show experience a smooth and painless one. As long as you conduct extensive research when choosing a storage facility, you will be doing great! If you find a company that specializes in trade show booth storage, you are a step ahead. They are used to dealing with all of the issues that come up during the process, and understand how it all works so that there are no bumps in the road. Choosing Blazer Exhibits for the storage of your trade show booth is a smart move – we will work hard to make sure that you don’t need to worry about anything except showing up with products and handouts to display in your booth. Leave the details to us! Contact us today to find out how we can ease the anxiety of storing your trade show booth.