During the warmer months, it’s not uncommon to see lots of outdoor trade shows. Some of the best startup festivals (for example) happen outdoors during the summertime. If you want to attend any of these shows, you’ll have to be prepared for everything that the outdoors brings with it – including sunshine, heat, rain, and many other factors. Here are our best tips for keeping everything under control during the warmer tradeshow months.
CC Image courtesy of Listener42 on Flickr1. The size of the area you will be setting up in matters. Outdoor areas might be defined by tents (if you’re lucky!) and other markers, but most of the time the outdoor trade show space isn’t as standard as an indoor space. You may have to visit the venue and check out the actual space that you will be occupying. From there, you can determine which displays will work the best.
2. Prepare for the elements. Rain can happen during the summer months. While most event planners do account for rain and do provide an indoor alternative, this isn’t always the case. Display covers are a good idea in case of rain (and don’t forget your umbrella!).
3. Weather damage. Harsh sunlight has the potential to damage displays if you attend more than a few outdoor trade shows. Keep this in mind when ordering your exhibit booths, and speak to your design team about weatherproofing possibilities.
4. Protect yourself. Sure, it’s important to take care of your items and your displays when you attend a show outdoors, but don’t forget about protecting yourself! Bring lots of water (you can even offer cold water to passersby as a sort of incentive to look at your booth), slather on the sunscreen (really, you can’t overapply this stuff), and make sure to dress appropriately – a suit and tie looks great, but sweating buckets while trying to sell your goods isn’t appealing in any way. If you can get away with it, dress for warm weather.
5. Cover up any hardware. Do you plan to incorporate computers or televisions into your display? That’s a great idea, and it’s a wonderful want to draw attention to your company’s setup. But, you do want to make sure that any hardware is protected from rain, sun, and other possible damage. Speak with your exhibit team about shields and other protectors before you head outside.
6. Don’t forget food. This might sound like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to get caught up in what you’re selling, and forget all about hydrating and eating properly. It’s important to eat during any trade show, but more important to stay nourished when the weather is hot and humidity levels are high.
7. Wear the right footwear. Will you be standing on hard and hot tar all day? You may want to think about the shoes that you intend to wear, and make sure that your company reps are wearing comfortable footgear too.
8. Get the right exhibit stand. Portable frame stands are a great idea, but make sure that the stand you order, well, stands out. It’s hard to really stick out when you’re outside, since the outdoors is not as controlled as an indoor setting, and things like lights are harder to use. So, make sure that the frame stand you choose lets you display your stuff as boldly as possible.
Talk to Your Rep
Speak with your exhibit or rental display design rep before you attend an outdoor event. These professionals have seen more than a few outdoor trade shows, and they know how to best prepare you and your booth for anything that comes from being outside. At Blazer Exhibits, we know how to make sure that your booth pops both indoors and outdoors. No matter what you’re selling, we’ll work with you to create a design that you love.
There’s nothing quite like being outside and selling your products or service – especially after a long and cold winter. Just make sure that you’re prepared for outdoor trade show life. If you’re used to indoor shows, you’ll find that these setups are a lot different, but that can also be a very good thing if you’re prepared (who doesn’t love a bit of sunshine?). If you need some booth display advice, call us today for pricing, ideas, and samples. We’d love to sit down with you and go over your tradeshow needs. We can also provide you with a price estimate, and some excellent ideas for displaying your stuff outside this summer.