How to Ship Trade Show Displays
Trade shows are held for nearly every type of company or product, and these events are the ideal way to meet new customers and get the word out about what your brand has to offer. Whether you have a large, intricate display, or a few fliers and a backdrop, getting your trade show items to the proper location is absolutely essential to having a successful show.
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Things You'll Need
- Packaging materials (peanuts, bubble wrap, or newspaper)
- Boxes
- Packaging tape
- Shipping labels
- Marker
Instructions
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Contact the host of the trade show to confirm the shipping company that they are using as well as the location for the display items and any regulations that may apply. If the trade show is small, or you don't have a very large shipment, you may want to consider shipping the items to the hotel where your company representatives will be staying if they are able to transport the display from there.
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Obtain appropriately sized boxes or crates for your materials. Electronic equipment for trade shows such as display screens and computers often come with crates specifically designed for transportation. Purchase or have hard crates made for these items if one is not included. Contact the distributor of the product for custom shipping solutions. Measure your backdrops, tabletop displays, and other items and select boxes that are at least 2 inches larger on all sides. Cardboard boxes in a variety of sizes and shapes can be obtained from most office supply stores, as well as trucking companies such as U-Haul. Specialty shipping supplies can be purchased from shipping companies such as FedEx or UPS.
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Package large display pieces such as backdrops separately or with only one or two other items to ensure that nothing is damaged. Surround the pieces with packing foam, bubble wrap, newspaper or any other packaging medium that is appropriate for the size and shape of your display. Pack electronic or fragile equipment in a hard case surrounded by foam or packing peanuts. Finish by packaging the display in a crate or box that is free from previous address labels and other stickers or markings that may be confusing for the package handler.
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Pack brochures, fliers, pens and other giveaways or paper items in smaller boxes that can be easily moved. Make sure any paper items are stacked neatly and secured in a box that fits well to prevent wrinkles or tears in the materials.
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Mark all of the trade show boxes clearly in large, bold print. Make sure that the delivery address and return address are both easy to read. Opt for printing the labels on a computer if your handwriting may be difficult to read. Clearly mark each box with a number as well as the total number of boxes. For example, "Box 1 of 4."
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Add a distinctive sticker or mark on the side of the box to make it easier to identify. At the trade show site, there may be a mountain of brown cardboard boxes, but only one with your company's distinct logo on the side.
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Arrange for the trade show's shipping company, or your office's shipping company, to pick up the packages, and confirm their delivery date and time. If you are shipping fragile items such as some electronic displays, make sure that your shipper is aware of this and that the box is marked with "Fragile" stickers. Purchase insurance for any expensive or custom items such as large displays and television or computer display screens.
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Keep the tracking number in a safe place. Track the packages along the way to ensure that you know exactly where they are on the day of the trade show when your company representative is looking for them.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are traveling to the show by car, you may be able to take many of the display items along with you for a safer and more cost-effective means of transportation. If you are traveling by plane, you may be able to take small electronics such as a laptop on the plane as a carry-on. However, larger items will be handled more carefully and cost-effectively by shipping them. Reusing boxes is acceptable as long as they are in good condition and the previous labels and stickers can be removed. However, boxes that are torn, beat up, or covered in shipping labels should be reserved for interoffice storage or sent to the recycling bin.
