Trade Show "before You Go" Checklist

By Author: Walker Wild
Total Articles: 279
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Something to Read

Even the busiest trade show booths at the convention are going to have some downtime. When the crowd thins and business slows, you're going to need something to do. Those slow moments can stretch into hours as people leave for lunch or skip out early to beat traffic, and bring something along to keep your mind from going numb will be a big help. Whether you're a reader or you enjoy playing games on your phone, now is the time to pick up that new book or app to stay busy.

Something to Eat

Quick, easy snacks for the trade show booth are a must. Just because you're hungry doesn't mean you'll have the time to get away from your booth and grab a bite.

Cash

These days, most of us stick to our checkbooks and our debit and credit cards for the majority of our purchases. It's safer that way. It's also less convenient. When you want a soda from the hotel lobby's vending machine, or you find that not everyone at the show accepts your credit card, you're going to wish you had a pocketful of bills. Try to bring smaller bills if possible. Not everyone accepts Visa, but everyone accepts ...
... tens and twenties.

Plenty of Water

Most of us don't get enough water in our daily life, anyways. When traveling to and attending trade shows, we drink even less. Most adults need about a gallon a day. The easiest way to stay hydrated at your booth is to simply have a few liter bottles handy.

Hand Sanitizer

Shaking hands is a big part of any trade show, so a bottle of hand sanitizer is a smart way to keep the germs off your hand. Don't worry about being rude, it's not as if you're going to sanitize your hands immediately after shaking and right in front of the person whose hand you just shook. Just sanitize now and then. You'll be keeping yourself, and your booth's visitors, healthy. Wash your hands whenever you can get away from your trade show display, too.

Blankets

When attending trade shows, you never know when you're going to need a quick nap in your car. Make sure that that nap is as comfortable as possible by packing a few old blankets in the trunk before you take off for the show.

A Hat and Sunscreen

You may feel kind of silly putting sunscreen and a wide brim hat on every time you step outside, but you're going to be doing a lot of driving and a lot of walking at the show, and the last thing you need is to be tired and sunburned all while trying to tell prospects about the new services your company is offering. Nothing scares prospects off like a tired, grumpy customer representative.

Beyond the above, just bring everything you would for any other trip: toothpaste and a brush, an emergency kit for the car, and at least one change of clothes more than you think you'll need. Travelers know better than anyone that Murphy's Law (anything that can go wrong, will) isn't just a joke, it's scientific fact, so the bottom line is simply to be prepared for whatever might happen to you out on the road and at the show. Even if you don't wind up using half the stuff you bring with you, it's always better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

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