Best practices header

Weekly Email Series

For over 35 years, I have exhibited at hundreds of consumer trade shows and other events. Moreover, in the past decade, I have launched and expanded my own events whilst continuing to exhibit in my events along with others. This email series is my means of giving back what I have acquired through observation, firsthand experience, trial and error, and interviews with industry sources and hundreds of exhibitors.  —Frank

Checklist Power

How will checklists improve my show performance?

Before any plane takes to the skies, the flight crew runs through a pre-flight checklist. This routine behavior is designed to put trained eyes on critical things that can literally make the difference between life or death. While your company’s trade show performance is not vital to the booth staff’s survival, it can be improved with the practical application of well-crafted checklists.

What checklists do I need to use?

Depending on your specifics, your checklists could be very similar or totally different than the information I’m showing below. Use my list as an idea generator to help guide you. There is no right or wrong. But, if you find your staff or yourself adrift, think about adding a checklist to help.

You need to have three basic groups of checklists.
    • Pre-Show
    • In-Show
    • Post-Show

Pre-Show checklist ideas:
    • Pre-Show Marketing / Printing / Promo item purchasing / Company Attire (shirts, hats, etc.)
    • Staff Schedule & Contact lists (names, cell phone numbers, home addresses, personal email addresses, etc.)
    • Booth Furnishing Inventory (floor covering, tables, chairs, banners, lighting, etc.)
    • Supplies Inventory (blank lead forms, stapler, pens, etc.)
    • Move-in and Set up plan (vehicles, special assets like fork lifts, etc.)

In-Show checklist ideas:
    • Work schedules (include meals and breaks)
    • Lead tracking
    • Appointment setting calendar

Post-Show checklist ideas:
    • Email campaigns to prospects or new customers
    • Move out plan
    • After action review agenda
    • Goal achievement assessment

Again, these are just a “starter set” of ideas. Build your own set of checklists to develop your company’s “best practices”.


 
Questions or Comments about Checklist Power