Trade show season has arrived. That means it’s time to move important marketing exhibits and accessories all over the country. Your trade show schedule this year is going to help you stand out in your industry, showcase product launches and promote innovations. Businesses all over North America are planning and strategizing movements from show to show on a tight schedule – leaving little room for error.
No pressure, right?
Keep your trade show planning stress free and focus on promoting your business on the national stage with these tips.
1.) Prepare early and often
Make sure to build in time for prepping, packing and shipping to your overall tradeshow season schedule, as well as breakdown, packing and shipping to the next location after each show. To avoid rush shipping charges, it is important to be attentive of transit times to and from shows. At Old Dominion Freight Line (OD), our tradeshow specialists can assist with your shipment scheduling all the way to the event’s show floor. You are taken care of every step of the way!
2.) Remember the three L’s: label, label, label
When prepping your freight, make sure you have the basic, yet important information listed in the bill of lading and labeled on the trade show freight. Remove those old labels on your tradeshow exhibits to avoid confusion. Include the date, time and location of the show you are shipping to, booth number, name of the show, point of contact and phone number of who will receive the shipment.
3.) Pack with care
You’ve invested a lot of time and money into your exhibit, so you need to make sure it’s ready to withstand the journey. Whether you’re making a new announcement or showcasing a hard to find product, OD will work alongside you to ensure your trade show booth and supplies arrive in one piece. When OD is your partner, we protect trade show freight with air bags, straps and safe stacking. You can also request Security Divider Service, where your freight is locked securely into place on the trailer at its origin and remains locked until it reaches its final destination.
4.) Work with a logistics partner, not a vendor
At OD, we view ourselves as our customers’ partner in business, not just a service provider. We work as an extension of your company, and when your job is to tackle a trade show, we’ll come alongside you to get the job done right. Our promise is to help our customers keep their promises, which means we make sure your freight shows up on time, without exceptions. We understand that if it doesn’t show up on time, then your efforts and investment will have been wasted. Our trade show coverage is nationwide. You tell us where it needs to be, and we’ll take care of it.
5.) Focus on your exhibit and lead generation
Easier said than done? Not when you work with the right, detail-oriented team. At OD, we know the layout of these exhibit halls, as well as their specifications for delivery times, loading, unloading and more. That’s why we created our Trade Show Shipping Services within our suite of Expedited Services. Our Trade Show Solutions Specialists are steeped in the world of trade shows and oversee the entire logistics process from planning and scheduling to pick-up and delivery, tracking and tracing every step of the way, so you can focus on what happens after your exhibit is set up. Depending on the size of the show, you may find our specialists on site to ensure a smooth transition in and out of the facility. You can also easily track your freight on OD’s customer dashboard on www.odfl.com or with a call or email to your assigned specialist at any time.
Are you ready to work with a logistics partner who has your back for trade show season and beyond ? One who has handled nearly 10,000 trade show shipments across the U.S. in the last year alone? Call us at (877) 358-6918 or send us an email at Trade.Show@odfl.com to get started.
Contact us by email or simply call 1-800-235-5569 to be connected to an Old Dominion customer service representative.