Trade Show Freight Shipping

Trade Show Freight Shipping

The trade show industry has a monumental impact on the economy, with economic impact reaching the billions, in terms of financial contributions to local economies. These events are held worldwide, inspiring several large cities to host prominent and influential trade shows. The trade show industry employs workers throughout various sectors, including event planning, logistics, hospitality, marketing, and design. 

Trade Show events allow participation from small startups to multinational corporations, allowing everyone a chance to benefit from these events! The trade show industry focuses on serving B2B (business to business), making it easy for companies to connect with suppliers, distributors, and business partners. Trade shows are usually sector-specific, benefitting specific industries per show. Trade Shows are an excellent way for businesses to launch new products, create buzz for their unique and existing offerings, and make industry connections. 

Another significant benefit to participating in a trade show is the insights gained through participation. It is common for these events to include panel discussions, workshops, seminars, and more, allowing for vast insight, trends, and knowledge gains. Trade Shows are great for providing increased exposure and visibility. Since trade shows attract a specific and focused audience, gaining visibility is much more accessible among the people you want to attract to your business, whether an investor, partner, or potential customer actively searching for your products and solutions. 

Trade shows are not just places to launch products or demonstrations but are also excellent for market research and competitive analysis. Companies can use their experiences at Trade Show events to determine market trends and consumer preferences and learn more about their competition by interacting with potential customers and attendees. 

Large targeted events like these make it easy for businesses to observe their competition and understand their market positioning. Seeing other companies in action makes understanding your competitor’s strategies, marketing, and potential weaknesses easy. It clarifies how you can improve and keep pulling ahead of your competition. Use Trade Shows to your advantage by leveraging your branding and positioning. These events are full of opportunities and make it possible to position your company as an industry leader and expert. 

There are a lot of pros when it comes to trade expo participation. However, it is essential to understand that a lot of preparation goes into the exhibition, especially for those companies that want a good ROI and want to stand to gain something from these events. It is important to understand upfront that preparing for these events is a lot of work and requires diligent planning, adherence to deadlines, and a seamless logistics process. If you want your exhibit to go on without a hitch, start by partnering with a reputable and reliable 3PL.             

Show Shipping Process

Trade Show Freight Shipping transports products, displays, equipment, and materials to a trade show or exhibition venue while addressing their logistical needs and concerns. When coordinating your shipments for a freight expo, it can be helpful to work with a 3PL to coordinate all of the details. Below is the general flow of how trade shows freight shipping works. 

Preparation:  One of the first and most essential steps in the entire process is identifying what you need to ship to the Trade Show. Take your time determining what exactly you need and create a detailed plan. Companies usually ship booth displays, products, promo materials, signage, equipment, and anything else that will benefit their presentation.

Contact 3PL/Booking: In preparation for a trade show, it is helpful to outsource the logistics processes as there are many moving parts; instead of arranging for transportation and figuring out the logistics yourself, partner with experts that can ensure smooth, safe, and efficient transport of your products.

 An experienced and professional 3PL like FreightCenter can also help with customs procedures. Your FreightCenter agent will handle your shipment’s logistics, customs, and transportation. We will book the best transport mode for your shipment, whether ground, air, or ocean, and arrange pickup, transit, and delivery to the venue. 

Packaging/Labeling:  Proper packaging and labeling are critical when transporting trade show products. Your freight carrier will require secure packaging and labeling that is up to standard to handle your shipments safely. Your Freight agent, along with our FreightCenter blog, will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding packaging and labeling your packages appropriately. Taking the time to do this step correctly will help prevent damage and keeps everything organized. 

Customs: If you are participating in an International Trade show, beware that customs procedures and documentation will likely be required. We will help ensure proper customs clearance and the necessary paperwork is completed correctly.

On-Site-Handling: Once your products have arrived, you and or your company will unload, inspect, and organize for your exhibit. At this step, you must stay organized and handle the product carefully to avoid damage. 

Dismantling:  Once the show has concluded, exhibitors dismantle displays, pack their products and materials, and prepare for return shipping. This step is the reverse of the setup process. 

Return Shipping:  Your freight forwarder will also arrange for the return shipping of your products to their origin or the next destination. This service typically includes arranging for pickup, transit, and delivery. 

A considerable part of your Trade Show shipping success will come from maintaining effective lines of communication with your 3PL. Following the steps above is crucial, but so is proper planning and attention to detail, and we cannot stress enough the importance of communication! Doing so will make the trade show a success and worth your while!