Tool Up
Prepare an organized toolbox of office supplies and include an inventory list of the contents inside the lid. A designated toolbox contains organized compartments and makes items easy to find. Upon the return of each show, check the list for any items that need to be replaced.

Hassle-Free Keys
Produce extra sets of podium keys and send them in advance to your booth staff. It eliminates handing off keys at the show and the staff will appreciate not having to track down their associates who may have left the site. Make sure to include one set in your toolbox and desk drawer...just in case.

Lit Live and Lit Die
Statistics show approximately 64% of trade show literature is thrown away. Consider less-expensive trade show fliers, or better yet, use the lead retrieval systems to follow up with clients after the show. You'll not only save on printing costs, but freight and material handling as well.

Learn The Terms
Drayage, material handling, rigging, access storage, house bills...learn the trade show industry terms. Make sure you understand that international terms may be different.

Don't Avoid Show Site Shipments
If your shipment is small, you may actually be dollars ahead to ship it direct to the show site. Shipping to the warehouse will get your display there in advance, but you will incur material handling to the warehouse and then again to the show site. If you aren't setting up until the second move-in day and your shipment involves one case, consider a show site shipment. You might be dollars ahead and help your production schedule to boot.

Get Steamed
Large format tension fabric graphics are lightweight and affordable. Make sure you invest in a steam cleaner to ship with your graphics. For under $25, it makes all the difference between a worn, wrinkled look versus a polished, "we're ready for action" image.

Jump To It, and Stick With It
Consider providing your product information on a jump drive as a promotional giveaway to your qualified leads. Select a low-memory stick and download pdf files of your literature along with a static page from your website, contact information, and perhaps a link to claim an additional premium for contacting you for more information. A jump drive won't take room in your potential clients’ suitcases and they'll be anxious to see what is on it when they return home.

Go Green
When reviewing your give-away options, seek out environmentally conscious premiums. Spread your company's environmental awareness through highlighters, notepads, bags and gear made from recycled products. Recently, Vision Exhibits attended a show where the exhibitor gave away oranges and apples...a welcome gift for attendees who appreciated the refreshing meal tie-over instead of mint overloads. And, the exhibitor maximized the opportunity to compare apples to oranges!

Rent or Buy
Rentals offer stunning exhibits without the cost of ownership and can be a great solution when your exhibit needs to be two places at one time. Yet, the purchase of an exhibit may be more affordable depending on the show schedule. Always discuss the option to rent versus buying with your exhibit house and weigh the advantages.

Going Global
Before you print those banners with the bold red backgrounds, get some cultural advice about the country in which you'll be exhibiting. Your research will make your color selection a welcome invitation to your stand.

Calculating Your Required Wattage
Amps x Volts/piece of equipment = Wattage/piece. Then add up your wattage.

Example: your computer uses 1.5 amps and 120 volts:
1.5 amps x 120 volts=180 watts.

To calculate lighting, simply add up the watts for each bulb used.

Access Storage
On-site storage for items you don’t have room for in your booth, but will need during the show. You will be charged each time labor is required to retrieve your storage and deliver it to your booth. You are not allowed to retrieve your materials from access storage.

Advance Order
An order placed to the contractor for services prior to the installation date.

Bill of Lading
This tracking form is provided by your carrier. You will complete it with pertinent information: address, responsible billing party, individual freight piece dimensions and weight, and special instructions.

Consolidated Carrier
A freight transportation company that usually accepts only crated materials and consolidates the properties of several customers. It may deliver to several different hubs before arriving at the final destination makes it cost-effective.

Customs Broker
A licensed agent (person or company) who clears freight through customs.

CWT
Hundred weight. A measurement used to determine cost of freight, CWT is generally the cost per one hundred (pounds) of weight.

DIM Weight
Dimensional weight based on measurements of each box or crate.
Domestic: Length x width x height, divided by 194.
International: length x width x height, divided by 166.

Double Time
Labor performed on overtime and charged at twice the published rate.

Drayage
Also known as Material Handling, drayage is the term for moving freight from the shipping dock to a booth, and back to the dock at the end of the show. Most convention centers have a minimum drayage fee, and will charge it for each piece.

EAC/Exhibit Appointed Contractor
Also known as an Independent Contractor, the EAC is a labor and supervisor option to hiring show labor, and is often more reliable. You will have a main contact to communicate with advance of the show and send any installation instructions, photos, return bills of lading and labels. Find one who is familiar with the brand of your exhibit. You may want to contact your exhibit house and have them hire a reputable installer for you.

Empty Storage
Empty cases, crates, skids and boxes must be labeled with Empty Freight labels, provided by the service desk. Clearly write your booth number the labels with a heavy black marker, and place one to two labels/case. Keep your freight together by not sending back cases separately–wait until your install is complete and then label all the cases. Show management will remove the freight and return them to empty truck trailers. At the close of the show the decorator will return them to your booth.

Exhibitor Kit
Also called a Service Kit, it is provided by show management, the kit contains information, forms, rules and regulations. It may be printed forms in a binder or available online.

Floor Order
An order for services placed after exhibit installation has started.

Forced Freight
Freight reassigned to the carrier contracted by show management. This can occur if a carrier that you’ve contracted did not show up at the appointed time to pick up your freight, or if you didn’t turn in your bill of lading along with your house bill. Insure your carrier is provided with the time of pick-up so you aren’t charged for both a dead run and freight from the decorator’s carrier.

House Bill
Provided by the event decorator, the house bill is a form that you must complete at the end of dismantle. You may pick up the form from the Service Desk at the show. If applicable, attach your contracted carrier’s bill of lading.

I & D
I & D is the frequently-used acronym for Installation and Dismantle. Also commonly called: set-up/assembly and tear-down/take-down.

Line-haul Carrier
A freight company which usually transports property to a hub and then out for delivery. Not as affordable as consolidated freight, but freight pieces are less likely to get separated.

Material Handling
See Drayage.

Marshaling Yard
The waiting area for carriers before they are dispatched to unload/load at the dock.

Over Time
Labor performed outside of published standard hours, at a higher rate.

Rigger
A skilled laborer responsible for handling and assembly of machinery.

Right-to-Work State
A state where everyone is allowed to work without being a member of a labor union.

Show Decorator
The company responsible for providing drape, carpet, and sign services for the show.

Show Management
The organizer and operator of the show.

Show Site
Also called on-site, it is a reference to the exhibit venue the day of the move-in.

Straight Time
Labor performed during regular work hours at the published standard charges. (Compare to Double Time and Over Time Labor.)

Warehouse
The location of freight stored in advance of the show.

Aisle/Inline/Linear
Booth spaces in a continuous line along an aisle. Corner booth spaces are at the ends of the inline booths, and have two sides exposed.

Cross-Aisle
An aisle at a right angle to a main aisle

Across-the-Aisle:
Booth spaces facing each other across the aisle.

Peninsula
Also known as an End Cap. Located at the end of a line of linear spaces, it has aisles on three sides.

Perimeter
A booth space on an outside wall.

Island
A booth space with aisles on all four sides.

Pop-Up
A lightweight, portable exhibit that is built from an expandable frame, magnetic channel bars and flexible panels.

Modular
An exhibit built with interchangeable components, designed to be set up in various sizes.

Custom
A display designed and constructed to meet specific client criteria.

Backlit
A translucent image which is illuminated from behind.

CMYK
A printing process using cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink. CMYK is the format required for printing most fabrics and inkjets.

Cut vinyl
Selected from existing colors, vinyl is used to create logos and text on smooth surfaces. Some artwork containing fine detail may not be reproduced as cut vinyl.

Fabric
Generally output as CMYK images, fabrics are available in various weights, opacities, and wrinkle-resistant materials.

Facemounted
Lightjet or inkjet prints that are permanently protected with clear or non-glare acrylic.

Inkjet
A CMYK image that is produced from lots of tiny colored ink dots that when viewed from a distance, create the illusion of continuous tone.

Laminated
Prints that are protected either on the front only, or front and back with a durable protective finish. Thicknesses of laminates can vary as well as the finish. Satin and lustre laminates have a non-glare smooth finish; pearl and velvet matte lexan laminates have a non-glare, “pebble” finish which often resists scratches better than the satin and lustre laminates.

Lambda Lightjet
“Lambda” is an RGB output device that uses a photographic process to produce continuous tones. High quality images are produced from high-resolution files.

Three dimensional
Dynamic cut-out graphics, usually for simple logos or icons, 3-D graphics are constructed from a variety of laminates, vinyls, metals or foam.

RGB
Red, Green, Blue. The format required for printing photography and lightjet prints.