Post Link: A Logistical Guide to Exhibiting at an International Trade Fair

A Logistical Guide to Exhibiting at an International Trade Fair

This guest post comes from Collin Mohler of nEventum, an international group of portalsspecializing in trade shows and events.

If you’re reading this, you are probably considering or have just recently booked your first tradeshow overseas. Congratulations! You’re taking an incredible leap to expand your internationalpresence. The business opportunities abroad are vast and inviting.

However, it’s important to remember that exhibiting at an international trade fair can necessitatemajor process adjustments to be successful.

International Trade Fair Considerations

1. Time Differences

If you’re taking your show across oceans, there are many implications to consider in terms oftiming. Firstly, understand that New York time is five hours behind London, which is the minimaltime differential when crossing either the Pacific or Atlantic oceans, unless you’re an exhibitorout of Alaska attending a trade show in the Far East of Siberia (then it’s four hours).

If you are in Chicago and are planning to exhibit in Barcelona, you will be attempting tocoordinate and communicate with show managers and others seven hours ahead of you. Thisleaves a very little timeframe to converse with designers and other parties overseas. Accordingto Exhibitor Online, a common rule of thumb is reserving an extra 30% of time to assure thatdeadlines are met.

2. Exchange Rates

Also important are exchange rates. There are a few strategies in particular to avoid costlyexchange rates, and the key is in the timing. Give yourself some time to monitor exchangerates. When you think it is as low as it will go, you can purchase the appropriate amount ofcurrency to store in your reserves.

Alternatively, offer to prepay your designers and freight forwarding company if you fear that therate might increase when the time to pay arrives.

3. Customs

Foreign Customs and Border Protection can be difficult to surpass when shipping largematerials. To avoid any slip-ups, read these recommendations that could prove useful whenentering a foreign country.

What is so different between US and foreign trade shows?

For starters, The U.S. is the only country that doesn’t prepare booth specifications under themetric system. While there is uniformity across most of the world for measuring things, the U.S.has been reluctant to join the trend. So, be sure to brush up on your conversion!

The second of the key differences in the U.S. is a little more pleasing. On average, exhibiting inthe U.S. costs five times more than in Europe or Asia. This is due to transportation costs,drayage, and costs paid for installation and dismantle (I & D) labor.

Don’t worry about drayage while abroad, because it is gratuitously included in transportationcosts. While shipping will be expensive, the total expense of exhibiting abroad from the U.S.pales in comparison to exhibiting in the U.S. from overseas.

One final thing is that there is a very notable difference between the materials and designs ofbooths overseas––materials tend to include paint and shell scheme stands instead of pipes andlaminate finishes like in the U.S.

Also, be aware that the process of installation outside the U.S. often begins onsite at the venueand can last for 12 weeks. Exhibitors may only need 12 days to assemble their booths in theU.S., but overseas, the process is often construction instead of installation.

Personal Preparation

Feel free to underdress a little. In most situations, business casual is more than acceptable. To

effectively communicate and sell your ideas and products, you will also have to adapt to thelocally spoken language.

Many companies avoid outsourcing for booth staff, but if you are unable sell effectively in thelocal vernacular, you are limiting yourself greatly. In Paris, for example, presenting yourproducts in French rather than English will attract more attendees.

Finally, seal the deal with business cards readily available for your guests. Be careful not tooffend booth visitors by shoving their business cards into your wallet. While this may mean nodisrespect in the U.S., business cards are more often treated as valuable invitations to dobusiness. Show special care toward the business cards presented to you abroad.

Questions about international exhibiting or international trade fairs in general? Let us know inthe comments!

About the author:

Collin Mohler is a writer at nEventum, a company that focuses on facilitating the organization ofevents. nEventum is an international group of portals specializing in trade shows and events ofany kind, with a calendar of trade shows, exhibitions and events held in 152 countries.They help companies and exhibitors promote their events and give them advice on how toensure their exhibitions are successful. Follow nEventum on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, andLinkedIn.Post originally located at: https://www.handshake.com/blog/international-trade-fair-guide/

Handshake | Sales Order Management and B2B eCommerce Solutions - www.handshake.com© Copyright 2015 Handshake Corp.