OnFulfillment Blog | Event Support

Autumn is upon us. That means tradeshow season—and all the work that entails—can’t be far behind.

Every year, preparing for upcoming events raises a number of questions and concerns. Some of these are new and unique to the current season, but most are recurring issues or themes that are critical to effective planning but are also easy to forget. Learning from the past can help you prepare for the future, but it’s hard to remember all those details when you’re busy with all your other important projects.

As you well know, there are lots of factors you need to think about ahead of any new trade show season. You want to be as prepared as possible to avoid the normal chaos that surrounds every event. Effective planning means not having to scramble at the last minute to get materials produced, or resort to expensive expedited shipping methods to get those materials to your booth on time.

Over the past decade or two, it has become increasingly common for marketing organizations to outsource the bulk of their writing, design, and fulfillment services to outside vendors.

From a business perspective, it makes a lot of sense. It’s typically more cost-effective to bring in outside help only when needed rather than hire—and pay for—full-time staff. It’s largely a transactional relationship that lasts only as long as the project in question, and it works well for both sides.

Managing those relationships so that they continue to benefit both sides, however, requires some work. It’s natural to grow comfortable with the vendors you’ve carefully groomed over the years, steeping them in your corporate culture. They know you; you trust them. It’s comfortable. It’s…easy.

That’s when it’s time to take a close and critical look at the relationship.

Event season is heating up. That means companies will be looking for shippers to help them get their materials to venues around the country.

There are many vendors to choose from. It’s a highly competitive field, and shippers will be negotiating aggressively and making lots of promises to get the business. That is the time to be highly skeptical and to do the necessary research before signing a contract or even making a handshake agreement.

Everyone knows that if an offer seems to be too good to be true, it usually is. Making an ill-advised decision has significant consequences, and making a bad decision about a shipper when your event is on the line could be disastrous.

We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t sweat the small stuff.” That’s great advice—at least, for most situations.

But when it comes to event management and fulfillment, it’s almost all “small stuff.” The big stuff—like booth construction, signage, product displays—is right there in front of you, easy to see, track, and fix if needed. Instead, it’s the dozens of often overlooked administrative and organizational tasks that pose the real challenge. Collectively these jobs make an oversized contribution to the ultimate success of every trade show, conference, and seminar—and it’s not uncommon for many of them to slip through the cracks.

In fact, the small stuff is so important to effective event management that it brings to mind another popular phrase: “The devil is in the details.”

There might still be snow on the ground in many areas, but it won’t be long before golfers start dusting off their clubs and hitting links. And golf season means opportunities for companies to host or sponsor tournaments, whether to raise money for charity or attract new prospects and customers.

No matter the reason, there is a lot to consider when participating in a golf tournament. Like any outdoor event, tournaments must be treated differently than the typical indoor trade show or seminar. Signage must be designed to withstand the elements. Giveaways should be tailored to the event and activity. Golf tournaments also generate a high level of energy and friendly competition, all of which present unique and memorable branding opportunities for a highly targeted audience.