1. A Trade Show Calendar – This one is a bit obvious but you’d be surprised how many people don’t remember to check this out and get lost in the day-to-day, “what we’ve always done” routine of things. While typical shows are helpful for brand appearance and consistency, we recommend utilizing these calendars to check out other shows that your company may find use in exhibiting at. It may be useful to look at these calendars to see competitor moves as well.

2. Research/ White Papers – Do you keep getting told “we need to show our ROI on this show!” but don’t know what that means? Even taking it a step backwards, you’re entering this role and you don’t even know where to start? White papers or research papers are your best friend. Check out our helpful kits to get started. 

3. Industry Research – There are several great industry-centered research organizations that provide tools, playbooks, marketing information, and other great guides that are extremely helpful. Many of these organizations have email lists you can subscribe to. Here are our organization recommendations to follow:

• Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)
• Exhibitor Online
• Trade Show News Network
• Event Marketer

4. A Great Exhibit House – Okay, we might be a little biased here however it is extremely important to have an exhibit house you can trust and is reliable. Enter Gateway Exhibits. We’ll cut right to the chase – we are one of the Top 40 exhibit houses in the country with a 24/7 helpline for anything and everything related to trade shows. We have a plethora of experience within our staff as well as the know-how to bring your booth to the next level. Seriously, call us any time! (314) 699 – HELP.

No matter what your role is in this industry, things change quickly especially in the current environment. Having these tools in your back pocket will help you and your brand stay on the top and front-of-mind for your consumers.