To gain an advantage in this arena, get to know
show management and show labor early. Crack open the show kit as soon as
you receive it. Then call show management to discuss your setup
situation. If necessary, call your riggers to discuss your special
needs. Your might even consider taking a trip to the show city to meet
in person with some of the show labor. That way, they'll connect a name
with a face. Plus, they know you've made every effort to communicate
your needs with them before the show. They may reward your efforts with
better service at the show.
Internal pressures: Feel the heat
The mega-show raises your visibility within the
organization, attracts the input of an increased number of other
disciplines within it, and tests your skills at team building and
conflict resolution. For example, if your company has a broad range of
product lines, a smaller, regional or market-specific show may be
relevant to no more than a few of those products. But the broader scope
of this show may be important to them all. Which equipment will you
take? What will be left behind?
Input from your individual product managers is
consistent: Each thinks his or her piece of equipment is a must for
physical display. For a resolution, I'd suggest turning to upper
management. Garner upper management’s input as early as possible; then
share their directives with product managers. That should eliminate any
squabbles — and allow you to continue with your planning.
Teamwork is also critical to the mega-shows'
success. At Johnson Controls, smaller shows often feature no equipment
at all. Our larger booths display machinery in operation — plastic going
in, finished bottles coming out. The success of these presentations
requires the skills of cross-functional teams with representation from
across the divisions — from the safety manager show signs off on
machines before they go out the door, to the technicians who set up and
run them at show site, to the sales staffers who much adapt their
presentation style to a show environment with operational equipment. Be
sure to include all these critical players in your communications cycle.
Yet another internal pressure comes from the
equipment itself. Some of these pieces are shown in this way only once
every three or four years. That leaves you with a short learning curve
to gear up for each show, time after time. Plan accordingly, and keep
records of what you've learned at each experience.
Expanded opportunities: Focus on the possibilities
For all its challenges, the mega-show offers a
number of areas you can leverage to get the most from participation.
Just as a larger exposition justifies the expense of showing machines in
operation, it can also warrant the presence of prototype and
niche-market products as part of the larger display to "test the
waters." The mega-show may also lead to the serendipitous discovery of
new customers or applications for otherwise mature products as they are
exposed to this large audience.
