Given the breadth of this event, you may even want to consider increasing the contingent from your home office. Include more of the rank-and-file employees to further their education on the industry and their contribution to the job they do.

Finally, with such a large group of salespeople in town, why not take advantage of the opportunity to have them come in a day early for a strategy session? In addition to setting tone and direction for the event before you, it can be a cost-effective way to gather the group for an exchange on field operations and day-to-day organizational functions in general.

Successful mega-show exhibit management builds on the experiences of minor show participation without following lessons by rote. Some of the elements will be the same, others will be completely different.

The common thread in all shows? Details. Hundreds of them, sometimes inseparably knotted together, sometimes seemingly isolated — with nonetheless significant impact on the project as a whole. The key to success? Pay disciplined attention to these individual pieces without losing sight of the overall vision.

Mega-shows can be a particularly rough ride. And, unfortunately, only those closest to it can truly appreciate the odds — and what was accomplished despite them. On the other hand, if you master this one, little else in the industry can stand in your way.