Planning for a trade show requires a lot of elbow grease. With so much on your mind, it’s easy to forget a few important items along the way. You don’t want to send your staff to a conference without the essentials, so put together a list of the materials that you can’t be without. As you gather everything before the show, you can go through the list and check off each item.

Below are the most important materials to bring to a tradeshow. By following this list, you can take control of your events and have the peace of mind that everything will go smoothly.

Items to Pack and Ship

When you work with a display company like The Exhibit Company, your custom exhibit will be shipped to your event and set up by our team. This takes the stress out of having to store and ship the display yourself. But, there are still things that you should bring along to the event, including:

• Business cards and a business card collector (i.e., classic fishbowl). If you don’t plan on collecting the cards, have a lead capture app ready to go – and know how to use it. 

• Raffle sign and giveaway items. Draw attention to your booth by having a raffle and special prizes.

• Printed content. Promote your business by handing out colorful brochures, pamphlets and infographics. Be sure to display them in stands and organizers.

• Promotional products and branded swag. Attendees love getting free swag. Don’t print the date or name of the event on the items so that you can reuse them.

• Branded tablecloth and banners. Give your exhibit a signature look with branded tablecloths, banners and signage.

• Pens. Pens are necessary for filling out raffle forms, lead forms and more. Bring extras. They always seem to get lost or stolen.

Materials for the Show

When your custom trade show exhibit is set up, you’ll need a few more items for the conference floor. Having what you need allows your staff to prepare for the event rather than make last minute trips to the store.

• Power strip and extension cord. This comes in handy in case you run out of batteries, or your booth space is far from an outlet.

• Macgyver kit. Pack an essentials kit that is brought to all of your events and includes scissors, packing tape, scotch tape, a stapler, paper clips, rubber bands, etc.

• Snacks and water. Your booth staff needs to stay hydrated and well-fed so they can be on their A-game.

• Comfortable shoes. Comfortable shoes keep a smile on your face. Avoid sacrificing comfort to look stylish.

Keep a list of your most important materials handy at all times. We recommend printing off a fresh copy for each event or placing a plastic binder sleeve over the page. This way, you can check off each item for your events and ensure that you don’t miss a thing.