We’ve all been taught from the earliest age that working together as a team is critical to the success of the groups that we’re a part of. Whether we’re talking about our Little League baseball teams or our marketing team – in charge of our trade show efforts, collaboration with our team members makes us stronger as a whole.
This is now true of our trade show marketing teams as well. Both your internal team that is charged with each year’s trade show programs and your external partners must work strongly as separate teams and as a single unit.
Certainly, when your marketing team is looking for a trade show partner – it’s important to know that the company you are engaging has the ability to work together to plan, design and execute your trade show exhibit and services in a way that creates the best experience not just for you – but your prospects as well!
There are a number of key elements that successful teams possess. Here’s a run down of those and how they come together to ensure your trade show efforts rock!
Your Trade Show Team Needs Leadership
It goes without saying, every team needs a strong leader. Whether that leader is the coach of your Little League team, a strong trade show account executive or your internal marketing director – at the end of the day, a decisive leader at the helm is a must.
The team leader will work to see that the overall vision, goals and purposes are met. This of course includes maintaining a finger on the pulse of overall team morale, engagement with one another and creating an environment where the rest of the team and the project itself can thrive.
A Trade Show Event Vision that is Shared by the Entire Team
From the trade show creative brief, to the custom trade show exhibit design, execution and servicing – the entire trade show team must have a shared vision for overall trade show strategy and how that strategy will be fulfilled.
A vision shared by both the Client and the custom trade show company includes not only the strategy and goals you’re looking to achieve through your trade show program, but also a healthy sense of pride in what is being built to serve your strategies. Pride pulls teams together like no other emotion!
Hiring a Trade Show Company with the Right Attitude is Key
Simply said, the trade show company you are going to work with must have the right attitude towards the project at hand or the team and the project as a whole cannot succeed.
This attitude can be identified early in the process, during your interviews with potential trade show partners. What is the sales person’s demeanor? Are they knowledgeable? What do the company’s past projects say about them? How accessible is the rest of the team?
Confidence in the attitude your trade show partner exhibits during the sales and procurement process, speaks volumes to how the rest of the project will be managed. Gut feelings during this stage can’t be ignored.
There is No Team Without Trust
Attitude and trust actually go hand-in-hand. Not only do you have to feel like the members of your trade show partner trust one another, but your own team must be able to put your faith in their team. Many decisions will be made during the design, production and execution of your trade show program and you will have to be able to entrust your trade show partners to do the right thing on your behalf.
In any relationship, trust is purely at the very heart of the matter. Whether it’s trusting your Little League coach to rest your pitcher at the right time or your trade show partner to deliver on time and on budget – trust is everything.
Teams Collaborate – They Just Do
The very essence of your trade show design team should speak to collaboration. From your account executive to the design team to the artisans building your exhibit to the services team responsible for setup and take-down – collaboration has to exist.
This goes for collaboration between your trade show partner and your internal marketing team as well. Brainstorming, fact-finding, design, execution – you will be working very much hand-in-hand with your trade show team. Collaboration is at the forefront of the relationship’s success.
Team DesignShop* Walks the Walk
It’s no coincidence that we are often referred to as “Team DesignShop”. Heck, it’s in our web address, www.TeamDesignShop.com, our Twitter handle @TeamDesignShop and our Facebook Fan Page www.facebook.com/TeamDesignShop.
This custom trade show exhibit company embraced the idea of “Team” long ago and everything we do from our annual sales meetings to “Super Tuesdays” to the execution of our Clients’ exhibits includes a healthy dose of Team.
*DesignShop is now ColorCraft.
