There are common trade show floor disasters that happen all too often.  It can range from trade show floor disasters such as missing graphics or dirty trade show booths to thievery or a fork lift running over your booth on the trade show floor.  Take a cue from the experts and learn what you can do to avoid these common trade show floor disasters:

1. Pack your carpet and pad last. Last on the truck, first on the trade show floor. This will save setup time by cutting down on wait time.  Your carpet will be ready in no time and assembly can move much more smoothly and efficiently.

2. Black shrink wrap is a diversion to thieves. If they cannot see what your pallet contains they will just keep moving.  This is especially helpful if you’ve got video walls or pricy props and technology included in your pallet. Outthink the thieves and ensure you use the black shrink wrap instead to avoid this common trade show floor disaster.

3. Never rent an extension cord or power strip. One quick trip to K-mart, Walmart, or Home Depot – and pack them in your crate.  If you rent an extension cord or power strip from show services, you’ll end up paying a hefty price for something that you could’ve picked up for $1 elsewhere.  There’s no need to waste your budget on items you can bring yourself.

4. Watch for dark days on the I&D schedule. Holidays, including Super Bowl Sunday can really change your travel schedule. These dark days could mean that your trade show booth won’t be set up when you want it to, forcing you to potentially not have a booth when the trade show floor opens.

5. Carry all graphic digital files with you – at least you have a start if you need to replace a graphic.

6. Buy a Swiffer or a Grabber – link two or three together for last minute dusting of graphics opening morning.