Help On IPVM's First ISC West Booth Setup?

- Did you need a certain amount of bandwidth? There is free WiFi so you don't necessarily have to pay for a dedicated line

- If you will be standing get the thickest carpet padding you can...your feet will thank you

- If you will be packing boxes at the end of the show make sure you have packing tape

Please do not forget security!

I would suggest 2 for booth and probably 2 bodyguards for JH:)

I thought this was supposed to be a small booth...

Expo equipment rentals is exhorbitantly expensive.  It would almost be cheaper to roll down the road to Fry's and buy some new stuff.  $1200 a week sounds stupidly expensive.

Laptop wise I've always brought my own.  You can fly with them etc and they don't take up large amounts of luggage space and then you don't need to worry about wiping them or anything else afterwards.  BYOD always.

Internet wise, I've usually just hotspotted out.  You can turn it on or off as needed and there is enough WiFi around these days that you shouldn't need to worry about it.

For a first time exhibitor my advice is as follows.  Make sure you know what your stand looks like now. And aim to make sure everything works the day before the show opens.  The worst thing in the world is to be faffing about with some technical glitch at 930am on show day because you didn't expect any issues.

If you're going to be running equipment build a complete mock-up of the actual equipment you will be showing, bench test it for 48 hours then pack it carefully along with the exact cables & connectors you used during the test.

Unfortunately wifi in the Sands is not a good solution for demoing internet based solutions as it's availability and capacity vary throughout the show - It will work on on setup day but not during the expo!

A 4G hotspot may be the most cost-effective solution, having a choice of handsets and service providers is a good precaution.

Try not to rent anything from the Expo services people, not only is it ludicrously expensive you will have to make a dozen calls to get it delivered and it will include a whole new load of unforeseen issues; technical or physical that you now don't have time to resolve as it all turned up at the very last minute.

Preparation and checking avoids additional costs and hassles at expos, then ask yourself repeatedly "what have I not thought about?"

You'll still forget something...

As mentioned already, set it up in the office to know how to do it and what tools you would need to make the process easier.

A power strip or two may come in handy as well as an extension cord.

If the display has nuts/bolts to put it together.... consider getting a few spares from a local hardware store as these sometimes find a way to disappear.

A Cell Hotspot device can be rented for a few $/day and does help a lot with spotty local connections.

+1 on spare equipment. It never fails that something will fail when you're setting up your booth.  I had to stop setup of a show 98% of the way through to drive through downtown D.C. to buy an HDMI cable to replace one that we lost. 

As dumb as it sounds, that thick carpet padding that U1 mentioned is an absolute life saver. I pushed for company colored Nike's my last few shoes with a manufacturer instead of dress shoes with 0 support, but upper level management never agreed with me. :)

Don't even attempt wifi or cellular hotspot for internet connectivity at the show. It will work great during setup before the show, then get crushed when the show floor actually opens.

Paying for internet access is ungodly expensive for what it is, but it is really your only reliable option. You might be able to split the cost with an adjoining booth, though of course the show does not condone that.

Check shipping charges. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a monitor there and ship back home than shipping both ways. Compare that to the monitor rental fee.

Never rent computers/cables/etc. Bring your own.

Having chairs helps - better than just adding padding to the carpet.

If you MUST have internet, bite the bullet and have the line put in. I have always made sure demos are self-contained so that you don't have to pay through the nose for their line. As Brian said, forget anything wireless - it will fail.

If your booth staff likes to party in Vegas, having water, Advil, Tums, and breath mints available for them in the booth is always good. Your customer will thank you ;-).

As part of the effort, I would suggest having lots of marketing materials printed out.  Other media outlets have printed versions of what they do (mags) - and you don't.

Printing documents is costly and so is shipping to Vegas because it weighs a lot.... maybe contract online with a printing firm in Vegas to have your stuff printed locally - and ready to pick up before the show.

If someone asks if you need help with that box, even if it's to move it 5 feet, don't take it. You'll get a $500 bill from the local union.

(Posted undisclosed to protect my safety from union workers.)

Pro tips I've learned as a small booth are:
1. Buy on the way into the show in Walgreens (in the Sands) Sandwich, water and snacks to eat during the show. Many times there are so many people during the day you will find yourself at the end of the day with a headache since you didn't eat or drink anything. The food on the floor is bad and expensive.

2. Buy dress shoes that are as comfortable as possible or gel/foam insole. People here said carpet padding but i hate those because you sink into them and it's almost weird to stand on.

3. If you can skip the breakfast at the hotel, they are expensive and not good.

4. Jacket is not a must, most people take it off any way during the show so if you want to loose the suit jacked that's OK.

5. Don't leave valuables in the booth overnight, take the laptops and everything you think someone can easily steal.

For such a small booth like you guys have all of those expenses don't make any sense.

You should ship a box with everything you need from your office and take it back at the end of the show. the trip is to make sure you keep that box somewhere behind your display so you won't need to wait for the crate/box to return at the end.

You can already get a booth stand and display the can be take with you.

• Demo Laptops / iPads: Bring your own, doesn't make sense to rent.
  
  
• TVs / Monitors: Again better to buy and return or bring yourself, the only thing you need to think of is the TV stands. 40" TV costs $300 at best... paying over a $1000 for a rental is insane.
  
  
• Internet service: As others said, bring a hotspot box and probably you will get better speeds, the wifi even when you rent is horrible.

There is a ton of great advice on this thread. The points I would further emphasize are:

- ANY Internet access you need for the show (like the laptops you bring, not rent), use the paid hardwire access you purchased, NOT WIRELESS if you can help it.

- Either carry your valuables (like laptops) out of the show each night OR be able to lock them up in your booth architecture. Yes, stuff does get stolen at a security show.

- Do a fully functional mockup of your booth before packing it up to send to the show. You will be amazed at how many little cords or screws or tools can be forgotten.

- Make sure everything works the day before the show before the trades go home for the day. Opening morning is absolutely not the time to still be working on things.

- Bring extras of EVERYTHING: HDMI cords, monitors, laptops, power supplies -- EVERYTHING

- Pay for the carpet padding

- At show close, cash bribes to drayage will get your crates onto the floor sooner. 

'Set up a Hikvision Dunk Tank.'

I have probably been to more shows than I can count and i have seen this once at the ISC in NYC: Sit down foot massagers. I loved this thing so much, I bought one myself. If you care about your staff this machine is a must. I would also recommend a stool type chair with a back. 

If you really want to get a crowd, put a few out for the attendees to use.  Save the feet and the back!!

Question on carrying booth items on to the show floor. A veteran exhibitor told us that the union will leave you alone as long as items can be carried by 1 person (either by hand or small rollable device). Anyone with any expriences to the contrary? I am trying to understand how vigilant or unreasonable they will be about moving smaller items to the booth.

Tvs may be cheap but good stands arent. We use some stands that put the tvs at 6 or 7' high and they were around $300 each. Plus they are heavy and I imagine expensive to ship. 

 There's some advantage to not having to deal with any of that.

On the cheap you could have delivered to your hotel and assemble on site:

Stand

Buy a 55” 4K television:

55” 4k

Use the television and raffle.  Ship television to winner and ship base to Ethan.  Sony used to do that at shows with refurbished Sony monitors.

MonMount LCD-8620B Mobile TV Cart for LCD Plasma and LED TV's (Black) 

We went with that because it allows the TV to go higher, above peoples head. If you mount the TV centered at 5' high, nobody is going to see it through the sea of people. 

If you opt not to go with paid internet. I would recommend screen recording a few key things on the site ahead of time. Go through and actually perform some of the more popular or new features while you record it on your laptop. You can play it back and talk through everything. There are a lot of free and cheap software that will allow you to do it easily. 

Oh and bring lots and lots of hand sanitizer.  

Can you bring a cached/downloaded version of the site to run locally on a PC/Server without the need for Internet access?  You can then edit DNS/Hosts to resolve to local IP address instead of via Internet.

Wow, this thread makes me never want to have a booth at a trade show.  The burden involved in these things is ridiculous.

Thanks for the tips, I am definitely going to invest in some good insoles! 

One thing to keep in mind for the "thick padding" recommendations is that while that is usually a good idea, it is less practical for a 5'x10' booth. You (and anyone coming to the booth) are likely to spend more time in the aisles, as the booth space will be mostly occupied by equipment and tables.

1. No one looks good in a golf shirt.  Suit up.

2. Chairs make you look lazy.

3. Scanning is great, but give out a business card.

4. Breakfast meetings are awesome, and people are often free.

5. Kind bars are gifts from above.

6. Breath mints.  I buy Pur Aspartame free by the case on Amazon.

7. Don't forget your belt.

8. Vegas will dehydrate you in moments, drink lots of water.

9. The Illy coffee place is a great spot to meet during the show.

10. Video draws eyes more than static images. 

11. Put your phone away.  If you need to take a call, leave the booth.

12. Schedule staff rotation, don't just assume everyone should be there open to close.

13. 13 is bad luck.

14. Protein and veggies, avoid the carbs and sugar.  This is a long week, and there will be cocktails.

15. Lapel pins are a nice touch.

16. Ditch the lanyard, clip your badge on your jacket pocket.

17. Sketchers are tempting shoes.  Don't do it.

18. It's often cheaper to buy TVs at Best Buy and then give them away than it is to rent them or to ship them.

And dont forget the foot vibrator.... Your folks will thank you. 

My favorite booth, not seen much at ISC West unfortunately, is a table with a guy on his laptop doing work sitting down and ignoring anyone that comes into his booth and just has product flyers on his table with keychain giveaways.

I think IPVM should have a bunch of couches and a few 65" tvs that are connected to GoPro cameras that the "boys" will travel around the show floor with and people can come and make fun of other booths and other interesting things.  Oh and have them wear ear pieces so we can tell them what to ask the booth people and then we can gamble on if they even know their products -- And have a few microbrews on tap.

Cheers!

Bring your own laptops and monitors, and bring the correct cables to output to the monitors.

Bring bottled water and snacks.

You can buy a booth in a bag and roll it there with easy setup: Trade show booth exhibit popup

You can get your local print shop to print the 8-10 ft long banner, then use 2-sided velcro tape to hang the banner. 

You can either use the free Wi-Fi inside the show, or use your cell phone to tether. You can record and play a video on loop on one of the monitors so that you are not using any cell data, and so that people can see highlights of who you are and what you do as they are walking by.

Get some of your vendors to give you free handouts.

Lots of very good suggestions here. To add a couple of points after 20 ISC shows:

Security! Lock up anything valuable at the end of the day AND keep an eye on it during the day. Not a bad idea to use a security cable on laptops.Years ago I had 4 laptops stolen from the booth overnight. We had no locking cabinets (Dumb rookie mistake!), so I tried hiding them under a pile of boxes, etc. Gone in the morning. A couple of years ago a friend of mine had an iPad stolen off the counter in their booth during the show day. So be vigilant, and maybe a little paranoid about expensive gear.

Live Internet access...I wouldn't bother. It'll fail when you're doing an important presentation. I always prefer video clips, and I've never had anyone complain about it. Most attendees understand that the ISC show is, at best, semi-controlled chaos, and will cut you some slack.

Unions: The Sands is better than most, I have very rarely had issues with them. But you do have to understand that they ARE union workers, and take breaks, work according to certain rules, and so on. But mostly they are pretty cool to work with.

Suits: Absolutely unnecessary. You'll be cooking and uncomfortable all day. I actually like to see booth personnel in company logo shirts so in the chaos I know who is talking to me.

Scanner: A must have. You'll be glad you rented it. And get a couple, even in a smaller booth. In the time it takes to go looking for it, your contact might walk away or get distracted.

Chairs: Nothing wrong with a stool or two for your staff and attendees. It's a long 3 days....

Breaks: It's important to walk away every now and then and sit for a few minutes. It'll help you recharge. And lots of water!

Lastly... John, I am glad to see IPVM at the ISC show. I think you provide a very important service to the industry, even on those (rare) times when I disagree with you!

The way to tell if someone is really experienced at doing shows is to be completely hung-over and leaning a lot. 

Just noticed this today browsing through the ISC West vendor list.

I know a little late now, but some people who don't know IPVM might confuse you with being a CCTV manufacturer or supplier. Maybe next time have "Information" or "News" at the end.

I've exhibited at Sands for another, much larger show. I'm not going to read the 80+ posts above to avoid duplicates, I'll just offer my advice:

1. Footwear - if someone is judging you by what you're wearing on your feet they have either never been to a trade show, or are pretentious d-bags with unrealistic expectations and have no business being at a trade show. Wear what is comfortable and matches the rest of your attire. You'll be standing for 8-9 hours, plus walking back and forth from your hotel. COMFORTABLE.

2. Attire - polos/golf shirts are business casual and perfectly acceptable in most circumstances. When I see people in suits at trade shows I feel bad for them. Unnecessary especially for the style of booth IPVM is. If you were wining and dining a CEO that is going to place a billion dollar order with your company, sure wear a suit. Having said that, pack ONE in case you get invited to an event that it might be prudent or required.

3. Water - yes. Have lots of it at your booth. You will be talking a lot in a dry environment and you WILL lose your voice. Cepacols for the latter.

4. Underlay - order the double thickness for your booth next time (if you haven't already). Your feet will thank you for it.

5. Chairs - mandatory. Sit when you have a break, but if anyone passes by that you want to engage or someone approaches your booth, GET UP OUT OF IT. Unless it's the last day and you're exhausted, in which case apologize/ask permission (not that you really need to) to stay seated. Attendees know what it's all about and will have a laugh with you while insisting you keep your seat.

6. Security - I would think that something like ISC would be the epitome of nothing walking away but according to some of the above, it still happens. Sad. Our show had about a thousand armed security patrolling so I just hid a few critical things behind the backdrop and took my laptop with me, never had a problem.

7. Freeman - some of them are great, others are typical lazy union slugs. I avoid them as much as I can and carry my own gear in/out (I drove to Vegas last time and brought everything with me). If you're shipping then you have no choice. If you have them take away crates/boxes at the show start, you could wait 5 minutes or 5 hours for them to show up at show's end. I got lucky this year. The guys next to me didn't.

8. Last-minute shipments - if you have something to send in last minute DO NOT send it to the venue or Freeman will get involved and bill you accordingly. Send it to your hotel.

9. Shipping out - don't forget about the Fedex center IN the Sands Expo. It is very useful for sending stuff out. It is usually pretty packed so plan your time accordingly. They also have a print station but if a printer goes down and there's a line-up of people doing shipping/receiving, they will NOT prioritize fixing the printer.