According to the famous ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, "The line between disorder and order lies in logistics." And while exhibit managers aren't coordinating vast armies on the battlefield, ensuring that our trade show freight shows up at the right place and the right time can sometimes feel just as challenging. On top of the usual logistical hurdles, many marketers are currently facing increased costs across the board without a corresponding bump in their budgets. Meanwhile, on the supplier side of the equation, freight carriers are also feeling the pinch via driver shortages and spiking gas prices. In short, it's a perfect storm that requires everyone to stay on their toes.

To that end, here's a list of my best practices when it comes to shipping your trade show freight. Whether you're an industry newbie or a seasoned expert who needs to shake off the COVID cobwebs, the following info will help you mitigate those increased costs and keep your program firmly on the "order" side of Sun Tzu's line.

➤ Source quotes from multiple carriers and do a price comparison.

With costs inching upward, it's crucial to do your due diligence when it comes to selecting a carrier. While you may trust your go-to partner and I fully support fostering long-term relationships, this isn't the time for blind loyalty. So get quotes from a handful of carriers.

Let's say that your tried-and-trusted shipping company quotes you $2,600 for two crates going from Tampa to Chicago. If you call two other carriers and their estimates come in at $2,450 and $2,900, you will likely want to continue working with your established partner versus saving $150 on someone you don't know. However, if the competition comes back with a $1,900 quote, then it's time to do an apples-to-apples comparison and determine where the gap in price is – and if maybe you aren't getting the best deal. Ask questions such as, "Are you charging me for a lift gate?," "Is there a way for me to reduce costs by packing my crates differently?," and "Is this quote based on weight or dimensions?" Freight billed on "dims" means that regardless of how tightly packed your crates are, you're paying based on the physical dimensions of your crate and not the weight of what's carefully crammed inside.

Now, I've said this before, and I want to reiterate it: When bidding out a shipment, never deal with a company that doesn't specialize in trade show shipping. While these carriers may be cheaper on paper, the chances of incurring literal and metaphorical costs, such as your freight getting lost or a driver not knowing how to navigate a marshaling yard and missing the target delivery window, are dramatically higher.

➤ Don't wait until the last minute to schedule your shipment.
By reaching out to your carrier in advance, you'll not only help them out with scheduling, but you'll also be able to talk things over with your partner to ensure that you're shipping in the most effective fashion. Sometimes it's cheaper to book an entire truck for your freight, even though you don't have enough crates and boxes to fill the whole vehicle. Other times, it's less expensive to be part of a shared load. But if you wait until the last minute, you'll run into the potential of your carrier having fewer options to offer you, and likely at higher prices. You do not want to be stuck with a "hot shot" scenario, which is when carriers do what they must to guarantee the delivery of a time-sensitive shipment. This can cost you thousands of dollars in unnecessary surcharges.
I suggest giving your carrier a four- to six-week heads-up prior to your event so your job is on their scheduling radar. Follow up closer to the show and provide the piece count and the dimensions of the freight that you're planning to ship. Try to be as accurate and detailed as possible. While most large trade show carriers understand that 11th-hour changes can be expected, surprising them with 37 pieces of freight when they came prepared to pick up eight will likely affect their ability to complete your job. Also make sure that they confirm with you that they have the information they need and that any questions are ironed out, such as the day(s) and time(s) the shipment can be picked up, whether you have a loading dock, descriptions of any freight that may require special handling, if any equipment will be needed to get your shipment onto the vehicle, etc.

➤ Remember to account for both inbound and outbound freight target schedules.
Many of the larger trade shows operate on a targeted move-in and move-out schedule, meaning that there will be a certain window of time in which you'll need your shipment delivered and another time window for getting it picked up after the show. This is another reason why it is essential to work with a carrier that understands the many intricacies and ramifications of shipping to trade shows.

While the fees associated with missing these windows technically fall into the material handling category and not shipping, the implications can be devastating nevertheless. For example, at the most recent National Restaurant Show at Chicago's McCormick Place, freight delivered to the advance warehouse either early or late incurred a 50-percent surcharge, and freight delivered after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays or any time on Saturday incurred a 30-percent surcharge. To translate that into dollars, a tardy 1,000-pound shipment could be slapped with a $442 late fee. So, needless to say, pay close attention to this schedule and make sure your carrier and driver are in the loop as well.

➤ Develop a system for sharing vital information with your carrier.
Over the years, I have created a template that I use for planning my clients' trade show shipments. It consists of categories that my carriers and I have agreed are important, including specific fields such as "Destination," "Booth Number," "Pick-Up Date," "Latest Time Driver Can Check In Post Show," etc. Someone from my team fills this out, saves it as a PDF, and sends a copy to our shipping partner along with a PDF of the show's Quick Facts from the exhibitor manual.

This helps us ensure accuracy and provides a clear checkpoint where someone can locate (and fix) mistakes. Then, before the show, I also send a copy to my on-site supervisor so he or she is clear as to whom the carrier is, what's arriving, and when.

In addition, I recommend keeping a record of tracking numbers and PRO numbers. (Short for "progressive," PRO numbers are used for monitoring the progress of truckload and less-than-truckload shipments.) If you're able to keep track of freight in transit, you'll run less risk of getting to the show and finding an empty booth space. A four-person labor crew idly waiting for your crates to arrive could cost you upwards of $400 an hour, so if your freight arrives late or gets lost and the labor clock starts ticking, you'll go over budget in no time at all.

➤ Plan ahead for your outbound shipping at the end of the show.
Before you get to the close of the show, you will want to make sure that you have identified and listed out each of your outbound destinations. For instance, it's possible you may need your exhibit to go back to its storage facility, your hanging sign to go to the next show venue, and all your leftover giveaways to go back to your main office. By preparing this in advance, you'll keep your dismantle team organized and maybe even shave a little off your labor costs.
Most general service contractors (GSCs) offer a form or a webpage where you can enter your outbound shipping info prior to arrival. Doing this before the fact will help ensure your material handling agreements (MHAs) are ready when your booth is packed up and your outbound labels are preprinted.

➤ Communicate with your carrier about the "Ship to Warehouse" or "Use Show Carrier" checkboxes on the MHA form.
There has been a long-standing debate on these infamous checkboxes on the MHA at the close of the show. Basically, you have two choices if your carrier is late in retrieving your shipment at the end of the expo or just doesn't show up entirely: 1) the GSC ships the freight on your behalf using its own preferred carrier, or 2) the GSC moves your freight to its warehouse until such time as you are able to arrange another pickup.

If you are using a trustworthy carrier and/or your outbound shipment isn't especially time sensitive, you will likely want to check the warehouse option. But if you have any doubts about your carrier or there is a narrow window to get your freight where it needs to be next, you can always use the GSC's carrier. That said, going with the GSC's preferred provider for anything is rarely the most budget-friendly route. This is a conversation to have with your carrier so it understands the consequences of missing a pickup.

➤ Establish payment terms with your carrier before the show.
Now more than ever, organizations are trying to collect money up front, as doing so reduces their liability. If you are working with a new carrier and you have not established payment terms with them yet, it's not out of the question that they might hold your freight until you have paid your bill. This could potentially cost you a storage fee that's billed either by the day or by the month. I recently heard of a carrier that held an exhibitor's shipment and charged the client $75 per day until it paid its invoice in full.

While it seems annoying, doing your due diligence ahead of the game will ensure that nothing gets held up. Some carriers will offer a payment plan or arrange a line of credit, while others will expect full payment in advance of either pickup or delivery. Here, the "Bill to:" portion of the MHA is crucial. This might not be a big deal on the back end of the trip when the show is over, but if your carrier doesn't have payment to deliver, it could hold your booth up from getting to the show on time.

➤ Determine whether you want to insure your freight.
If your shipment gets lost, will that be detrimental to the future of your trade show program? Accidents do happen, and you don't want to be without a booth if such a mishap occurs. Yes, most carriers do offer basic coverage, but note that this default protection is often for pennies on the dollar.

If your booth is a rental, your exhibit house likely covers the components. But if you're also shipping in other items that are your own, you'll want to at least consider insurance. While there is a plethora of freight coverage options out there, the most popular is called "trip transit" or "property in transit" insurance. This covers freight from when it's picked up until it's dropped off and is charged a flat rate per every $1,000 of valuation. Each policy stipulates different coverage, so be sure that you understand what you're paying for. At the end of the day, I suggest purchasing coverage that will save you from having to purchase a brand-new exhibit completely out of pocket.

With all due respect to my carrier friends out there, trade show shipping is not sexy or glamorous, but it's an essential part of getting your program off the ground. By getting methodical early in the process and following these best practices, you'll save valuable funds that can be reallocated to more visible areas of your face-to-face marketing endeavors – and save yourself from a few headaches too. E