Five Tips for a Successful Trade Show Move Out

Congrats! You’ve just finished a successful trade show in the exhibit hall. You and your team are pleased with the outcome and that your booth showed up on time and damage free. So what’s next? You likely have a busy tradeshow schedule and have to pack up and move out quickly and efficiently. 

Moving out and preparing your trade show exhibit for your next stop is often an overlooked task but critical to matching the success you just had. We’ve seen many exhibitors so focused on the preplanning that they overlook the post-show logistics to get their booth materials shipped out. The fundamentals of shipping your booth are still pertinent and should not be overlooked. Your show may be over, but your exhibit’s shipping journey is just beginning. 

At OD, we’ve noticed that these five tips will set you up for a successful move out.

1. At the close of the show, properly pack your outbound shipment. Be sure to use all of the proper packing techniques and don’t skip any steps. We know that you want to pack up and head home, but shorting a step in packing will cost you.
2. Remove your old labels and place outbound shipping labels on all materials. Any outdated information needs to be removed, so there is no confusion for your carrier. 
3. Fill out your Bill of Lading (BOL). It’s important to be specific with the proper point of contact and updated phone number. Be sure to fill out a BOL for each destination you are shipping to. If you need assistance filling out your BOL, contact your Solutions Specialist or use online resources to help. 
4. Obtain the Material Handling Agreement (MHA) from the General Show Contractor (GSC). It is imperative that both the MHA and BOL are filled out properly with all the required information, including an accurate piece count. Ask for help from your Solution Specialist or customer service representative if it’s unclear to you. We’ve noticed that these two documents are often confused. The MHA is an agreement between the exhibitor and the GSC, and the BOL is an agreement between the exhibitor and the carrier. Each shipment must have a separate MHA form filled out if you are shipping to multiple locations after the show. 
5. Turn in your MHA form to the exhibitor services desk once the shipment is packed and ready to go. If this MHA is not turned in, the GSC may delay or deny your carrier in picking up your shipment. 

A successful trade show requires careful planning and logistics coordination. If you’re new to tradeshow shipping, we’re here to help. Our seasoned tradeshow shipping team is available to answer your questions and make sure your exhibit shows up on time.

Are you ready to work with a logistics partner who has your back for trade show season and beyond? One who has handled nearly 10,000 trade show shipments across the U.S. in the last year alone? Call us at (877) 358-6918 or send us an email at Trade.Show@odfl.com to get started.