The people who ship, build and dismantle the booth need different training from the people who talk to visitors. Teach the exhibitor manual rules and deadlines, shipping and receiving, the build sequence, power and internet orders, safety and venue rules, documentation, and a clean handover to the booth team.
A great booth team cannot do much with a late crate, a dead socket or a half-built stand. Logistics and setup need their own briefing, owner and checklist.
Who is in the crew
It may be your own operations people, an agency, a stand builder, a freight forwarder or local labour supplied by the venue. Whoever it is, brief them on your plan, not just the contractor scope of work.
Checklist
Training modules for the crew
- The exhibitor manual: rules, deadlines and forms
- The floor plan: booth number, dimensions, height limits and neighbours
- Shipping and receiving: labels, carrier documents, advance warehouse or direct-to-show dates
- Box inventory and tracking
- Who is allowed to unpack, rig, plug in or connect, which some venues restrict to official labour
- The build sequence and who does each step
- Power, internet and audio-visual orders, and how to test them
- Safety rules: lifting, ladders, aisles, fire exits and protective equipment
- Storage of empty crates and valuables
- Photographing condition on arrival and after build
- Handover walk-through with the booth team
- Dismantle, return shipping and damage reporting
Documents the crew carries
Plan and orders
- The floor plan and build instructions
- The exhibitor manual and deadlines
- Service orders for power, internet, cleaning and labour
- The shipment list with tracking numbers
People and permissions
- Exhibitor and contractor badges
- Insurance and safety paperwork where required
- A contact sheet for the event lead, forwarder, builder and show service desk
- A signed handover sheet
Reference
Who to call
| Problem | First contact |
|---|---|
| A shipment has not arrived | The freight forwarder or carrier, then the event lead |
| The booth space or build does not match the plan | The show service desk and the event lead |
| No power or internet at the booth | The venue or show services desk, using the order reference |
| Damaged or missing items | The event lead, with photos and the box inventory |
| A safety concern | The venue or organiser safety contact, straight away |
| A question about labour or venue rules | The show service desk and the exhibitor manual |
Hand the booth over cleanly
Finish with a short walk-through with the booth team: show where the power, spares and tools are, test the screens and capture devices together, and confirm who to call for each kind of problem. The setup lead signs off the handover sheet.
Worksheet
Worksheet: setup crew briefing
| Event and venue | |
| Booth number and floor plan checked | |
| Setup date and times | |
| Crew members and roles | |
| Shipments expected and tracking | |
| Orders placed (power, internet, labour, AV) | |
| Safety and venue rules covered | |
| Contacts and escalation | |
| Handover sign-off |
Frequently asked questions
What should a booth setup crew be trained on?
The exhibitor manual and deadlines, the floor plan, shipping and receiving, the build sequence, power and internet orders, safety and venue rules, documentation and the handover to the booth team.
Who sets up a trade show booth?
It may be your own operations team, an agency, a stand builder, a freight forwarder or venue labour. Whoever does it needs a briefing on your plan, and some venues restrict who may unpack or connect equipment.
What documents does the setup team need?
The floor plan and build instructions, the exhibitor manual, service orders, the shipment list, badges and permissions, a contact sheet and a handover sheet.