Exhibits Management

The steps to securing exhibitors and establishing a successful exhibits program include:

• establishing guidelines for exhibits;
• preparing and distributing an exhibits prospectus;
• initiating an exhibitor contact;
• sending the exhibits prospectus and following up;
• promoting the exhibition at other conferences;
• designing exhibit space layout and usage, including traffic;
• selecting a drayage firm (if applicable);
• exhibitor registration;
• ensuring security during the conference, set-up, and tear down;
• creating and distributing an exhibit guide to attendees.

A detailed budget for the exhibition is a part of the overall conference budget and should include:

• The price schedule for booths and an estimate of the anticipated number of booth sales.
• The projected costs to secure the necessary exhibition area and facilities.
• Detailed financial arrangements regarding the commission schedule of the Exhibit Manager, if one is used.
• Expenses related to the promotion of the exhibit, including printing and mailing of brochures, exhibitors' catalogs, handling and exhibit guide printing.
• Anticipated travel expenses for the Exhibit Manager and staff, if used.
• Service costs that are directly related to the exhibition, such as: decoration, storage or warehouse services, drayage, utilities, special guards and insurance fees.

The exhibitor prospectus should be prepared in time to be distributed at the previous conference. The prospectus consists of:

• general information on the conference;
• letter of invitation;
• general instructions and information;
• exhibit contract;
• exhibit rules;
• patron application;
• exhibit hall floor plan;
• registration form (added six months before conference);
• advance program (added three months before conference).

Some conferences opt to hire an outside exhibits manager. 

Although volunteers on the conference committee (or an exhibits committee, depending on the conference size) may handle the promotion and sales of exhibit space for most conferences, it may be advisable for the conference committee of large conferences to hire a professional exhibits manager. In such cases, all financial and contractual commitments must first be approved by the sponsoring entity.

Extreme care should be taken by the conference committee in the selection of an exhibits manager. IEEE Conference Services can assist in recommending names of exhibits managers who have satisfactory performance records.

The contract with the exhibits manager should specify that all fees for the sale of exhibit space will be sent directly to the conference treasurer and that all checks will be made payable to the conference.

All contracts with a contract value of US$25,000 or greater must be forwarded to IEEE Conference Contracts.

Conferences may hire a drayage company (also often a decorating company) which is responsible for storing, moving, and shipping exhibit equipment. The drayage/decorating company provides such items as chairs, plants, electrical needs, and signs. It is important to get bids from several companies, all of which should cover the following items:

• cost of storage and moving;
• shipping arrangements;
• layout, color scheme and overall arrangements;
• aisle carpeting;
• tables and chairs for a "lounge" area;
• wall drapes;
• and sign-making capabilities.

Many drayage/decorating companies supply registration desks as well. If the hotel does not have desks to offer, it is necessary to rent them.

The drayage/decorating company and the committee must outline the set-up and tear-down times for exhibits. The committee should ask the drayage/decorating company for references, and follow up. Once the selection of the company is made, the contract should be reviewed very carefully, corrected, negotiated, and signed.

Approximately five months before the conference, the committee should review the packages to be sent to the exhibitors by the drayage/decorating company handling the conference. The package should include comprehensive information on electrical and telephone services, shipping instructions, labor, and other costs.

Conferences should establish criteria for the acceptance of patron proposals. Generally, patrons are companies, organizations or individuals who cannot function as sponsors, co-sponsors, etc. but desire to participate in the conference by more than just attendance or exhibiting.

Patrons should be active in the conference technology or be of significant assistance to the Conference Committee. They may participate by hosting a specific function, such as a coffee break, or by performing a necessary service, such as gratis printing or mailing. The fees for hosting a function should be appropriate to the cost of that function.

When appropriate, educational displays -- such as those sponsored by educational or scientific institutions and governmental agencies -- may be set up at the conference. The logistics for these displays should be handled by the Exhibits Committee. Where exhibition space is to be donated on a complimentary basis to related educational, governmental or other non-profit scientific agencies, information concerning the availability of such free exhibition space should be widely publicized in advance.

Advance registration packets should be sent to exhibitors approximately five months before the conference. They should include:

• exhibitor advance registration form;
• letter of appreciation for their participation;
• list of exhibitors to date, by name and address, and by booth number;
• hotel layout, and exhibits hall layout;
• list of exhibitor action items;
• complimentary passes (if used).

It is important that at least one person from the conference committee is on location during exhibit hours, as well as for set-up and tear-down.

It is necessary to hire security guards to control access into the exhibits hall, and to guard equipment in the exhibit hall after hours. Security is also needed during set-up and tear-down.

An exhibitor appreciation and feedback session should be held on the last day of the conference.

All contracts greater than US$25,000 must be submitted to IEEE for review. All other contracts will be gladly reviewed upon request.

Submit contracts to: conference-contracts@ieee.org.

Templates of Contracts and Legal Documents are available.