Controlling Drayage Costs

Blogger Valerie Hurst wrote today's guest post.  She is an account executive for Skyline Exhibits.

Tradeshow exhibitors, how many times have your show services been estimated—and all costs seem to be under control—when you receive the post-show service invoice, and the drayage costs shock you and throws you over your budget?

The official definition of drayage (aka, "material handling") is "the unloading of your exhibit properties; storing up to 30 days in advance of the show at a warehouse; delivering properties to the booth; the handling of empty containers to and from storage; and removing of material from the booth for reloading onto outbound carriers" (source: Freeman).

Here are my top five recommendations for controlling drayage costs:

Consolidate shipments under 200 pounds into one shipment. There is always a minimum drayage charge for every shipment delivered to the warehouse or show site. By consolidating shipments, your charges will be based on the total shipment weight, instead of individual minimum charges. Plus, by consolidating shipments, your properties will stay together and have less chance of being misplaced!

Know the material handling rates. Sometimes it is less expensive to ship to the warehouse, while other times it is more cost effective to ship direct to the show site. Some shows now include the cost of drayage with booth space, but usually require you to ship direct to the show site. Do your homework: review the show kit, compare freight costs and the timing of the arrival of freight, and decide what makes sense for your booth space.

Know the target dates to avoid overtime charges. Every warehouse accepts freight between certain hours and for each show there is a warehouse deadline. If you miss this deadline, overtime charges are often 25 percent more than the standard rates. Consider shipping direct to show site if you can; or, if your shipment is small, ship to your hotel and hand-carry your items into the show. Again, the information you need is in the show kit.

Understand what is considered "special handling". Did you know that if carpet and padding are shipped with your crated exhibit properties, that special handling charges often apply? Did you know that, if a truck requires ground unloading, or if you ship via FedEx, UPS, Airborne or DHL, these shipments are also charged at a higher rate? Understand the general contractor's definition of special handling and work with your traffic manager to ship your items, properly labeled, in the right size truck, and not mixed with loose items.

Is your move-In or move-out target date on an overtime day? Many shows have targeted move-in and move-out dates. Perhaps your booth is scheduled to move out on a Saturday, even though the show ends at 2 pm on Friday. Review the show kit to find the person you can contact to request to have this date changed. Many times this will be allowed, but of course it depends on the size of your booth and where you are located on the show floor. It does not hurt to inquire, as it could save you money.

Photo courtesy of Tim Wilson.

Why NFC is the Next Big Thing

Get set for yet another marketing revolution.


NFC will change the way customers discover your content.


NFC (the acronym for "Near Field Communication") is a form of short-range wireless that bridges the gap between the real and virtual worlds.


The technology allows anyone with an NFC-ready mobile phone or tablet to access your content by touching the device to a comparable one—or to a "smart poster."


Thanks to the manufacturers, nearly one-third of new phones are NFC-ready right now. Three years hence, all will be.


With NFC, customers will be able to touch your sales reps' and ambassadors' phones and instantly download anything you now deliver on line. Videos. PowerPoint slides. Spec sheets. White papers. Price lists. Discount coupons. You name it.


Sales rep not around? No worries. Customers can do the same thing by touching one of your smart posters.


But wait, there's more.  


Provided the nearest cash register is NFC-ready, your customers will be able to pay for your products with a touch of their phones.


The marketing revolution NFC will usher in isn't pie in the sky.


It's underway as we speak.


That's the reason CNN has labeled 2012 "the year of NFC."


Take time today to get smart about NFC, if you want to stay ahead.


Disclaimer: I'm the marketing director for ITN International, which provides NFC apps and solutions to event producers worldwide.

A Writer to Remember

Walter Lord was a copywriter at J. Walter Thompson when he started to write A Night to Remember, a slim 200-page book he'd publish in 1955.


Moment-by-moment, A Night to Remember recounts the courage and craziness of the crew and passengers aboard Titanic.


I remember devouring Lord's book when I was 10.


Hundreds of thousands of other readers do, too.

From the opening sentence, the book gallops through the three-hour horror.

Imagine if Spielberg, not Cameron, had made the 1997 film, and you get a feel for A Night to Remember.

Lord's 2002 obituary in The New York Times cited one reviewer's take on the writer's technique. He called it, "a kind of literary pointillism" so fashioned "that a vividly real impression of an event is conveyed to the reader."

The success of A Night to Remember—rave reviews, on the best-seller lists for months, a Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and TV and film adaptations—allowed Lord to quit his copywriter's job for full-time authoring.

He used the same "you are there" technique to retell stories like the attack on Pearl Harbor, the battle at the Alamo, and the integration of Ole Miss.

But none of those books quite compare to his first blockbuster.

HISTORY BUFFS' NOTE: Next month marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic.

Officially Awesome

I am delighted to announce that I am now officially awesome.


I have attended South by Southwest.


Not since my days in the Cub Scouts have I tried so hard to earn a badge.


"South by" is, without doubt, among the rockingest events you could ask for.


Lots of people have tried to describe it, with limited success.


Now I understand why.


During my visit, I had the privilege of participating in a closed-door meeting with South by Southwest's executive director, Mike Shea.


Shea described South by Southwest as "dozens of micro events under one tent," plus dozens of micro events "outside the tent."


And not only are there dozens of out-boarding events, there's a swelling crowd of attendees refusing to pay the registration fee.


This so-called "Badgeless Movement" thinks of itself as anarchist. But in my book it's really just a collection of cheapskates.


I feel a bit sorry for them.  


Yes, they may be awesome.  


But they're not officially awesome.

A Tagline is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Because they have to work in many ways, good taglines are hard to write, says Branding Strategy Insider.

But a tagline is a terrible thing to waste.

A tagline must not only convey your brand's unique value, but must do so credibly, memorably and tersely, Insider says.

The most common mistakes marketers make with taglines are:

• Claiming something trite (for example, "excellence")
• Saying something catchy, but without meaning
• Communicating only the brand's product category
• Touting a benefit any brand in the category must deliver
• Making promises indistinguishable from competitors'
• Using too many words

Insider cites these examples of crummy taglines:

We’re glad you’re here (City of Chicago)
We get you there (Delta Airlines)
A good place to sit and eat (Denny's)

And some good ones?  Insider cites:

Don’t leave home without it (American Express)
A diamond is forever (DeBeers)
A mind is a terrible thing to waste (United Negro College Fund)

What's your favorite tagline?