What to plan before an event or trade show

Event merchandise has to work in a real place, on a real day, with people carrying it around. A good event item suits the audience, the venue, the timing and the way it gets handed over.

The most useful things to know at the start are the event date, the audience size, and what you want people to do with the item once they leave.

Work backwards from the date

Allow time for product selection, stock checks, artwork approval, branding, packing and delivery. Include any venue freight windows or advance warehouse requirements.

Choose items that are easy to carry and hand out. Bottles, notebooks, caps and totes can suit event packs, depending on the audience and setting.

• Event date and delivery deadline.
• Venue, delivery address and freight constraints.
• Audience size, plus spares for staff, speakers and late additions.
• Pack contents, if the merchandise is being kitted.
• Who approves artwork, and by when.

What tends to work on the day

Apparel and caps do well when the item should be visible on the day. Drinkware, notebooks, bags and desk items do better when you want it to travel home or back to an office and stay in use.

Coordinating the order

Filter the shortlist by delivery date and agree who will approve artwork. A clear approval schedule gives the team time to review the proof.

For a pack with several items, coordinate stock, branding and freight for each component. Plan when the items will come together for packing.

• Set a date for artwork approval.
• Check the lead time for each item in the pack.
• Confirm the venue delivery requirements.
• Include staff samples, spares and packaging in the quantities.

What we check

We check supplier stock, branding options, proof timing, freight, pack contents, and whether the item still makes sense at the moment someone hands it to someone else. If the timeline is tight, we'll cut the range down to what can realistically make it.