The True Definition of Team at the 2010 Chicago Triathlon

As our team has stated before, EVOLVE isn’t just a slogan. We are dedicated to evolving as a team and pushing ourselves to the limit.

Well, this weekend we are truly pushing ourselves as a number of our team members are participating in this weekend’s Lifetime Chicago Triathlon, one of the largest Triathlons in the world. Over 7,000 indisviduals will race for a cause, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Our team couldn’t be more excited and pumped to participate in this big event. Each team member has been dedicated to working hard and making sure they are prepared to do one of the most rewarding and challenging task of their lives. As a company, we couldn’t be more proud of what these team members have accomplished already as they lead into this weekend.

The Triathlon events kick off early Saturday morning and a few members of the team have some thoughts on how they feel leading into the race:

“I am proud of the commitment team 3D has shown in preparing for the event.  The hard work is done, now it is time to relax and enjoy the race experience. The team is excited and ready for their first Triathlon.” – Gene Faut, President

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it is almost here. The nerves have past and I am on to excitement. I have been training since April, so this week will be tapering down and concetrating on not getting hurt. I can see the finish line…” – Jolene Nork

“As a Mom, I feel like I do everything for my kids and family and don’t get to do things for me. The Triathlon this weekend is something I am doing for myself and I am really excited that I put the time in and focused on doing this for me. I am proud that I have stuck this through because believe me, there were times when I couldn’t train for a week because of a sick kid and I thought I wouldn’t be able to do this. I know that I have to do this for myself!” – Jaime Jachim

“We’re down to the wire now. All the training, sweat and getting ready will be put to the test this weekend. It is going to be a gas. Good luck to all the 3D Tri-athletes. The finish line is in sight.” – Jim Mischke

“I never thought I would be participating in a Triathlon, but after months of training, I think I am ready. I am both nervous and excited but most of all really proud of myself! Just crossing the finish line will be a huge accomplishment!” – Shauna Hogan

The entire 3D Exhibits team couldn’t be more supportive and excited about our team members crossing the finish line. Best of luck to everyone participating and we look forward to sharing the experience with all of you!

Here are just some of the team members participating in this weekend’s Triathalon. We can’t wait to post a group picture at the finish line!

How to Successfully Coordinate Shipping Your Trade Show Environment

You can’t have a successful show without your trade show environment. So why do many professionals take shipping for granted? Successful coordination or shipping logistics starts as early as the planning phase. One must be extremely detailed in the coordination of all environment pieces to ensure on time delivery.

There are many shipping options an exhibit professional can utilize including in house or contracting shipping.

Many time companies will hire contracted experts to assist with in-house freight logistics. This helps many account teams save time and put their focus on other aspects of the show. Exhibit companies that have the capacity to handle their own logistics have the ability to facilitate, pack, and ship within the confines of their own warehouse. This means allot less work for you as your team has it under control.

No matter which option you choose here are some shipping tips to help you be more efficient.

• Budget for shipping costs: As I stated earlier, this is often overlooked when developing a program. Shipping prices are determined by a number of factors including (location, time, weight, dimension size, etc.) But there are other factors to include like current gas prices, number of vehicles, and third party vendors. Make sure to get any shipping quotes in writing and work with your team to manage deadlines.
• Avoid the Last Minute: This is what kills most budgets. Make sure you and your team have a firm understanding of deadlines. Also, make sure you consider factors that are out of your control, like weather.
• Consolidate: Remember it has been estimated that about 10% of show attendees will interact with your environment. For example, there is no need to have 100,000 giveaways at your show. Another way to be more efficient on shipping costs is to take what you can with you, but not everything. Take a look at necessary items that you  carry-on, then you will ensure you have these items when you arrive to the show. Items like computers, DVDs, tools, or jump drives are great items to travel with to ensure they arrive on time.
• Make a Plan for the Return: What costs you money to ship out will cost you money to ship back, so pay attention to the show’s shipping rules and regulations. Review the paperwork, evaluate what is necessary to ship back, and review the invoice after the show to make sure the invoice matches your estimate.

Remember this applies to your entire staff, both the people at the show and you support team at the office. It is extremely important that staff educates themselves on all documents from Bill of Ladings to final invoices. Developing a routine from pre-shipment to post-show inspection upon arrival, can help the team be more efficient and better manage your shipping budget.

What is your plan for shipping? What cost saving measures have you used when shipping to a show?

The Importance of Assembling the Right Staff for a Show’s Success

What do the New York Yankees, the New Orleans Saints, or the Los Angeles Lakers all have in common? They are all champions in their respective sports but arguably they were the best teams. The definition of a team is a group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a project. This same team concept can be applied when assembling your trade show team for an event.

I have been asked, “How do you choose the right team for each trade show?” This is an excellent question that has many variables.

One school of thought is work with people you have in the past. This helps to solve chemistry issues and you will know what each team member brings to the table. This concept works great, especially when you are executing show after show for a client whose needs are consistent each and every time.  But I would caution you not to assemble a team of clones. What makes a team work is its diversity and how everyone complements each others skills.
Here are my tips for assembling the right team:

• Review the scope of service and which skills are required for the program
• Develop an activation, timeline and design plan
• Use the plan as a roadmap, knowing the execution of the program can help you determine how many individuals are needed for your team
• Specify skill sets, if you know the program is going to be very technology-heavy make sure you have the right tech not only on-site but in all the planning meeting
• Determine roles and responsibilities. This will help everyone understand their role on the team and the project
• Remember to choose your team based on the criteria of the project and your goals

Remember even though you find the right people with the right skills doesn’t always mean you will find team success. A good team starts with a good leader. This person will be instrumental in leading the team to successfully achieve project goals.

What steps do you take assemble a team? Where do you start when looking to build your team?

How 3D Exhibits Approaches the Design of Trade Show Environments

3D Exhibits Celebrates its 15th Anniversary

On July 29, 3D Exhibits celebrated its 15th Anniversary at the Elk Grove Village, IL office.

The 3D Exhibits team celebrated with a BBQ held at the headquarter office, where two of our employees acted as the BBQ masters and each employee brought a side dish or a dessert to share. It truly is a family gathering when we all get together.

As a way of celebrating the team and everyone’s hard work, we had big games setup to test our skills and hang out with members of the team that they don’t get a chance to interact with on a daily basis. Team building is extremely important to us and this made for an exciting day!

“3D Exhibits had an exciting anniversary celebration with company founder, Bill Dixon, joining in on the company-wide festivities held at the Elk Grove Village, IL office. It has been an evolution of successful events in the past 15 years that we will never forget. We have enjoyed the unbelievable experience with many opportunities to come in the next few months, and years. Thank you to everyone who has been an influential part in the growth of 3D Exhibits over the past 15 years. We look forward to 15 more!” — President of 3D Exhibits, Gene Faut