Lights, Camera, Action: Behind the Scenes at Brightly Creative
Posted April 1, 2022
Is it just me, or did this year just take off? It seems like just yesterday the team was coming back from our winter break and catching up from our time off. You know what they say, time flies when you’re working hard … or something like that! Honestly, time flies by so fast with working hard and preparing for our events that a whole month goes by in the blink of an eye. Trade show season is happening, and competition season is around the corner and that has been my main focus so far. Although we’re all heads down and glued to our screens right now, we’ll be enjoying the fruits of our labor come summertime when we can kick back and relax … ish.
Who Goes Where
Keeping up with the Brightly gang’s travel schedule during trade show season can have my head spinning out of control. I’m often double checking calendars, show times and calling hotels to make sure everything is on point. Funny story: Alison and I go to check into the hotel for a spirits event and they can’t find her reservation. *insert panic attack* That same weekend, someone with the exact same first and last name checked in and threw everybody off. Of course it wasn’t funny then, but it was a funny coincidence. We all have unique names or spelling of names, and I never thought that would happen. The best advice I can give is to stay organized! If I hadn’t shown proof of her reservation, we would’ve been snuggling in my room together. So with that said, write it down, make calendar reminders, whatever it takes to make sure you’re organized and ready for a smooth show.
Trade Show Checklist
Trade shows are here people! We’re getting out and seeing what new and innovative products are hitting the market. But before that even happens is where I come in. I attend a few trade shows, but mainly I’m working on getting the booth handled so that everything is near perfect for my team to show up. It seemed silly at first that small things like chairs or trash cans would need to be ordered, but it is crucial! Being on your feet for an all-day event isn’t ideal, and having built up trash behind your booth isn’t the best impression for potential clients. After getting booth furniture in order comes the minor details like notepads, pens, business cards, etc. My trade show checklist is a life saver. The harder you work in the beginning allows for less work during the event.
Bring On the Competition
Now here’s my real fun: competitions! Preparing for competitions is A LOT, like a ton of work, but it’s so worth it. How many people can brag about getting to taste over 200 beers or almost 400 meads (that’s honey wine for you “not hip” people yet)? From opening packages of a honey beer made with sweet tupelo honey or seeing the funky, eclectic bottle designs and labels to watching judges intensely sniff, taste and ponder about the flavors, it’s all fun at the end of the day. I will say one part that’s not fun, not getting to have the whole team enjoy these moments. We’re all so spread out across the country that we don’t always get to see each other. That’s soon to change!
You CAN Do It!
It takes blood, sweat and tears to be the champion. OK, so there’s no blood, no sweat, maybe some tears, but you get the point! Hard work pays off and the end result is a successful event. Come September when it’s all said and done and all things trade shows and competitions are wrapped up, I’ll be able to look back and enjoy the process, but until then I need to get back to work. Bye friends!
Tags: Brightly Creative, conferences, planning tips, trade show planning
CATEGORY: Brightly Creative
