Until recently, the thought of a trade show being cancelled or postponed was far in the back of everyone's minds. But as we have all recently experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, there's always the possibility that our event or trade show simply can't take place. The resulting aftermath has had exhibit managers scrambling to cancel travel plans, modify contracts, reroute shipments in transit, and come up with Plan B's for how to reach their exhibit-marketing goals – all without a playbook. While a global pandemic such as this is hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime event, we need to accept the reality that we live in an uncertain world, one in which everything from natural disasters to acts of terrorism can bring face-to-face marketing to a screeching halt.

To help you better prepare for cancellations and postponements, I've put together a list of steps to take in the event of either scenario, as well as some general best practices to employ throughout the year to ensure you're able to handle crises of any sort. After all, being an exhibit manager means needing to be prepared to handle any eventuality.

Best Practices
To set ourselves up for success, event cancellation or not, we should always have a clear grasp on the scope of our trade show program as a whole and of each exhibit property in particular. I know I am constantly stressing the importance of project management and paying attention to deadlines, but it's more pertinent than ever if your event has the possibility of being cancelled. It's far more difficult to stop things in their tracks if you don't know their status, e.g., whether your crates have left the warehouse, if your giveaways have been ordered, if your exhibit has been partially set up at the venue, etc.

When you sign your initial booth-space agreement, make sure you read the fine print about policies relating to event cancellation, postponement, and the date at which you can pull out of the show with no penalty. I'd like to say that all of these contracts read the same, but they can actually vary dramatically. Some shows offer no refunds once the contract is signed, others will give partial reimbursement if you cancel before a certain date, and others will allow any funds paid to be applied to future events in the case of cancellation.

If you suspect that an event won't be taking place as planned, immediately contact your core internal and external stakeholders and come up with a game plan for a worst-case scenario and go over the production schedule for your physical booth and/or exhibit components. I always advise clients of their key deadlines as they pertain to computer-aided design (CAD) diagrams, floor plans, graphic printing, and hardware orders because there is a point at which it makes sense to hold off on an order, and there is a point at which the cost increases and rush fees are prohibitive. If you think your event might cancel, having a handle on these dates is crucial. On occasion, delaying a decision and incurring rush fees is a necessary means to an end, but slow decisions can have a cascade effect: New graphics mean a new CAD diagram, which means a new electrical layout, which means updated electrical orders, and so forth. There's a heck of a lot riding on when you choose to pull the trigger, so work with your partners to figure out a plan that leaves you exposed to as little logistical and financial risk as possible.

On the subject of risk, event insurance and general-liability insurance have always been important (and often mandatory), but these policies come with terms, conditions, and limitations. Therefore, it is crucial to work closely with your legal team to understand the minutiae of your coverage. Prior to COVID-19, many policies did not include coverage for communicable diseases, and firms making claims due to the pandemic are being denied.

In addition to your insurance, review your contracts with suppliers and take a look at their clauses for force majeure, the legal principle that releases both parties from liability due to an event beyond either party's control (e.g., natural disasters, violent protests, trade embargoes, etc.), to see if there are any red flags relevant to your event and show city. While there isn't much of a way around signing contracts containing this clause, it's possible that your insurance policies may cover some gaps.

Event Cancellation
So let's say your dire predictions came true, and your upcoming trade show has been cancelled. Much like a medical first responder, your job is to quickly assess the situation and find ways to minimize lasting damage.
➤ Take action on orders for show services. Regarding show services that you've already ordered, you'll want to cancel what you can and collect receipts and confirmation emails as you go. For prescheduled labor, make the call as soon as possible, as many providers require 24-hour notice for full cancellations. If you give less than a day's notice, you'll likely end up having to pay the four-hour labor minimum for your entire crew, a hefty bill for services not rendered.

As you reach out to suppliers and start the refund/cancellation process, make a spreadsheet to track which providers you've contacted, the names of the reps you've spoke with, the dates of your communications, and any notes regarding confirmation numbers, authorizations, and pending credits. Over the following days and weeks, cross-reference this document with your accounts to make sure that refunds have posted. And if some suppliers give you credits on your account to use toward a future event, record the amounts in one list so you don't lose track. For example, I have a page in my iPlanner where I record the "travel funds" number for any Southwest flights that I've had to cancel or reschedule so I know exactly what my running tally is on outstanding credits. Everything is collected in one spot, and each time I use those funds, I deduct the recorded amount.

➤ Secure any travel-related refunds you can. It's important to pay attention to the fine print of cancellation policies for any corporate travel. A lot of exhibitors tell me they use third-party websites such as Travelocity or Expedia to handle their hotel bookings. While these sites often list lower prices than the show's official housing authority, know that they also limit your flexibility to make cancellations, particularly once you've gotten close to the check-in date. Some of the deepest promotions, such as the "Top Secret Hotel Booking" on Travelocity, are completely nonrefundable.

Personally, I am a fond Hilton member, and when I book my hotel rooms, I always choose an option that offers cancellation either up to 24 hours or 48 hours before check-in. This way I have a decent amount of time to react if anything happens. We've also recently done some of our bookings through American Express Travel, which offers live agents on the other end of the phone who can help make new arrangements, oftentimes without a cancellation fee.

➤ Modify your show-specific marketing. Whether your marketing is done in house or by an outside agency, you'll want to meet to see how the cancellation impacts your media buys, article coverage, etc. For example, if you had scheduled an advertisement for the show edition of a print trade magazine that included your booth number and show-specific messaging, you'll want to contact that publication ASAP to see if there's time to tweak the ad copy. The same goes for any planned social-media and email campaigns. It would be pretty embarrassing if the social-media intern forgot about a prescheduled tweet and Instagram post welcoming attendees to a nonexistent show.
➤ Think of alternative ways to interact with attendees. Don't just give up on your attendees. Instead, think about ways to reach out and say, "It's too bad we didn't get to see you at this year's show, but we still want to share XYZ information with you." If you were an event sponsor, contact your show rep to investigate opportunities for virtual-event exposure, such as premium ad positioning and links to your website. If the event isn't offering virtual marketing, consider hosting your own event and inviting clients and prospects who scheduled in-booth appointments.

Event Postponement
In the case that your event has been postponed to a specific set of dates, the first step is to look at the install schedule. Was your event moved to the same days of the week? Are the show hours the same? Once you have that information, you can start to line up the new show services and labor you need. Also, be sure to make a note of any new discount deadlines and plug these dates into your calendar to ensure you place timely orders.

Secondly, you'll likely want to rebook hotel rooms as quickly as possible, especially if the show city is a popular expo destination. Let's say that your small trade show in Chicago was pushed back a month and is now taking place at the same time as two massive events at McCormick Place. The majority of attendees and exhibitors for those large shows booked their accommodations far in advance, meaning that the city's inventory of hotel rooms is dwindling – and growing more expensive by the day.

While frustrating to navigate, event cancellations and postponements are inevitable under some circumstances. However, since we've recently been forced to slow down long enough to think about these scenarios, we can successfully navigate this road in the future. After all, the two most critical components of trade show management are organization and attention to detail. With these skills, you'll be able to make calm decisions and weather any storm. And remember that like foul weather, this too shall pass. E