Hello friends, colleagues, and faithful customers. We’ve been receiving lots of calls and messages lately from customers who are back at their desks working on rapidly developing show schedules. They are telling us how happy they are that their ELITeXPO team is still available and working to assist them in getting back to work with ordering new exhibit properties, updating their warehouse inventory and scheduling their upcoming show shipments.

With the growing number of tasks now piling up, it’s comforting to know that your trade show support staff has been working this whole time and preparing for what we all have been waiting for. The return of live trade shows. No offence to virtual events, of which we assisted several of our customers with, but doesn’t getting back to face-to-face marketing make you happy? It’s like we are out of trade show jail and the return to normal.

Ok, so normal may not be such a good word. Everything will have changed somewhat for a least the short term and some forever. But when I was watching the Cubs game the other day after Chicago had lifted all attendance restrictions, it was SO nice to see all those smiling faces, sitting together in the stands, enjoying a game in a “large group gathering”. Sound familiar? Yes, just like trade shows. I just returned from a show in Vegas last week and it was exhilarating to be able to walk into restaurants and most places in the hotel without a mask because I was fully vaccinated.  I received mine early because I wanted no restrictions to getting back to whatever the new normal was going to be. I’ve encouraged people in our industry to receive the vaccine if its appropriate for you and your physical circumstances. We still will wear a mask on an airplane but that’s not too inconvenient. For us travel warriors, it may not be a bad thing when you consider the colds and sinus infections we always would get while traveling anyway.

So, pick up the phone and give us a call. I know that there are plenty of things to prepare for as shows come back. Postponements have moved shows into different time slots and times of the year. Your last show may have been in 2019 and your exhibit may need a facelift. You have been reading that the supply chains have been stretched and everything is in low quantity and delayed. Couple that with increased large demand and you may not be able to get what you need in time for your best event of the year. If you have the time, look at preparing to get your orders in NOW. Things will take longer, likely until everything catches back up in 2022 when show schedules get back into their normal slots. We also would appreciate getting your shipments for upcoming events booked now, so that we can move them efficiently, on time and reduce your costs.

Yes, we never left. We’re still here and working every day (and night). We greatly appreciate your continued support and look forward to seeing you on the show floor and speaking with you very soon.