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Growing up in Iowa, I never in my wildest dreams thought I\u2019d be living in Osaka with my wife and two kids, but here I am. And, like anyone who has set up his own company\u2014and as an ex-pat, at that–I have learned a thing or two along the way, especially when it comes to working relationships and finding partners.<\/p>\n
Overall, general knowledge of the APAC region–a basic understanding of the culture, where to visit, where to eat–are all good if you are going on vacation. (One of these days I hope to visit my adopted part of the world as a tourist! But if you\u2019re working trade shows or events, you need to know how to work in each specific country. Japan is different from China, just as Kyoto is different from Shanghai.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d like to share my top pieces of advice when vetting a partner to help with your international program.<\/p>\n
1.<\/strong> Publications and associations. Do a little research and use industry \u201cgo to\u201d publications like Exhibitor Magazine or associations like EPDA or IFES. These resources will help you gain an immediate understanding of how trade shows work in any given country.<\/p>\n 2.<\/strong> There is no such thing as a stupid question. Ask about everything. Your potential partner should have specific knowledge and experience in your industry. Knowing the shows in major industries like healthcare, technology and gaming is critical, and often knowing a country\u2019s regulations in a specific industry is vital to the success of your show. Many shows now have industry \u201ccircuits,\u201d shows that travel through each region of the world in a calendar year. Ask for specific examples, photos and or case studies showing work the company has done. What are some of the challenges? What is done well and not so well in a particular country?<\/p>\n 3.<\/strong> Labor. The labor situation is different from country to country. Some places have unions, some have different classes of labor\u2014skilled and unskilled. In some countries workers have fixed hours, in others, workers simply keep going until the exhibit is finished. Your potential partner should know the labor situation in the country where you are exhibiting.<\/p>\n 4.<\/strong> Rules, taxes and just plain unique costs. In the US everyone is familiar with the infamous drayage system, but how about performance bonds, engineering endorsements, refuse\/recycling fees? Each country in the APAC region is unique in this regard, and I have had to learn what these costs are, country by country, so my clients don\u2019t have any surprises. Study the manual very, very closely. If it\u2019s not in the manual, ask. No booth cleaning offered? No badge scanners? No rigging? Simply ask or have your partner do the leg-work and find out.<\/p>\n