Episode 12 | The Booth Is Melting

What do you do when a bottle of industrial-strength adhesive remover gets run over by a forklift and sprays your nearly finished exhibit? Or when you walk onto the show floor hours before opening and discover your booth graphics have gone full Salvador Dalí? You fix it. Fast. And preferably before the client finishes saying, “That’s not supposed to look like that, is it?” Jen Santos sits down with Chris Dunn, VP of Sales and New Business Development at BlueHive Exhibits, to talk about what really happens when trade show plans meet the chaos of the show floor. This convo begins with flying Goof Off and melting vinyl letters and turns into a conversation about why relationships matter when everything goes sideways, how exhibit companies have evolved from booth builders into experiential marketing partners, and why owning a mistake earns more trust than pointing fingers ever will. Chris also shares a vital lesson 30 years in the industry has taught him—the best exhibits actually support business goals, they don’t just look pretty from the aisle. Top Takeaways from Chris & Jen’s convo: Your emergency plan might just be your Rolodex. When the show opens in two hours and you’ve got a crisis, the people you’ve helped over the years suddenly matter a whole lot more than whose logo is on their shirt. “Pretty” booths aren’t enough anymore. Start with what success actually means—leads, recruiting, awareness, product launches—then design the space, messaging, and experience around that goal. If the activation has nothing to do with the brand, it’s just free socks. Coffee carts, holograms, popcorn, games, and other “gimmicks” can absolutely work—if attendees remember you after they walk away. Links: www.blue-hive.com LinkedIn @chrisjdunn1 This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production. Music License #: HVOMSRYTQCIUNZTJ