Transitions. I’ve survived and thrived through some real doozies over the years in my work and personal life and I suspect that you have too. And yet, why is it that whenever the change comes, even when I see it coming, it seems to sneak up on me like an ocean wave and knock me off my feet?

An Opportunity for Growth

“Think of it as a growth opportunity,” my friend said when I was going through a particularly painful transition in my life. It was the trifecta of loss and change: divorce, job loss and death of a parent.

At some level I knew all three changes were coming: my ex and I had grown apart, my workplace was undergoing a massive reorganization and my mom’s illness was progressing. And yet when these changes came, one after the other, like crashing waves, I had no clearly formulated plan on how I would proceed.

Similarly, you may experience signposts along the way of shifts coming in your company or organization. What are these? How are you preparing to meet these challenges and help your business succeed? One way is to have a watertight plan in place to follow so that when change aka “growth opportunity” comes knocking at your door you’ll be ready.

Over the last decade, how you market and sell your company’s products and services has undergone a sea change precipitated by the Internet, social media and digital marketing automation. Exhibiting at trade shows is still a critical component of an effective marketing strategy. And pre-show planning and post-event follow up are an integral part of your trade show marketing plan. Follow these 12 steps to exhibit management and your company will rise above the tide at your next trade show, meeting or event.

You’re Right Where You’re Supposed to Be

So getting back to my sea change, in July 2014 my divorce was final, in August my job ended and by September my house was on the market. In this particular case I didn’t need a plan, life unfolded in such a way that the direction I was to take became clear. In December 2014, I sold my house in Biloxi, Miss., filled a U-Haul truck with my belongings, and set out with an old college pal on a 1, 500-mile journey from Mississippi to Massachusetts and back to my childhood home to care for my dying mom. The miracle of that wave of change that swept through my life, is it landed me right where I was supposed to be, by my mom’s side caring for her as she moved toward the end of her life journey, which came just 7 months later.

So if the tide of change is rising in your business or corporation, either through a merger or acquisition, a new product line or simply a change in direction, follow these 12 steps to exhibitor success and help ensure your brand messages stay at the forefront of your target audience’s mind as they travel down the channel of their buyers journey.

For a more in-depth guide to smart marketing based on the 12 steps to exhibitor success, read the Smart Marketer’s Guide.