National Cancer Institute - Exhibit e-Learning
National Program Module
Pre-Planning
 
Before the Conference Starts
During the Conference
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  National Program Module: Pre-Planning
 
Pre-Planning

Get the Info You Need

  • Prior to the conference, NCI Exhibit Program staff can provide you with general conference info such as:
    • Meeting schedules
    • Dates
    • Deadlines for shipping materials/giveaways to the conference
  • NCI Exhibit Program staff will develop a staffing schedule for the conference. The exhibit may be staffed by one or more people throughout the conference, depending on conference size.
  • Review www.cancer.gov so that you are familiar with NCI and can respond to questions at the booth.
  • Check with NCI Exhibit Program staff to find out which NCI shirts will be worn in the booth. They can provide you with shirts for the conference. This information is also available on the show staffing schedule.
  • Go online to the conference or organization's Web site to familiarize yourself with the conference and its attendees.

Register for the Conference

  • Pre-register or register on-site. You can pre-register on the conference Web site, or the Web site will direct you to the appropriate contact person. Registering yourself for the conference guarantees that you will be able to attend meetings and sessions.
  • NCI staff will register exhibit booth staff for exhibitor badges to avoid any additional charges. (Each exhibit booth is allotted only a certain number of exhibitor badges and exceeding that number incurs additional charges.) Being registered to staff the exhibit does not guarantee you access to meetings or sessions at the conference. If you plan to attend meetings or sessions while at the conference, you must also register as a conference attendee in addition to being registered by Exhibit Program staff as an exhibitor.
  • Make your own travel arrangements (e.g., air, hotel). Staff are required to register for their own hotel rooms. In general, reserve hotel rooms between 6 and 12 months in advance of the conference. For larger conferences (e.g., ASCO or AACR), reserve hotel rooms 8 to 12 months in advance.

Shipping Materials/Giveaways

  • Be sure to check with NCI Exhibit Program staff about shipping materials or giveaways to the conference. Exhibit staff can provide you with deadlines for when materials must be sent and other shipping information, such as number of publications, etc.
  • If you missed the deadline to ship materials to the conference, send materials directly to your hotel and then bring them to the conference. Do not ship "late" materials directly to the conference center or exhibit hall.

Staffing and Scheduling for the Booth

There are three ways that you can participate in a National NCI exhibit:

  • Meet the Experts—A one-hour informal session where you can answer questions on a program or issue. To find out how you can participate in this session, please contact NCI Exhibit Program staff. Check 4 to 6 months in advance because there are limited slots for these sessions.
  • General Booth Staff—Includes shifts ranging from a few hours to half a day. Staff are required to cover the entire booth. Please contact NCI Exhibit Program staff to participate.
  • Kiosk Staff—You can set up your own kiosk within the NCI booth with division- and program- specific materials to share with attendees. There is a limited amount of space for kiosks, so please check with NCI Exhibit Program staff 3 months prior to the conference. Kiosk staff are also expected to assist general visitors to the booth.