How life sciences teams can stop losing time to logistics (and show up strong)
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Exhibitions are high-stakes. But too many teams are stuck in the weeds.
If you’re in life sciences marketing or events, you know the drill: late shipments, missing signage, wrong-sized graphics, disjointed asset handoffs. These aren’t rare mishaps — they’re recurring time sinks that drain energy, stress teams, and erode brand presence. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most life sciences teams aren’t short on strategy, they’re short on time. And that time loss takes a direct toll on life sciences team productivity, often rooted in the same place: under-resourced or poorly managed event logistics.
The real cost of scrambling
When teams are stuck reacting to last-minute issues, like tracking down lost shipments, resolving booth setup problems, or fixing production errors, they lose more than just time. These hours come at the expense of strategic, high-value activities that actually move the needle.
- Developing pre-show nurture campaigns
- Preparing for key conversations
- Measuring ROI post-show
- Planning messaging for the booth
So instead of refining brand messaging, planning pre-show campaigns, or aligning stakeholders on key conversations, the focus shifts to firefighting. The ripple effect is real: teams arrive underprepared, internal communication breaks down, and opportunities are missed. Post-show analysis often falls by the wayside, which means there’s little clarity on what worked, what didn’t, or how to improve next time.
These are not optional extras but critical elements that separate a visible booth from a meaningful, high-impact presence. So scrambling doesn’t just increase stress, it limits your ability to maximise ROI, deepen relationships, and deliver a conference experience that truly reflects your brand.
But what causes the scramble?
Lack of ownership creates internal friction
The root of these challenges often lies in how exhibitions are structured and resourced. Conferences are inherently cross-functional: they rely on input from marketing, sales, product teams, logistics, external agencies, and suppliers, and so without strong coordination and clear ownership, these moving parts become friction points. Too often, execution lives in the grey area between departments, with no one fully accountable for the full end-to-end process. This leads to duplicated efforts, missed details, and rushed timelines.
Generalist support doesn’t cut it
What’s more, life sciences teams operate in a highly regulated and technical environment, and generalist support partners often miss the mark. Without specialist knowledge of the sector’s standards and expectations, even well-intentioned partners can overlook key compliance requirements or fail to capture the nuance of your brand. When these issues combine, the result is a reactive, fragmented process that makes every conference feel harder than it should.
What strong looks like:
a playbook for seamless exhibitions
If your team wants to reclaim time, avoid last minute panic, and improve productivity, start with these foundational steps:
1. Strategy comes first
Begin with clarity on your brand goals: who you’re targeting, what impression you want to make, and how the event supports your overall marketing objectives.
2. Plan like a project
Treat each event like a formal project with a clearly defined timeline, assigned roles and responsibilities, plus regular progress check-ins and risk management.
3. Prep it, don’t stress it!
To project professionalism, preparation is key. It means ensuring your branding is consistent across every touchpoint, from digital assets to physical signage, and equipping your booth staff with the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to represent your message with clarity.
4. Build in flexibility
Even with the best planning, delays and changes happen. Build contingency time into your schedule and plan for alternate solutions.
5. Learn from every event
Debrief as a team. What worked? What didn’t? Apply those lessons to your next event for continuous improvement.
6. Show up strong
Life sciences conferences offer critical brand exposure, but the real impact is in how you show up. By planning earlier, assigning clear ownership, and building smarter systems, you can spend less time reacting and more time engaging.
Show up strong and stay ahead
In life sciences, your exhibition presence speaks volumes. It reflects how your brand operates: strategically, confidently, and with credibility. By investing time upfront — aligning on goals, assigning ownership, and anticipating hurdles — your team can shift from reactive scrambling to proactive excellence. It’s not about doing more, but doing what matters, earlier and better so you reclaim time, reduce stress, and improve team productivity by focusing on the conversations that drive results.
Smart teams are making that shift by partnering with specialists who understand the complexity, nuance, and impact of exhibiting in the life sciences space. Want to see what that looks like in action? Read our blog: 5 ways Minnac can help maximise your conference experience.
Ready to rethink your exhibitions workflow?
Download our Conference project plan for timelines, templates, and tools to take control of your next event.