When it's show time, are you hassled and frazzled? Are you convinced that to handle it all you'd need the 100 feet of a centipede, the eight arms of an octopus and the many heads of the mythical Hydra?

If you ever feel stretched to the limit and beyond, one option is to call on a freelance floor manager. The best ones have many years of industry experience -- often they're former show managers -- and are serious professionals who can offer you many kinds of relief and support.

For example, you may run large shows and need more people onsite than you have on staff. Or maybe you have several small shows and your staff can't be on the road all the time. A freelancer can step in just at show time, and is not on your payroll all year long.

Another plus, of course, is the expertise that freelancers provide. Andrea Walker,Executive Director of the New England Dairy and Deli Association in Braintree, MA, says that's why she uses a freelancer at her 420-booth regional show. "Our show used to be just one day, with no educational seminars or social events. We decided we wanted to grow, to draw more people and raise our exposure."

Walker, assisted by one fulltime employee, one part-timer and a volunteer staff,initially tried to expand the show on her own. "But we needed expertise in contract negotiation -- someone to advise us -- someone to bring us new supplier sources." At the suggestion of the service contractor for another industry association, Walker contacted freelancer Richard Vendola, of Tradeshow Management Services in Hyannis, MA.

"I was looking for someone to be a partner with me," says Walker. "Richard can read acontract from my perspective, not from the perspective of the facility or the decorator. And he asks a dozen-and-one questions. It's worked very well for us."

All-around assistance
Given the proper information, training and guidance, freelancers can do a lot to assistshow management. They do enforce rules, but that's not all. In fact, "That's the negative approach," according to Dick Gustafson, President of Floormanagement Inc., inMinneapolis. He says that he has two main responsibilities: "To represent the show staff on the floor, and to give exhibitors the attention they need and deserve."

His responsibilities to management, Gustafson says, include seeing that decorating,drayage, security, cleaning and hall contractors fulfill their agreements. He alsoenforces fire and safety regulations, and sees that exhibitors follow guidelines in their manual.

To serve exhibitors, he covers the show floor on foot, not on a scooter. He visits eachbooth at least once a day to be sure that all is well, and deal with problems ordissatisfactions while they're still minor. "Exhibitors have a lot of money invested in a trade show, and they deserve that attention," he says.

Freelancers are problem-avoiders, as well as problem-solvers. "The first thing I dowhen I hit the floor is check the floorplan," says Phil Spitale, of P.S.A./The EventServices Group in Marietta, GA. "I compare what the floorplan has with what's actuallyon the floor, to see if any changes have been made. For example, sometimes the floorplan doesn't show a jut-out in the wall. " At one show, he found that floor markings had been started at both ends. "When they got to the middle, it was a little hairy. What if we hadn't found out until after the freight was moved in?"

Janet Kunde, of Janet Thompson Trade Show Management in Valencia, CA, mentions ways she can help show managers. "Associations, especially, have to handle politics. So they can't also handle unions, sightline violations and everything else from registration to the freight door." Using "contract managers" -- the term she prefers because of its more professional connotation -- to cover operations, which they are qualified to do, leaves association people free for the politicking that only they can do.

Similarly, Kunde works at a show whose management publishes a magazine in whichsome of its exhibitors advertise. The last thing management wants is to antagonize its exhibitor advertisers, which might happen in the course of enforcing rules. So Kunde handles that aspect. "I keep the show professional, and the manager is still the good guy," she says.

"We use freelancers in a different way than most show managers do," says Art Schwartz, President of Marketing Association Services in Los Angeles. MAS does about 31 small shows -- 60 to 100 booths -- every year, some of which are open to the public. Says Schwartz, "We send teams to each show, and a freelancer heads those teams, almost like a show manager." When Kunde works for Schwartz, she has overall responsibility for the show, from move-in on a Thursday to closing the following Monday. Even the conference manager and ticket manager report to her.

Nor is the freelancer's contribution limited to duties at the show. Vendola, as mentioned, assists NEDDA with contract negotiation and, for one client, even schedules contractors. Spitale finds that some smaller, less experienced associations need his help with the exhibitor manuals and regulation development.

As much as they may handle, however, freelancers remain agents of show management.Thus they implement policies, but don't set them. They point out infractions toexhibitors, or mediate disputes between exhibitors and suppliers, unions or hall staff.But ultimate decisions are still the province of the show manager, unless that authority is delegated. For example, Walker says that Vendola is authorized toresolve dock disputes, then update her.

Advance preparations
All of the duties and limitations of the freelancer should be clarified in the pre-show and on-site training. The more information and guidance show managers provide, the better the job the freelancer can do.

The basic necessities for a freelancer are the exhibitor kit, the floorplan and the names of all suppliers. But many show managers and freelancers offer additional suggestions.

Gustafson, for example, wants the targeted freight plan, a list of the trucks that arecoming onto the floor, a list of exhibitors, with booth numbers, and -- an unexpectedrequest -- the name of the staff person who's certified for CPR or first aid. "I'mcertified," he says, "but I must have a relief. I haven't done a show yet where I haven'thad at least one heart attack."

Schwartz believes in learning by watching, as well as by doing. "Janet came to two of our shows strictly as an observer," he says. "The first time she had responsibility for ashow, one of us went with her and observed." Walker keeps Vendola informed by inviting him to all committee meetings, and sends him the minutes of any he can't attend.

Jill Birkett, Vice President of Expocon Management Associates in Trumbull, CT, says,"We alert the floor manager to repeat exhibitors, and tell him who's bringing in anindependent contractor. We also give him a statement of how we want him to operate. For example, if an exhibitor has a problem with a union person, he should do thus-and-such. But if it goes beyond a certain point, he should call us." All this is included in a mailing she sends to the freelancer about six weeks before the show, and is discussed in follow-up phone calls.

On-site activities
"Some show managers want you to do whatever needs to be done," says Kunde. Still, she's cost-conscious when making decisions. "I'll try to solve the problem if it won't create an expense for management. But if there's a cost -- like adding a security guard, or having a light installed -- I'll check with management first."

She's also sensitive to politics. "If people are really arguing," she says, "I find out ifthere's a political situation that I need to be aware of. I don't want to cause an exhibitor to pull out or cancel next year."

Some questions can be resolved during show managers' meetings with freelance floormanagers at the beginning or end of the day. But some can't wait. Thus show managersencourage floor managers to call on their walkie-talkies whenever necessary. Gustafson uses two radios -- show management and security on one -- and the general contractor and facility management on the other. Why two? "Maybe security doesn't want the world to know what's going on," he says.

Regular meetings and open lines of communication can do much to ease the concern of some show managers that by delegating floor management responsibility they'd lose touch with exhibitors. Not at all, says Birkett. "I found I had more time to talk with exhibitors because their problems were being handled by the independent manager. I could sayhello, and be a smiling face."

For a freelancer to be an effective representative of show management, everyone in thehall -- exhibitors, suppliers, facility management -- must know that he or she is theauthorized contact person. Both the exhibitor manual and the on-site welcome lettershould give the floor manager's name and, if possible, include a photograph. Gustafsonputs his own flyer, with his picture on it, into each booth on opening day. He also wears a jacket that says "Floor Manager" in four-inch letters on the back, and has a staff ribbon on his badge. Birkett likes to walk the hall the day before the show opens to introduce the floor manager to all her contacts.

Show managers and freelancers alike maintain that if such introductions andidentification are thorough, there's little resistance to the freelancer's authority. On the contrary -- most people appreciate having a contact person who's more accessible than the harried show manager.

Making contact
Clearly, you can get good help these days. But how do you find them, and what do they cost? Networking is the most effective and reliable way to find a competent freelancer. Talk with other show managers and with suppliers, and attend industry events such as chapter meetings of the National Association of Exposition Managers. The NAEM directory does list suppliers, but not all freelancers are included. Some advertise or do mailings. Whatever source you use, always check references.

Freelancers are generally engaged for the duration of the show and paid a rate of $200 to $400 per day -- regardless of the number of hours in the day. Airfare, hotel room andmeals are usually covered, and sometimes expenses such as taxi fare to and from theairport. A freelancer might be paid on an hourly basis for additional time before or after the show.

Trying to save that money by getting help elsewhere -- perhaps from the board ofdirectors or show committee -- could be risky. There is, of course, the question of their experience. Schwartz voices another concern: "Sometimes those people have their ownagenda, conscious or not. But independents are objective."

Walker, who describes herself and her staff as conservative New Englanders, reluctantto get outside help or spend any more money than necessary, says, "We truly feel we'regetting our money's worth. Using a freelancer allows us to improve so many things."