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If you own a business, your aim is to get knowledge of your brand out to as many people as possible. One way you can do this is by exhibiting your products or services at exhibitions and trade shows. But if you do this, then you’ll need a killer exhibition stand – one that catches the eye even from across a crowded exhibition hall, and one that instantly conveys what you and your brand offer and stand for. This might seem an expensive prospect, but if you can make it work for you, the cost will be well worth it!
So how do you make sure you get an exhibition stand that works for you? Well, firstly, do your research, and find a reputable exhibition stand designer. There are many aspects to exhibition stand design that make it a specialised industry, so make sure you call in the professionals!
Your designer will need a brief, which you must provide. As the business owner or employee, you know everything about your brand and your services, so you need to pass this knowledge onto your designer. Tell them everything you think they need to know (and then some!): name, date and location of the exhibition, location of your stand within the venue, budget, target audience, information about your products and services, and so on...
Think about what you want to achieve by exhibiting. Do you want to make sales, meet existing customers, attract new customers, launch or promote a new product or service, or showcase your product range? Whatever you want to achieve, this will affect how your exhibition stand is designed, so you need to make sure that you are clear on your objectives, otherwise visitors are likely to walk away confused, or bypass you altogether.
Your exhibition stand should be an extension of your brand, so it is important that it reflects this. Consider your colours, graphics and lighting. Provide your stand designer with examples of company literature such as brochures and annual reports, so they can get a feel for your branding.
It’s also important that your exhibition stand function as a sort of reception area. In an age where so much business interaction takes place online, people value face-to-face conversations. It helps them feel that there is a person behind the brand who cares about them, and if you are seen to have a physical presence, even if it’s only at the occasional exhibition or event, this could still give you the edge over competitors who don’t exhibit.
Lastly, however good your exhibition stand looks, if it’s staffed by people standing there with their arms folded, or tapping away on their mobile phones, potential visitors aren’t going to want to stop and talk. So make sure your staff are well briefed beforehand, that they are well-prepared for any questions, and that they appear welcoming and friendly. After all, they too are an extension of your brand.
So, although exhibiting your company can seem like an expensive undertaking, it is one definitely worth thinking about, when you consider what you could get back from it.
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Tips from Astro Exhibitions, who specialise in bespoke exhibition stand design and construction.
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