During my international experience I
have exhibited at trade shows in the USA, Europe, Middle East and Far East.
Whilst the cultures and the business environment may differ, I have found the
fundamentals of mounting a good display stand remain the same whatever the
local situation. In this short article I will literally concentrate on the
stand itself and the people who man it.
I
believe the main purpose of your stand is to differentiate your company from
competitors and attract attention quickly. Regardless of the stand’s size and
location, visitors should be able to immediately recognise your company’s name
and logo; your company’s products and/or services; how the company can solve
their problems.
These
are brief messages in appropriate languages. The more product ranges you have
the greater the temptation to display all. This will only confuse – concentrate
on the main seller or new offering.
Additionally
the stand should be information driven through having the right combination of
lighting, open space and graphic presentation. The ‘look’ should reflect your
key communication message in all promotional & support material. The name
of the game is to attract casual passerby’s to your stand. Remember at most
international events there are hundreds of exhibitors all trying to attract
visitors, many of whom only come for the day.
However
before designing and setting up a stand, the most critical element is its
location. Every expert will say ‘location, location, location’ You can have
designed the best stand but if it is in the wrong site then arguably it will
not be worth exhibiting. Technically there are many considerations such as
·
Most
visitors walk to the right on entering an exhibition hall and miss the front
exhibits
·
Corner
locations draw traffic from two directions
·
Visitors
miss dead-end aisles
·
Spaces
near exits, toilets and food areas are high traffic but not necessarily good
selling positions
·
Spaces
by freight/lift doors are usually congested
·
Structures
such as columns can obstruct the visibility
·
Locating near competition is not generally beneficial
as they can view who visits your stand
·
Locating
close to complementary products can encourage cross-selling opportunities
As a
newcomer to any show, prime positions will already have been booked so I always
invested time to continually consult with the show organisers to seek upgrading
my location. For some international shows the requirement was to demonstrate a
commitment by contributing to ancillary activities such as the show catalogue, on-site
display features or social events. I always made sure that before I left a show
at its conclusion I would meet in person with the organisers to negotiate next
year’s site.
·
Having
established the best location available, I considered whether to rent or build
a stand. As a first time exhibitor, I rented to gain practical experience of
both the show, the type of stand and the dynamics of working with visitors.
·
If, at later stage, I
decided to create a custom-built stand I could be more objective in its design.
Critical features to consider will be the adaptability, versatility and
suitability of the bespoke stand to different trade environments and its
ability to be transported & shipped. You will need to consider the stand’s
comfort in terms of working space, storage & display of materials and floor
coverings ensuring it is carpeted. Any demonstration area must be able to
handle at least two visitors at a time
·
Most
important of all, the stand must appeal to the target audience by having
appropriate displays i.e. for a target of computer technicians they will expect
computers running interactive programmes
·
As
appropriate, attention getting techniques should be employed such as revolving
pictures or running signs. I have found that as a general rule 60% of the stand
border should be open so allowing easy access
In the early stages of
my exhibiting experience we could only afford a comparatively small stand so
exposure was limited even in reasonably good locations. I had to make the best
of what I had so employed a number of techniques to raise visibility to the
passer-by such as:
- Using
lighting appropriately as it can increase awareness by up to 40%
- Keeping
the displays simple, feature only one to two products
- Using
bold colours
- Using
fewer but larger graphics
- Using
flowchart graphics and designs to depict product solutions
- Being
proportionate, reception counters and other non-productive sales items will
clutter space
A
sometimes overlooked matter id the staffing of the stand – selection of the right
personnel and in the right numbers. I recall once visiting a company stand (not
my responsibility!) at a European show where it seemed to me the world and his
wife was attending. It appeared traditionally all of the company’s country
sales employees would attend plus any associated company personnel. It was a
mini United Nations, highly chaotic, disorganised and expensive,
·
It
is recognised that staff will account for 85% of the show’s success, however
not all staff are suitable as they will be working a different environment. Key
characteristics are for people who are open, warm and friendly; who can talk
comfortably to strangers and be good listeners. You certainly need to ensure
you include some decision takers. If you know the show will attract buying
teams, rather than individuals, ensure your team is staffed with a mix of
expertise. A general guide for staffing levels is one per 50 square feet of
public exhibit area.
Then finally one of the
most overlooked elements of good exhibiting, You may the best stand and
location but nobody knows you are there. I spent a good deal of time ensuring
existing customers and other interested parties were aware of our presence well
in advance of the event. The full list could include existing customers, potential
customer, new leads, suppliers, current or potential agents or distributors, media
and trade and industry personnel.
There is much planning
and thought to be applied if one is to maximise the investment in exhibiting.
If one can spare the time walk around the show with a critical eye and rate
each exhibit in terms of location, attractiveness and accessibility. You will
be no doubt surprised as to how many fail the test.
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