Tips and Advice on Exhibiting

Before we Begin

Organising an exhibition stand for the first time can be quite an daunting project, so The Design Shop has produced this guide to show first-timers how to draw up a successful plan of action.

Exhibitions can offer a unique benefit for achieving sales and marketing objectives, providing some of the most favourable conditions for meeting potential customers.

A pro-active platform - buyers come to you.
A highly targeted audience.
Face-to-face customer contact - the best way to build relationships.
A high volume of qualified prospects - all in one place.
The best chance to get your products or services in front of potential customers.

And remember... Visitors are serious prospects and they would have gone to effort and expense to be there.

Exhibitions can be a highly effective marketing tool if planned and carried out correctly. At The Design Shop, we are keen to offer more than just design and build. By integrating their exhibition activity as part of an overall marketing plan, we ensure our clients get the maximum return on their investment.

By explaining the pros and cons of different approaches, showing when and where our services can be of help and highlighting potential problem areas, this document will give anyone new exhibiting an insight into how the exhibition world works.

This guide shows the best way to proceed and can be of interest to beginners and seasoned exhibitors alike.

1. Organisation

Time needed for planning and preparing for an exhibition can be easily underestimated. Planning ahead can make everyone's life much easier as putting it off until the last minute often leads to stress for you and your contractor and generally extra expense. Appointing an exhibition coordinator is also a good idea, as this is someone who can have overall responsibility for the project and the clout to get things done!

A written exhibition plan should include:

Criteria for stand and graphic design
Space requirements
Time scales
Budgets
On-site services
Staffing levels
Show linked promotions
Show evaluation methods
On-stand data capture
Follow-up leads

It is a good idea to list key tasks and allocate responsibility for deadlines for completion. Finally, circulate the plan to individuals and departments responsible for input and chase them!

2. Which exhibition?

A listing of major exhibitions and their organisers in the UK and around the world can be found in the Exhibition Bulletin, which is a monthly publication available on subscription or public libraries. (Telephone number 0208 846 28000)

Contact the organisers of the exhibitions you're considering and establish:

Proof of attendance
Is it a new event? If so, how long has the organiser been established and what are their credentials?
Does the show attract market-leading companies?
Is the event well advertised in trade magazines

The trade magazines chosen by the organisers in which to advertise the event will be a good indication of the show's suitability for your products or services.

3. Budgets

To work out the cost of the exhibiting it is useful to make a list of the major expenses and put some effort into getting realistic costs against them. This should give you an accurate budget as most items are at fixed costs

Your general costs will include:

Cost of space
Stand design and construction (shell scheme, custom made?)
Show linked promotions (printing, stationary)
Cost of electrical / water & waste collection
Furniture hire
Staffing costs (hotels, expenses, travel)
Catering / hospitality
Transport

Tell the contractor what your budget is, if you are having designs and quotes for a custom-made stand. This will ensure that you get the most for your money and avoid any confusion as to how much you want to spend. Then, if you're getting several quotes, you'll be comparing like with like.

4. The stand

It is important to book a space early as this gives you the best chance of obtaining the ideal site. Holding off until the eleventh hour could get you space at a reduced cost, depending on the show. There will generally be little choice of size or position and you could end up with no space at all!

Some points to keep in mind when selecting a site:

Shell schemes are good for first time exhibitors or for those on a low budget, but tend to be all the same
A space-only site is cheaper than a shell scheme site, so the saving can go towards a custom build
Space-only sites mean the exhibitor has to provide everything from the carpet up, but with a good contractor the possibilities for layout, style and expression are endless
Look out for columns, switch-boxes and height restrictions
Island and corner sites offer more open sides, therefore more opportunities for the visitor to step on

We can advise you on all of the above.

5. The visitor

Obtaining a detailed breakdown of previous years' attendance from the organisers is a good way to find out who is likely to attend the exhibition and will assist you in deciding what to exhibit and the best message to carry

You'll need to define:

Who visits the show?
Who are you aiming to attract?
What's the "hook", the message you want to get across to them?
What products will visitors be most interested in?
What targeted promotions are the organisers planning?
How many leads can you expect?
Can you get some mileage from them?

6. Getting help

Health and safety has become a real issue in exhibition halls and build and breakdown times getting shorter and shorter. The need for experienced professionals for stand design and build has become extremely important.

The British Exhibition Contractors Association (BECA), now ESSA, will provide you with a list of approved contractors that meet the high level of workmanship and business practices ESSA require to award membership. You will also be covered by the associations guarantee bond, underwritten by a major UK insurance company, details of which can be obtained on our Essa Certificates (PDF 504kb).

Association of Conferences and Events - Telephone 01480 457595
National Outdoor Events Association - Telephone 0208 6698121
Association of Event Venues (AEV) - Telephone 01442 285811
Association of Event Organisers Ltd - Telephone 01442 875551
Events Industry Alliance - www.eventsindustryalliance.com

Being aware of the points in this document should help you exhibit effectively and with the least stress. It is vital to use an approved contractor as this will allow you to concentrate on using the unique opportunities for sales an exhibition provides as well as being safe in the knowledge that there'll be nothing waiting round the corner.

You can contact us on the day and benefit from years of experience in the industry, to make sure absolutely everything goes smoothly on the day.

Our teams know all the major venues throughout Europe, best access and parking places and who to talk to on site to make sure things happen. Whatever problem they are faced with on the day, it's unlikely to be new to them or for them not to have a solution.

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