You have to stand out with your exhibition stand if you want to be noticed and remembered. Exhibitions offer the opportunity for “theatre” and there is no limit on how creative you can be. Your job as an exhibitor is to differentiate your organisation from all the other exhibitors at the exhibition. You want people to come onto your stand and find out more about what your organisation does.
Here are 7 ideas to help you get started.
1. The Traditional Shell Scheme
May only allow you to have the front open.
The best sites are those which offer two, three, or even four sides (an island site) open to visitors, not only for ease of access, but also because they are easier for stand staff to “spill” out of.
Avoid barriers and make it as easy as possible for visitors to walk on to your stand without them even knowing.
That means being careful with stand designs that close in vast areas of the stand, or desks and reception areas at the edge of the stand, with hoards of sales people lurking behind.
2. Consider Taking a Long Thin Site
Using the retail “foot fall” comparison, long thin shops take longer to walk past, so you have more opportunities to “grab and sell”.
Additionally, when you book space, plan carefully for how much you’ll need. Each person working the stand needs 4 square metres of space.
You can also calculate how much space will be needed for displays, storage, features, graphics, etc. Aim to bring some science into your planning.
3. Think Speed
The average exhibition visitor will walk past your stand in 3-4 seconds.
What can you do to stop them ?
Forget lots of text – go for graphics with colour, impact and pizzazz. And bring your product or service to life; think in terms of what is does for your customers rather than what it is.
You want people getting involved with your stand, not standing by passively.
4.Use live Displays
In some exhibitions, teams of presenters will entertain and educate the crowds with powerful “live theatre”.
Powerful and effective, it also allows your staff to mingle with the audience, ready to move in. Exhibitions offer a degree of showmanship, and this runs through every facet, including your own staff.
Forget the traditional two piece suit; why not go for polo shirts and chinos? These look far more relaxed and will make the staff more comfortable; they certainly look more approachable.
5. Use the Height Allowances
Why not set out to create a stand which visitors can use as a focal point.
“If we get separated, meet at the Planet Planit stand – it’s the one you can see from every point of the hall”.
Make your logo as big and powerful as possible, so that it will be seen in every photograph.
6. Be Creative When You Are Looking for Features and “Props”
We have found fabulous items to make a real impact on exhibitions stands from auctions, garden centres and reclamation yards.
But don’t forget to show any prizes your organisation has won, such as Investors In people, industry awards, ISO accreditations. They all speak volumes about your organisation’s culture.
7. An Interactive Kiosk
This is a self-contained unit that can deliver information, offer an electronic guided tour, or even make sales of products or services.
These can be used with or without sound – and, with the use of headphones, can allow several people to listen, even to different audio presentations.
Finally
Whatever you do, don’t ever forget that exhibitions are the only marketing medium which allows you to sell to all five senses. Think about how you might use smell and touch as other ways of attracting visitors.
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