Exhibition Planning
What you need to do in preparation
The Venue
1/ Reserve space,
2/ Arrange transport,
3/ Arrange electrical supply if required
Budget and stand design
Set your budget
If you wish to project manage your exhibition stand yourself, this is most easily done by using fully portable equipment. Having first reserved your exhibition stand space with the show organiser, we will be pleased to advise on the range of portable exhibition stands available to fit that space, bearing in mind all of the other elements that you will need to include such as lighting and electrical supply, seating and storage facilities.
To buy or hire
For the first time exhibitor wishing to ‘put a toe in the water’ of exhibiting the best option would probably be either hire of a simple panel stand configuration or to explore the option of a small business bundle, keeping expenditure to the minimum.
Hiring can be much the least expensive option for a one off show, but it must be borne in mind that it can also be false economy if stands with graphics are utilised as they are probably not reusable.
With careful forethought a combination of pop up stands and banner stands can create a very professional, stylish stand which can be tailored to fit a larger or smaller area at future venues. After the initial outlay this will provide an inexpensive ongoing investment in the promotion of your company. With careful handling you exhibition stands and graphic panels should give long service. Most reputable suppliers should offer a manufacturers hardware guarantee as protection of your investment.
With this in mind the option of buying guaranteed, portable hardware equipment can be a good, long term investment with only the ongoing costs of graphic updates.
To buy or hire furniture
Probably this decision would hinge on your method of transport, storage facility and type of equipment required. Tables and chairs may be reusable for other purposes but when looking for coffee machines, fridges, plasma screens and video facilitiesusing an ‘on site’ supplier gives the added reassurance that, should equipment prove faulty when installed you will have on site support.
Stand space options
Shell scheme stands
For the smaller exhibitor taking an exhibition stand within a shell scheme is probably the best option. This would give you either 2 or 3 walls to your stand which are Velcro receptive. By asking your graphics supplier to liaise with the show organiser you will be able to maximise your space by attaching graphic panels directly to the shell scheme walls.
Alternatively you can make use of the wide range of portable exhibition stand options available giving you a more flexible approach to reusing your exhibition graphics at a future venue.
Space only stands
Taking space only in an exhibition hall is usually an option for the larger exhibitor who intends to arrive with a fully custom built stand.
If attempting to create a stand in open space with portable exhibition stands care should be taken in the planning to make sure that you have enough equipment to create a professional looking presentation.
Your exhibition display
.
Exhibition stand design
Remember, you will have only seconds as your potential customer passes by your stand to attract their attention to your services. The main purpose of your exhibition graphics and display is to spark that initial interest which will cause them to stop and want to find out more. As they pause to look, your opportunity arises to move forward to engage them in conversation. That is why the quality of graphic and impact of the design are all important. Big images are major attention grabbers while rows of detailed text are usually off putting. With the right advice at the preparation stage you can dramatically increase the return on your investment.
Our design team at DISC work closely with you and your staff. We need to work together as, whilst being able to produce the design for your exhibition stand, we need you to tell us about what you know best, which is how your business works and your unique selling point to your customer.
Portable exhibition equipment ranges from a straight forward roller banner stand which you can sling on your shoulder, through the larger and more impressive pop up stands to one of our custom modular panel stands or Lynx exhibition systems which would require transport by large van.
And finally
Decide why you are attending
Set objectives
Assess results