Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or for this feature on exhibition stand design maybe it should be in the eye of the show visitor?

Standing out from your competitors at a show of either 12 or 1,200 exhibitors is an essential key to unlocking the padlock on visitors’ hearts and potential spend. Your stand is typically the first thing a visitor notices about your company at a show.

Is yours working as hard and as smart as it could be?
 

Wide-eyed and agog
Many stand design and build suppliers agree the best way to obtain insight on your exhibition stand is still the simplest; gather feedback directly from the show floor.

“I’ve found canvassing opinion from visitors you speak to a good way of receiving honest feedback,” said senior designer at Mayridge, Alison Perry. “Armed with the right questions and noting down the feedback will give you post-event answers on how to approach the project at your next show.”

Some suppliers also work off the ‘Stop and Stare’ method. Phil Baker, creative director at Melville Teamwork, said a good indication of a working stand is if visitors physically stop to admire it: “We all eat with our eyes, especially in busy environments. If a stand makes people stop in their tracks, you are generally onto a winner.”

All well and good so far, but an exhibition presence shouldn’t be viewed as a ‘one off’ marketing promotion. If it is to be part of a yearly strategy to win new business or start new relationships, how can the stand be an integral part of that process?

“I feel you can only truly measure the impact of a stand if you have something to measure it against,” said 4D Design and Display MD, Pete Allen. “Keep past measurements and combine those with your knowledge of the venue landscape to give you a solid starting block to build from.”

Allen also recommends understanding the changing trends that your visitors may have experienced, especially if a show runs only once a year: “If you understand your audience intimately, you can craft your stand to something that should appeal to a big portion of them.”
 

Don't get technical with me
With the focus on technology seemingly more apparent in this day and age, is there still space for a stand that doesn’t contain some kind of Bluetooth messaging service or 100-inch plasma screen? Many suppliers seem to think there is.

“Many companies seem to be looking for three key things when planning their exhibition presence,” said business development manager of 2Heads, Steve Gibson. “These are consistent brand image, value and being as ‘green’ as possible.”

“Sustainability is at the top of a lot of our client’s lists,” agreed Elevations MD, Mark Thomason, who added that more companies are exchanging hard copy literature onto memory sticks as one way to help Mather Nature.

“Exhibitors should seriously think about using hardware and structures that are reusable,” continued sales director of Sovereign Exhibitions, Andy Hickinbotham. “Even if it initially costs a bit more to implement, it can help shorten the design process the next time around and aid brand consistency.”

There are now a multitude of suppliers offering the latest in sustainable pop up banners, graphic displays and low-energy electrical products, and most contractors would be happy to source these for you if asked. However, if you do need to change your stand each time you exhibit, just be aware you don’t fall pray to current trends or gimmicks.

“Remember that today’s fashion is tomorrow’s wallpaper. Trends in colour and shape are less important than the overall environment, especially one with simple, clear messaging,” added Allen.

Any savvy supplier should tell you a successful exhibition presence stems from having intelligent and engaging staff that the stand houses. “This is true, and a large stand should try and have one dedicated space for private meetings,” added Perry.
 

'Heroes in a shell scheme'
What about those of you who love to exhibit, but can’t afford to order a custom-built stand or purchase 1,000sqm of floor space? Fear not because, as we are all told to believe, small is beautiful.

“Don’t be frightened of changing the basic package you get from your organiser,” said MD of Clements and Street, Denis Quinn. “Although this may add to your bottom line, altering things like carpet colour, interior wall linings, furniture or floral displays can streamline your small space into a real ‘on brand’ area and increase the overall return on investment (ROI) post-event.”

“I would encourage shell scheme exhibitors to look at the use of lighting to help stand out from the crowd,” added Baker. “Good lighting can transform a shell scheme and help it stand out from its neighbours.”

And it seems lighting companies are expanding their product offerings to the event sector, as demonstrated on page eight of this month’s issue, so shopping around is encouraged.

But the overarching rule for shell scheme exhibitors to heed is to keep it simple. You don’t have the room for massive banners or huge space for product display, so keep your messaging clear and bold with no clutter taking up valuable room.

“Also, if it is possible, try and ask your organiser for a position on the corner of an aisle,” said Thomason. “Having two sides of your stand open on separate aisles can increase the chances of visitor interaction.”
 

Breaking it down
Above all else, you are reminded to keep individuality at the forefront of your exhibition presence, but not at the expense of your objectives.

“You don’t have to be too conservative though. For example, so many exhibitors serve coffee or sweets despite the venue having food outlets, so why don’t you offer a fresher hospitality concept,” said account director at Sharman Shaw, Simon Jones.

An effective stand design should express your brand seamlessly and aid in achieving your objectives. It shouldn’t matter if your stand is tall, long, in the centre of the venue or taking advantage of new technologies; if you fill it with the right personnel and have a clear working relationship with your supplier, it can help you reap the rewards that exhibiting can offer.


Top 5 supplier tips

1. “Make access onto the stand easy by not putting up barriers” - Mark Thomason
2. “Understand your own brand so that your stand can reflect it and aid ROI” - Alison Perry
3. “Know the exhibition target audience and align your messages and graphics accordingly” - Simon Jones
4. “Don’t shoehorn elements into your stand for the sake of it. My favourite example of an element is a golf simulator” - Andy Hickinbotham
5. “Ensure you have communication with your supplier throughout any design development” - Denis Quinn
    

James Barrett is the editor of Exhibiting and can be contacted on jbarrett@mashmedia.net