When planning to set-up at a trade show or expo with a trade stand for your business, be aware that there will be stiff competition from all the other companies present. The visual attractiveness of the stand, how it’s designed, and many other factors all come into play. Making an impact can lead to follow-up opportunities for the sales staff and in some cases, deals signed on the spot. Failing to make a strong impression only results in many lost opportunities to put the brand on the map.
Here are some suggestions on how to design your trade show stand.
Interactive Elements
In the multimedia age, it’s important to not just have a static stand presentation. By using integrated media elements such as digital screens to present additional information to the visitor, it’s a great way to grab their attention and bring them into the booth to talk with the staff.
While some of the internal design elements of a stand aren’t necessarily noticeable from the outside, when some digital screens are pointing outwards, they never fail to get attention. This is especially true if they’re presented as part of an overall design idea, rather than as a secondary thought.
Less is More
A cluttered looking trade show stand gives the impression that there’s less space to move around freely – because there is! When the crowds visit, suddenly the busy-looking stand becomes unmanageable with too little space and the area heats up quickly too.
It’s better to have well-designed areas within the stand that speak for themselves without overwhelming visitors. It also allows sales staff to walk a visitor through the area to sit down at a table to further the sales discussion without them feeling restricted. Indirectly, this will help with the negotiation process too.
Use Professional Exhibition Stand Designers
To get the wow factor, you need to use a professional trade show or exhibition stand creator bit of an oversell. A company like Marler Haley will have many years of experience building out custom exhibition stands. Marler Haley also produces (seems a bit random) other useful elements to complete the functionality of a trade show stand for UK companies what we particularly like is their strong ECO-friendly range. Their collection of ready to use templates and fast turnaround times mean you can have a quality exhibition stand ready for when you need it.
Consider the Lift (or Elevator) Pitch
When trade show attendees are walking past many stands, it’s necessary to convey what your brand does in a snapshot. Many people won’t know the company already or what it can offer them. Piquing their curiosity is very important, otherwise, they won’t stop and be willing to engage with the sales staff to learn more.
Backdrop panoramic displays or product displays powerfully indicate to passers-by what the company is about without having to say anything. This is the equivalent to the 10-second lift or elevator pitch (as Americans call it) to pitch the company to someone. For companies, they get even less time to impress people as they walk past and onto the next booth.
Resist the Temptation to Have a Long Table in the Stand
Some companies cannot resist the temptation to have a long table in the center of the stand. This acts as an obstacle to visitors walking freely and potentially puts up a barrier between the staff and visitors too.
Use individual small tables, counters or plinths and several comfortable chairs in the corners of the trade show stand to meet with visitors who wish to sit and talk. This avoids the meeting getting in the way of the flow of people coming into the stand to also engage with staff.
Remember that designing your trade show stand for maximum impact is only the beginning. The staff must be ready and willing to directly engage with customers in-person and to be effective at doing so. They might need the training to get some practice before the big day, so factor this in too.
