Exhibiting can cost a fortune and therefore you want to be sure the exhibition is worth your time, money and effort. You want to make something of your opportunity at the exhibition and not mark it up as a lost cause. Below are some of the ways to maximise your exhibition experience.
Before the Show
A lot of your exhibition stand success is dependent upon your preparation. There are a number of steps you can take in advance to maximise your results when the show comes around. Begin by identifying your goals and objects and work out exactly what you want to achieve from the exhibition and beyond. Plan who you want to target and how you’ll measure your success. This could be in number of leads or converted leads. Keep these original goals in mind throughout the whole exhibition and afterwards.
Stand Design
When your stand is being designed you’ve got to be sure it conveys your marketing message and aim, as well as your brand values and the capabilities of your products or services. It needs to be geared specifically to your target audience in an inviting and entertaining way.
Text
Less is more when it comes to text on your exhibition design. Where you can use single words that get your message across and place your text towards the top of your stand so it can be clearly seen above surrounding stands and the font needs to be a large size so you can be spotted from a distance.
Graphics
Choose images which will appeal to your target audience but are still relevant to your brand. You need to size them appropriately so they can be seen from afar and ideally placed high up the stand, like with the text, so they are easily visible and not obscured amongst all the other stands.
Lighting
The lighting you choose to use can be the difference between huge success and being ignored at an exhibition. You need to ensure as a minimum that the lighting ensures the text and images at the top of the stand can be seen and read. Lighting can also be used to create a particular mood or atmosphere or to highlight the most important parts of your stand.
Staff
If you aren’t attending the exhibition yourself then you need to provide your staff with a full brief. As well as including your overall aims, they need to know who to target, how to market the product or service and also brief them on the common questions they may be asked and model answers to give.
Promote
Contact everyone you know who could be interested and tell them about your stand. This could mean an e-mail newsletter to all former customers or simply letting every business contact you know that you’ll have an exhibit at the next big show. If you can, let them know your exact position and stall number so they can’t miss you.
Preparation will make your exhibiting experience a much easier and more enjoyable day. You can be safe in the knowledge your stand is memorable and easily found and hopefully convert some leads into sales.
Michaela Rooney owns a business in the technology industry in Oxford. She regularly exhibits with her company and uses http://www.priority-graphics.co.uk for all her graphics requirements.