Marketing

Top Tips for Creating Your Stand Ahead of an Event – How Best to Prepare

Marketing any business is a tricky proposition, requiring challenging decisions. You can fritter away your precious marketing budget in many ways, and it isn’t easy to know what works. While there can be no guarantees of success, you can’t go far wrong by being visible at an event packed with the people you wish to do business with. Exhibiting at an expo or conference remains one of the most effective marketing methods.

Taking a stand sets you apart from competitors who aren’t participating, reinforces your brand’s image and credibility, and demonstrates that you are active in the industry. Do it well, and it can establish you as a leader and authority in the industry.

Doing it well is an important caveat. Simply booking a stand doesn’t guarantee ROI. Your stand needs some extra thought and preparation. Once you have paid for your spot, your work begins. Get it right, and you can transform your standing in your sector.

The importance of event preparation

Booking a space at an expo is just the start. Without detailed planning, the event could end up a damp squib. If you think creating a stand means ordering a couple of pull-ups, printing a few leaflets, and buying a box of Celebrations, you are wasting your time.

As with all marketing activity, you must first decide what you want to achieve. A stand can enhance your visibility and profile, gather leads, directly sell services or products, or build connections. Your stand strategy depends on what your event goals are.

Who is your audience? If you are exhibiting at public sector events, contact the event organisers before the event; they will be happy to advise on who will be attending. Think about what the delegates will want from the event. Does your business meet a need of the attendees? If so, ensure this message comes across.

How do you want to be perceived? This is an important question to consider when designing your stand. You may want to appear serious and professional, but your stand could look dull if you are too cautious. Conversely, if you go overboard to grab attention, your stand may appear to lack gravity and be seen as too frivolous. It’s a fine line. We will look in more detail at stand design later in this blog.

Who will be on your stand? The people on your stand will be representing your business. As well as being friendly and good with people, they must be knowledgeable about your products and services. It would help if you considered running a training session with the people who will be on the stand to ensure everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet and can answer complex questions from the attendees.

The marketing activity does not start when the expo opens. Find out who is exhibiting and visiting and connect with them on LinkedIn or other social channels. Invite them to see you on your stand.

Exhibition Tips

Creating a Stand

There is so much going on at a busy expo that visitors can be overwhelmed. Senses are bombarded with bright visual messages and a hubbub of chatter, and people are desperately vying for their attention everywhere visitors go.

You only have a few seconds to grab a person’s attention, so how do you get noticed?

A key consideration when creating an exhibition stand design is budget. If you intend to exhibit at several events, it is well worth investing in bespoke stand collateral. A consultant at a reputable stand design company will be delighted to explore displays that can get you noticed. They can help you incorporate lighting and other effects, such as video walls and interactive installations.

If you have a more limited budget, standard pull-ups can still be effective with the right design. Remember that you have only seconds to make an impression. Avoid text-heavy pull-ups listing all your services. It is too much to read. Choose bright colours and craft a short, striking message. Innovative exhibition stand ideas don’t have to cost the earth.

Don’t overcomplicate things in terms of visual design. Keep it simple

Use of space

If you have ample space to play with, then make sure your layout is welcoming and accessible. People should feel comfortable to approach your stand. An open-plan set-up is more inviting than a closed-in space. Stands with coffee baristas, free ice cream, or other tasty treats often become lively hubs of activity.

If you have a smaller stand, beware of overcrowding the space. Multiple piles of leaflets or sheets of printed paper will only serve to deter visitors. No one has the time or inclination to read reams of printed material at an expo.

Interact to succeed

An exhibition stand should not be a one-way experience. The more you involve a visitor, the more likely they will remember you. If you have a fun competition, an element of gamification, a touch-screen activity, or any other idea that engages attendees, you will instantly become more memorable.

Remember your message

In your desire to attract people to your stand with quirky designs, fun activities, and tempting treats, don’t forget the reason why you are there. Do people understand what you do and how they can buy your products or use your services? There is no point having a busy stand if no one knows what you do.

The importance of aesthetics, branding, and consistency

Remember to stay on brand when developing exhibition stand ideas. Keep to your colour palette and stay with the fonts associated with your brand. Although using a zany font or new colours to grab attention may be tempting, this could result in confused messaging. If you think of successful brands such as Coca-Cola or McDonald’s, you can instantly recognise the brand just through colour.

Stack up on the merch

Everyone loves a freebie, but how do you choose the right giveaway merchandise for your stand? Avoid anything that looks cheap or tacky – it will damage your brand. Concentrate on whether people want your gifts rather than trying too hard to find the unusual. What items will people find useful?

Although hardly innovative, notebooks and pens get picked up, as they always come in handy. Useful gadgets can be a winner, but you must ensure the quality is up to scratch. If you don’t want to invest in decent-quality tech, don’t bother at all. If you hand out low-quality phone power banks that supply only minimal charging, for example, it reflects poorly on your business.

Keep it safe

When creating a temporary stand, remember you are responsible if something goes wrong. Are your banners stable and unlikely to topple over? Do you have loose cables or other trip hazards? Does your public liability insurance cover you in case the worst happens?

Lead generation

You have had a fantastic day at an expo. The stand has been buzzing with lots of friendly, happy faces. But what happens next? How do you follow up with all these fantastic new connections? If you haven’t taken contact details, how can you take advantage of all the goodwill you have built up?

Larger shows usually have tools to capture leads, such as lanyard scanning devices or apps. If tools are not supplied, there are plenty of easy-to-use apps that you can use to gather contact details of those who visit your stand. Research these possibilities before the show so that everything is set up and ready for the day.

If all else fails, you could ask people to fill out a form, or you can collect business cards, but these are inefficient and outdated methods of lead generation. Make use of the excellent technologies out there.

The rules for exhibiting

Before the event, take the time to prepare the staff members who will be operating your stand. Much of the advice may be common sense, but it is still worth reinforcing the basic rules.

Adhere to the following:

Don’t hide behind your table. You are not a shopkeeper; be up-front to greet your visitors.
Don’t be on your phone (aside from quickly sending event-related posts, which you should try to do in quieter moments).
Welcome visitors warmly. If you are chatting with a colleague, you can continue that conversation later. Engaging attendees should take top priority.
Make small talk. Don’t go straight for the hard sell.
Take contact details. Always remember you want to follow up after the show.
Know your product and services. And don’t blag it if you don’t know the answer.
Smile!

Conclusion

If you have the space and budget to play with, you can make a huge impression at a public sector expo with an imaginative and interactive stand. But you don’t have to go over the top to make an impact. The important thing is to be present and make the most of the opportunities that an expo or conference offers.

With pre-event planning, you can elevate your profile and meet the people who make the critical decisions. If you want the business, you must go out and get it. Importantly, if your potential customers attend an event, you should be there, too.

GovNet is the UK’s leading provider of public-sector events, conferences, exhibitions and training courses. If you want to connect with leading decision-makers in the public sector, check out our upcoming events here.