secrets for selecting the best exhibition stand space.(What exhibition organizers should tell you, but don’t).

First Rain Exhibits (India) Pvt. Ltd.

After spending a decade designing and manufacturing exhibition stands for clients, I have come to realize that the little things that can create a huge impact are often the most overlooked.

The five secrets aren’t really ‘secrets’ by what they are but are secrets because they over-looked by brands who could otherwise create a huge impact on a brand’s exhibition stand. It is this ignorance that has made these ideas secrets.

I can assure you, that these secrets if applied right can make your exhibition stand extremely effective and will help you achieve your marketing objective.

Regards,

Niloy DebnathMD, First Rain Exhibits

P.S. There are two checklists at the end of this guide that you should take print of and use them whenever you have an exhibition that you are participating in.

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The key to choosing the right space for your next years exhibition is to book this year.

Many a times organizers offer the next years bookings right after the current show gets over. So once you are at the show or have just gone back from the show enquire about the opening of next years booking. This not only allows you to have a choice of various stand positions, orientations & sizes but would also be lighter on your pocket as show organizers generally offer early bird discounts.

So go ahead and prepare the show participation calendar for next year, get in touch with the organizers, ask for the floor plan and get ready to select

Bookingsecret #1

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Obviously this would play a major role in determining which show to participate and what size of stand space you would go for. Generally it is better to participate in the leading trade shows in the particular industry or segment that you are operating in. There are various sources to find out about the impact of a show:

o You can always ask your associates who have participated earlier in the particular showo Most organizers publish a post show report which details the various statistics of the show including footfall, business transacted, major exhibitorso Pick up the Show Directory and call up some exhibitor to do a reference check of the showo Track record of the organizer is also important and whether they have a history of delivering successful showso Lately the trend is of very niche shows which deliver extremely focused buyer and seller meets, these would be a option to explore and could be lighter on your pocket

secret #2

Budget

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This is probably one of the most important factors to consider before deciding the size of your stand. For example if you have a lot of products, machineries to display then you need to take into account the amount of floor or wall space that would be required to accommodate the displays , posters and branding. Add to that the spaces that are required for the interaction with your clients which would include the reception, the meeting areas (including lounges if any), open and private meeting rooms etc. Also consider the space required for storage and a pantry. After adding all these you also need to factor in the space required for visitors to move around and interact with your staff as well as the Exhibits. In case you are planning to have some sort of an Audio Visual presentation or crowd pulling activities you would need a stage.

Whereas if your objective is just awareness or image building, then you could probably do with a much lesser floor space. So once you decide on the above you can zero in on the correct stand size that would suit your requirements and objectives.

secret #3

Objective

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For example, at Acetech 2012, our client Legrand wanted to showcase their entire product range which included switches, door phones, home automation systems, demo areas, storage, pantry and the like. So the floor space needed was fairly large with a stand space of size 10m x 12m.

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Whereas another client of ours KEPCO (Korea Electric & Power Corporation) wanted to create a world class image through their imposing stand at the India Nuclear Energy show in 2012 so the space was accordingly factored in.

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Island stand: An island stand means that the space is open from all sides. You are allowed to partially cover the open sides with walls which would allow you to display or put up posters. Island stalls allow to draws visitors from all sides and at the same time easy entry and exit of visitors. This also lends an open and inviting feel to the overall space. Another variation to the island stall is a stand with a back wall and is open from three sides. The back wall allows for great big branding and visibility, at the same time maintaining the openness of the space. The disadvantage of an island stall is that in case there are a lot of products on display then the non-availability of walls creates a problem.

secret #4

Type

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The Thai Tourism Island stand, in the middle of the show floor with high visibility and openness.

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Inline stand: An inline stall means that it is a part of a row and is sandwiched between two stalls. Typically this kind of a stall has a single entry/exit. Three walls are available which allows for optimum product display and branding. Another variation to this stand is the Corner Stand, which as the name implies is at the end of the row. Here there are two open sides and offers the best of both worlds of openness as well as product display advantages.

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Thai cargo 3 side open stand with backwall allowing for great branding opportunity

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An Inline stand at the Marmomacc Fair at Verona, allowing for great product display.

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Tunnel: Another type of stand is a tunnel where two parallel sides are open and two parallel sides are closed. Ideally this type of stand is the least preferred option and should be only considered as a last resort. Within the above varieties it is importation to know decide on the shape of the stand as well. The two pre-dominant shapes are square & rectangle. Our experience suggests that it is always advisable to go for a rectangular shaped stand as that always provides a bigger expanse for displays and branding. So in effect the visitor can get a feel for your offerings at one glance

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Once you taken into consideration the various factors above, you can now start evaluating the various options and zero down on the correct location for your stand. These are some pointers to help you decide:

Locationsecret #5

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Hall Plan & Floor Plan at the Dubai World Trade Center. The blue marked arrows is the analysis of the traffic flow for the IBA stand marked in red13

a) Study the traffic pattern

Before you start considering the suitable stand spaces it extremely important to study the traffic pattern in the hall. Entries, exits, traffic flow, probable routes to convenience areas and conference areas, all these factors would help you take an informed decision about the most ideal space suited to your needs. Later this would also help you decide on the entry/ exit plan for the exhibition stand that you would be building

b) Front of the Hall, Middle, Back

Exhibitors are tempted to position their stands next to or close to the entrance. Generally this might work well if the stands are positioned some distance away from the entry. However in order to optimize space, most organizers place the stand nearer to the entrance. Often many visitors walk straight into the exhibition, by passing these positions.

A good tactic is to visit the show at earlier dates to observe visitor patterns to help you decide

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c) High Congregation Areas

Another excellent way to decide on your location is to study the traffic pattern. For e.g. There is always a steady flow of traffic near the cafeteria, conference session area, business lounges, meeting rooms, bigger participants, rest rooms etc. So do study the floor plan well and find that perfect spot for you. This would probably save you the high premium that organizers demand for stands which are near the entrances

Note the high traffic near the cafeteria and waiting area

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Multiple pillars at the Bombay Exhibition Center (NSE), India

d) Obstructions in the floor and ceiling

Please ask the organizers to mark on the floor plan the position of the hall pillars, electrical poles, stairs etc. Not only does a pillar inside your stand reduces your available display and moving space, but it can also become an eye-sore in your stand design.

Similarly watch out for low hanging ceilings due to design of the exhibition hall, air-conditioning ducts etc. This hampers your ability to build a tall stand which would help you stand out in the show floor

Selecting and paying for the exhibition stand space is probably one of the major investments that you would make while participating in an Exhibition. So don’t be pushed into settling for a space that the organizers offer. It is in your best interest that you choose the spot you feel comfortable with because after all it is your money.Wish you exhibiting success at your next trade show!

Remember

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1. Visit the prior show to get a feel for the Exhibition and start planning (Ideally 12 months before the Exhibition Date)

2. Contact the organizers, convey your intent of participation and ask for the booking price

3. Decide on your participation objectives in terms of display of products, image building, direct sales etc.

4. Decide on the amount of space required

5. Decide on the budget you would want to allocate

6. Bargain hard with the organizer and block a space

7. Request the organizers for the floor plan

8. Check for entry/ exits (there may be multiple), mark the high congregation areas like Cafeteria, Conference Areas, Rest Rooms, Business Lounges. Analyze traffic flow.

9. Decide on the type & shape of the stand that you want.

10. Shortlist atleast 3 probable options.

11. Check for obstructions in the hall in all the 3 options

12. Get back to the organizer and check on the availability

13. Depending on the availability and the final rate being offered close the deal

Space Selection – Checklist

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1. Entrances/Exits

2. Restrooms, Restaurants, Telephones, Water fountains

3. Registration area

4. Freight doors, elevators, escalators

5. Conference locations

6. Windows, columns, posts

7. Power sources / electrical junction boxes

8. Fire protection

9. Plumbing

10. Exhibitor lounges,

11. Association lounge,

12. Show Manager's office

floor plan– Checklist

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Niloy likes to fondly be known as “Your India Insider for Trade Show Success.”

With over a decade of experience in the trade show industry Niloy spearheads the activities of First Rain Exhibits, a global exhibition stand design & build firm, headquartered in Mumbai, India

First Rains Exhibits, mission is to provide extraordinary exhibiting experiencesby helping exhibitors to derive maximum benefits out of theirexhibition participation. First Rain Exhibits achieves this through dissemination of knowledge, tips, tools and services to the exhibitor community.

about the author

Niloy Debnath Managing Director, First Rain Exhibits

Tel: +91 22 2166 2235 / 74

Mobile: +91 98200 60340

niloy@firstrain.co.in | www.firstrain.co.in

Skype: firstraingroup

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