If you’re planning an exhibition, you’ll probably already know how much it takes to get you ready for the big day. Everything from finding someone to build your stand to building a following on social media, it’s not as simple as turning up and talking through your products.
So we’ve decided to look at some of the key things you need to consider and tell you what to ask to get it right first time.
Finding the right stand design company
Lots of companies can build you a stand; so it’s not about the work but the relationship you have with that company. You need a company that understands what you’re trying to achieve. Once you have this, you’ll usually find the results a lot more satisfying.
So when speaking to these companies ask yourself the following:
What’s their other work like, and do you like it?
Asking this sounds simple, but tastes and designs vary. What you should be looking for is someone who consistently delivers quality, impact and results. The style of your stand comes afterwards and is simply your preference. If they produce the rest, then producing something you like will be simple.
What’s their track record, and how good is their reputation?
Look to see if there are any recommendations from previous work, look on social media to see whether they’ve been mentioned – for the right reasons. Do you know anyone who’s worked with them before? These methods are not guarantees, but they will give you a better idea of who the agency are.
Did they understand the brief and know what you were trying to achieve with it?
From the initial tender documents, you will be able to get a snapshot of the agency and how they work. It’s easy to get blown away by big and bold ideas, but remember to look for the reasoning.
Any stand design company worth its salt won’t just add bells and whistles for no reason. They will understand what you are trying to achieve and offer you the right tools to do just that.
How much will it cost and is that within budget? And, is it value for money?
You’ll have an initial idea of budget, which is fine, but don’t just dismiss a design because it is over that. In this instance talk to the agency. Are they able to justify those costs? If so, with a good partner, you’ll either be convinced and spend the additional money or be able to work with them to find some middle ground. Good agencies can make alternative suggestions around design and materials that help you achieve something similar for less.
Do they offer suitable payment options?
Many agencies will offer a variety of payment options that allow you to manage your budget more effectively. Once you have answers to these basic ‘will we or won’t we’ questions you need to start thinking about the exhibition itself.
You need to get the right stand for you, as exhibitions are an extraordinary sales opportunity if you pitch yourself just right. You need to grab attention for the right reasons, but how?
For DMN, these are the questions you need answering:
Planning and building your stand
Where is your audience?
Before you design or plan anything, you need to know who it is for. Who wants what you have? Knowing this will inform every element of the stands design, everything in your design must in some way help respond to your audience’s needs.
Do you actually need an exhibition stand?
Building something for the sake of it helps no one. Instead, is there a different approach you haven’t considered? Speak to your designers and listen to their ideas, you might be surprised at what will work for you.
How big should it be?
With exhibitions, size is always second to impact. You need to have a space that interests and inspires, how big doesn’t matter. Just make sure it does what you need it to do. Like the Goldilocks effect, too much or too little are wrong, so get it just right.
How should it look?
Here’s where having the right partner will pay dividends. If they’ve understood the brief and are as experienced and talented as they claim, then this will be repetitively painless. They’ll give you options that answer all the right questions before you even ask them. You just have to listen to and understand the reasons they have for these designs.
Remember, exhibition planning isn’t rocket science, and having answers to these questions will make it a far simpler process. So don’t let your stand get the better of you, just ask the right questions and you’ll get the right answers.
So, if have any questions or you’d simply like more information or ideas on your stand design then:
Call us on: 01484 451061
or email us at: enquiries@DMNdesignbuild.com
So good luck, and we hope to see you there.
