Planning means more time, more savings and more success. So proper planning pays (or should that be saves?).
Can planning save you money?
Surely a stand will cost what it costs?
Early planning and booking won’t make it free or guarantee discounts. But done correctly you will save.
What planning does is simple, it puts you in the driving seat. Allowing you the time and position to negotiate, to ask for better rates, to be the early bird, and to find alternate suppliers or materials for better value.
So, with planning comes time and benefits. But not just because you’re early. Organised companies build lasting relationships with partners. They come with benefits, partly because they are first in line, partly because they are partners. It all adds up.
Negotiation
Planning comes with many benefits. Being early and organised puts you in a better position to negotiate, and this is no bad thing.
Where it’s most useful is with materials and suppliers, but can also come in handy with your event organiser or marketing agencies and beyond.
The time gained from planning means you have time to shop around, and not just accept the first offer due to time constraints. It allows you time to look at all your options and talk through these with your suppliers.
Trail new materials, source them more cost effectively and so on. It means you and your supplier can refine every element of the build. Meaning you get best value or materials without having to compromise.
Lower cost space vs. better spot
Leading on from the above, pay particular attention to your space at the event. Does booking early offer savings? Find out.
Don’t be afraid to ask, it’s the done thing, and nearly all events will have some room to manoeuvre on either price or placement.
Work out in advance what is most beneficial to you, is it a bigger stand, or a particular location at the event and so on. Armed with this you will be able to bargain to greater advantage to you.
Which could save you money, but that’s not always the greatest benefit. Planning will allow you to attend the show on terms that help you, whatever they are.
Time to be creative
Planning will also give you, your team and your suppliers time to be even more creative. This creative space means that you are giving yourself a much better chance of finding the best solution for you. A considered stand will achieve a lot more than a rushed one.
By using this time and organisation to work more closely, and for longer, on your creative concept, the results are likely to be more spectacular. Deadlines can’t dictate creativity, so allowing time for ideas to develop is the only route to real creativity.
But remember time is only time, you also have to be open to new thinking, and sometimes willing to take the plunge with ideas that might be outside your comfort zone. And again this additional time will allow more space to make this adjustment. Taking this time to work through the concepts details benefits you.
Time doesn’t create creativity, but it gives people time to explore ideas completely and removes the need for snap decisions.
Success guaranteed?
Planning isn’t a guarantee of success, but it does increase your prospects. But by giving everyone the time they need to achieve their objectives, you are creating the best chance of success. Which at the end of the day is all you can ask for of any project.
