Events Advice
We share some timeless top tips on planning events & exhibitions for more success (and less stress).
From curating the right event calendar to creativity to stand staffing, we hope these insights might help you make events a little more extraordinary!
Events FAQ
An exhibition stand is a ‘stand’ or space within an exhibition hall in which a business ‘exhibits’ or shares its products, services or brand with visitors. Typically any of these stands or spaces will involve some degree of graphics and messaging to suit the needs of the organisation exhibiting. Some may have more elaborate displays or product demonstrations, whilst others might emphasise networking or a competition or game.
A modular exhibition stand uses a selection of pieces or ‘modules’ to create an exhibition stand skeleton. These pieces can vary in style and size, but tend to be quite similar in how they work, often using aluminium bars, posts and connections to provide structure. This structure is then finished with a variety of graphics and features to complete a modular exhibition stand. These stands start to push both price and complexity higher than simpler 'pop-up' displays, making them better suited to those with a predictable event calendar and some experience of exhibiting.
Pop-up exhibition stands are great options for those just starting out in exhibitions or looking to keep budget smaller. This style of display will range from things like ‘banner stands’ – rolling graphics inside a small cassette, through to ‘pop-ups’ using a collapsible framework and magnetic graphic panels all the way to linkable seamless event displays and illuminated lightboxes.
When booking your exhibition space, you might be presented with two options – ‘shell scheme’, or ‘space only’. A shell scheme is a pre-built booth which includes a series of walls, often using a series of panels and posts. A shell scheme stand package can also include flooring, furniture and lighting. A shell scheme package is a great option if you’re new to exhibiting, or using a portable display. There are also mid-range options to fit-out a shell scheme with more complex or connected displays and stand structures using a contractor like us.
‘Space only’ stand is exactly what it sounds like at an event– you book for only the space in the hall, and are not provided with any flooring, walls, or lighting as you could be with a shell scheme package. This is a good option if you’re planning a more complex, creative, or larger stand build via a contractor, as it often eliminates the extra cost of shell scheme installation, lowering the fee for your space at the event.
There are a lot of ways in which you can make your exhibition stand a success, and it depends on what you want to achieve from the event. Are you pushing a hero product or service? Are you holding pre-booked meetings with existing clients? Using your strategy to ground your stand design will make sure it’s right for you, and will open up creative opportunities too. Check out our top tips for successful events above, or get in touch to ask the advice of an end to end events expert.
Introducing interactivity and engagement to your exhibition stand can be an effective way to extend the reach of your event, link up with lead capture and plug into your marketing metrics. From gamification to competitions, the opportunities for making events interactive are extensive and can range from DIY efforts to specialist installations. Think about what suits your brand and budget first, and don't underestimate the power of your people when it comes to interacting with visitors, a personal connection can often be worth more than a costly gimmick.
Trade shows can carry high initial investment, but they can also have extraordinary benefits; from exposing your brand to new audiences, to networking, to reaching prospects with a high purchase intent. With good forward planning, trade shows can generate robust Return on Objectives (ROO), but typically benefit from a broader, longer term view of how they plug into Return on Investment (ROI), especially in B2B examples. Scroll up to see our top tips for successful events.
For a successful event, start before the show; effective planning, budgeting, and pre-show marketing will set you up for success. Make sure that your exhibition stand or booth is effective in the context of your goals. At the show, be open, inviting and engaging. Have a strong lead capture method and plan for following up after the event, which you then action pro-actively post-show.
The short answer is, it depends. The cost will depend on if you’re using a DIY exhibition stand or if you’re hiring an events partner to manage it for you. It will depend on the size of your space, how much novel construction you’re having, and the complexity of the design. You should also consider whether you’ll need Wi-Fi, electrics, rigging or additional logistics, as these will all influence the total cost. The good news is, when we design, plan and cost our exhibition stands, we include all services and extras needed to bring your stand to life, ensuring there are no nasty surprises from start to finish.
Some exhibition stands are made up of a combination of timber frames and assorted graphics, other use an aluminium or composite framework. Our own custom-modular stands are typically based around reusable timber framed walls and floor sections, built from fast-growing FSC certified wood. Meanwhile, the print material used for our fabric graphics is a recycled and recyclable media, derived from recovered plastic bottles. Depending on the style, scope and life of a project, we always aim to choose the right material for the job to minimise waste and protect our planet.
How you set up your exhibition booth depends on the type of display that you’re using. Some portable stands can be set up in 30 minutes by a beginner, whereas more custom stands can take a team of professional exhibition stand builders several days.
When it comes to events and exhibitions, often what appears to be sustainable might not truly be the most sustainable solution. Explore our sustainability page to learn how we are making events climate positive and bringing life cycle thinking into our everyday day operations so our events are extraordinary for you, and our planet.