1. Produce a progress calendar and aim to begin your planning up to twelve months and not less than three months in advance.
2. The earlier you book your site the better the position you'll get. Generally a central location is best as that's where most visitors will want to go. Others gain from an entrance or exit position.
3. Remember the little things like vehicle passes and I.D. badges for staff.
2. The earlier you book your site the better the position you'll get. Generally a central location is best as that's where most visitors will want to go. Others gain from an entrance or exit position.
3. Remember the little things like vehicle passes and I.D. badges for staff.
Some do's and don'ts
DO - Use the 3 second rule: In the 3 second that it takes for a visitor to pass your stand they have to know who you are, what you do and a good reason for using you.
Have as much lighting as possible, a dark stand is a dead stand.
Keep it simple, at a glance information.
Have a staff rota for rests and walkabouts, more than 2 hours a shift is too much.
Include time for staff to visit seminars or "Meet the Buyer" forums.
DON'T - Put too many staff on the stand at once, it is too intimidating.
Leave personal belongings or litter in full view, take a waste bin.
Just give away your card, write your stand number on it and the name of the show.
Have as much lighting as possible, a dark stand is a dead stand.
Keep it simple, at a glance information.
Have a staff rota for rests and walkabouts, more than 2 hours a shift is too much.
Include time for staff to visit seminars or "Meet the Buyer" forums.
DON'T - Put too many staff on the stand at once, it is too intimidating.
Leave personal belongings or litter in full view, take a waste bin.
Just give away your card, write your stand number on it and the name of the show.
The individuals you choose to staff your stand make or break the event. Nothing is more off putting to a visitor than a gaggle of bored, hung over staff sitting around chatting on your stand.
A briefing session is a must to define your targets. Give each person an area of responsibility, front of stand, walkabout duty. An organised stand is actually fun to work on...Honest!
Dealing with Time Wasters
· Competitors... will usually give themselves away. Find out who they are and what they do, most competitors will fall at this first fence.
· Windbags & Magpies.... A prearranged code word to a colleague conjures the forgotten appointment or the emergency phone call.
· Complainers & Salespeople...... You are there to sell not be sold to, or be solving unconnected problems. An exhibition stand is the last place to be dealing with these things, if they must be dealt with take them off stand into a neutral area.
· At the end of the first day hold a debrief session with your staff, It'll help discover what works and what didn't.
