4 Tips To Maximise Your Exhibition Space
Congratulations, you’ve just booked your exhibition space. Now you need to fill it! The worst thing you could do as a business is book a bigger space in the exhibition hall and be unable to accommodate it due to budgetary restrictions. Luckily for you, we know exactly what it takes to fill the space you’ve booked whilst making a serious impact.
What Kind of Space Can you Rent?
There are many different types of exhibition stand spaces you can rent, it just depends on what is right for your business and your budget. Stand spaces vary in cost depending on size, how many sides the stand has open and where the stand is located in the hall. A stand space right by the entrance or in the middle of the hall around catering areas will be more expensive than those located in the back corners of the hall on the idea that your stand will gain more footfall in key areas.
You can choose to have no walls around your stand so that it is completely open, you can opt for a back wall only, 2 walls to create a corner space or 3 walls around your stand so that the front side is open.
1. Set your budget
Start by determining your budget for the whole project and then use a third of that on renting the stand space. The remaining two-thirds of the budget will be used to fill the space and staff expenses for the show duration. Once you have your space budget in mind, your best option would be to approach the show organisers and explain what your budget is and they will then be able to offer you the options available within that budget.
2. Create spaces for customers
If your space allows, you may opt for little pockets of space to draw people to your stand. Try not to overwhelm visitors and create more lounge areas, open meeting spaces or even a bar to encourage people onto your stand. If your stand is relatively small, think about ditching the furniture and focussing on the customer experience and first impression of your stand. As networking at exhibitions is on the rise, creating a space for casual conversation will be a real winner.
3. Consider some architectural hacks
If you do have a smaller space, there are certain architectural hacks that you can apply to create the illusion of space. You can utilise higher walls, fascias and interesting lights. Remember that you want to create that ‘wow’ factor to draw people to your stand. This is 100% still achievable on a tighter budget.
4. Try AV to grab attention
Did you know you have about 8 seconds to grab someone’s attention and keep it? That’s why the use of AV (audiovisual) is so important. LED screens and interactive stations (if budget allows) are a great way to elevate your stand and create that all-important connection to your customer.
Ways to be more experimental with our exhibit space
On top of all of the traditional marketing practices, there are some things you can implement to stand out and make an impact.
Remember what we said earlier about your stand becoming an experience for the customer? Well, you should really think about incorporating interactivity into your design. For example, if you are a paint brand, could you provide a blank wall and samples for customers to try products for themselves? If you are a technology brand, how about incorporating VR or a demonstration of your product. Marketing is all about showing customers what they didn’t know they needed and why.
Finally, don’t forget to utilise social media on the run up, during and after the event. Can you incorporate videos of your stand into a TikTok or Instagram reel? Can you update your stories or post little check in videos throughout the day so people know exactly where to find you? Remember, videos (kept short and sweet) do much better than static imagery.