Getting the attention you deserve.. at an exhibition

Exhibition advice. How to be certain of getting noticed.

Fresco gives exhibition advice on a daily basis. With over 25 years in the business we should know a thing or two. There are some basic necessities and one of them is obviously that you have to be seen, you have to get noticed.  You can’t shout to passing visitors or button hole them in the aisle so there really is only one way to be sure of getting attention. You have to make your stand visually appealing. You have to explain your offer in a clear and arresting way.

If you are going to be in a shell scheme this exhibition advice is doubly true. But you could also see it as twice the opportunity to stand out from all the other, near identical, booths. You can be confident of achieving this by hiding your shell scheme walls behind bright, seamless, floor-to-ceiling graphics that look really professional.

Fresco offers two unique solutions to achieve this – ShowSuit and Curvorama and two budget options VBanner and ShellTac

How to engage prospects and be remembered?

Offering “freebies” can be a very effective way of getting attention and being remembered. Many exhibitors hand out freebies at exhibitions these days. Freebies might be free samples, if your product lends itself to this, or branded goods like pens or sweets. You could make up goodie bags and put your logo and details on the bag. Contour-cut vinyl labels are brilliant for this.

Special product promotions only available at the show can be another great draw but will of course be more appropriate for some products and services than others.

Don’t forget that exhibitions are all about talk (and listening of course) so prepare talking points, prepare good quick ways of capturing information, of getting back to prospects etc.

How to make the most of my space?

One of the simple pieces of exhibition advice we often give is to de-clutter and be clear with your message. Remember that potential customers will make up their mind in seconds so ditch any confusing messages. Just because you happen to have a pull-up banner stand don’t feel that you have to use it at the show. Banner stands can be effective at the front of a booth if they are on-message but can also get lost in the forest of similar displays at some shows.

If possible choose displays with a minimal “footprint”. Pop-up stands have quite a big footprint and need to earn the floor space that they take up on a small stand.

Which display is right for me?

Each type of display has points in favour and points against.  To choose the best option for you try to consider what you will want to use it for.

Banner stands Good:- cheap, easy to carry, lots of different types. Bad:- they are everywhere and your message could get lost in a forest of similar displays.

Pop-up stands Good:- seamless graphics, curvy, large. Bad:- very heavy and bulky when packed up. Big footprint, not as attention-getting as they once were.

Modular backdrops (Curvorama, Twist, folding panels) Good:- versatile, more portable than a pop-up and can be added to Bad:- some are more expensive (Twist) some are a bit dated (folding panels)

Fabric displays Good:- new and different and more attention-getting, very portable, seamless, washable, can be re-cycled. Bad:- not modular, a bit more expensive

Aluminium frame displays Good:- solid, professional, modular, impressive Bad:- heavy and bulky to transport, take longer to build, more expensive

Shell scheme liners Good:- if you have hired a shell scheme, impressive, do not waste any space Bad:- only wall-mounted (except Curvorama which works free-standing too)

Outdoor displays Good:- can cope with wind and rain (can also be used indoors) Bad:- – well not bad exactly – but many have specific uses like cafe banners

iPad holders, lightboxes, gripframes, literature holders Good:- lots of choice, can provide a useful focus or “silent salesman” Bad:- can clutter up a stand or even detract from a clear message