How To Design An Exhibition Stand

The role of any exhibition production team starts with a brief, and understanding that brief to create a space that encompasses everything that you, as the client, has requested in order to make the most of your attendance at the show or expo.
Exhibition stand design can be a varied and complex process, but is essentially driven by a small number of factors, which we consider in a little more details below:

Dimensions of your stand space

It is also ways important to consider the size and layout of the space that you have to present your product or service, as well as your location within the exhibition hall. The reason for this is that this will impact what you have an where you have it on the booth in order to enhance your exhibition presence.

If you run a product based business, how are you wanting to put the product, the heartbeat of your business, as the focal point of your space? How is this to be best highlighted? Where does this need to be positioned in order to maximise its exposure to passing attendees, all of whom may be potential customers who might not be familiar with it?

Similarly, service based businesses might want to think about how this is best promoted within the space that you have, could this be through live demonstrations? Or more intimate discussion areas? This may be influenced by the level of footfall you are anticipating and how you might plan to staff the booth on the show days and so these are all vital factors to think about when planning your booth layout as these could have a significant impact on the measureable success of your attendance at the show.

Exhibition Design

This is a biggie and always one of the most crucial aspects of exhibiting, not only from an ergonomic perspective, but also from a brand identity point of view as well.

Firstly, it’s important to think about what it is you need from the space that you have. These might be any of the below;

• Meeting spaces
• AV Requirements for showcasing product range, service offering, corporate demo’s etc
• Seating areas
• Lockable Storage
• Lighting
• Graphic production
• Engagement e.g. barista service, on booth gaming or competitions

How do you plan to attract people onto your booth? Who is your target audience at the show?

By working with your team to understand not only your business but also your show objectives, AI will produce 3D design renders developed by our creative design team to really encapsulate your messaging and create a vision that brings this to life.

Secondly, it’s important to understand of there are any limitations on the space you have booked that might influence the design process. Are you on an island or peninsula booth space? Are there any pillars or obstacles in the venue that need to be factored in? Where do you anticipate the amin flow of traffic coming from?

Operating Budget

Exhibiting at shows can be a costly and time consuming exercise, but it doesn’t have to be. By understanding our clients show requirements, their audience and business operations, AI ensure that we work in a transparent and collaborative manner to produce a stand that will stand out amongst the competition, exceed your operational objectives, and crucially, come in within your operating budget.

Thinking about your show budget does not need to be a one off job either – we work with sustainable materials and produce re-usable graphics that reduce waste and also have the added benefit of being able to be re-deployed, creating a consistent brand message, and also reducing production costs in the medium term, if you are thinking about attending a number of exhibitions moving forward.

Whilst budget will cover aspects related to production and installation – there are other elements that may need to be factored in, dependent on your requirements. By this we mean elements such as show services that are charged by the host venue such as dedicated Wi-Fi setup, rigging above the booth for hung graphics, electricity for lighting, screens, and charge points, as well as more direct costs to your business by way of travel, accommodation and time away from the office for staff.

Audience

Thinking about your audience and putting yourselves in their shoes can really help you think about the fine tuning of your booth. What might they be looking for? What would you be looking for as a potential customer, partner or supplier?

Your exhibition stand is not only a chance to advertise yourselves to existing stakeholders, but to also offer a window into the business for those who might not be so familiar with your offering, and in that sense, first impressions count.

Your stand is not only there to advertise your business as a marketing exercise, it is also an opportunity to reflect your presence within your market and so should be designed and produced accordingly by a partner team of trusted professionals. Loose wires, slack graphics and dirty furniture are not a good look and in the minds of your audience could give them a false impression.