How to create the perfect exhibition plan for event success.
If you intend to exhibit between September 2024 and February 2025, you need to finalise your exhibition plan as soon as possible.
Luckily for your events team, we’ve already done the hard work and outlined what needs to be considered when planning an exhibition.
So, let’s get to it!
Your exhibition budget
First things first – your budget needs to be clear.
You’ll need to explain whether this budget is just for one event or whether you plan to attend several (and, if you’re attending more than one, how the budget will be split across the multiple events).
This will allow your stand contractor to suggest and design viable options for you, including stand hire (which could help you save some pennies!).
Planning your exhibition goals
You need to identify and communicate the overall goals for your exhibition plan.
Think about the following questions:
- What do you want to achieve at your event(s)?
- Is your primary goal to generate leads, build brand awareness, or launch a new product?
- Will the goals and objectives for each event be different?
Make sure your team all agrees on the answers and that you’re clear on them, because this will be a crucial part of the planning process between you and your stand contractor.
Thinking about your exhibition stand requirements
Think about what functions your exhibition stand needs to perform:
- Do you have any large products or props (for example, vehicles or machinery)?
- Do you need an area for presentations?
- Do you need a meeting room? If so, does it need to be a walled, private area?
- Do you need a hospitality area? What about a meeting room?
Make a list of your requirements so the finished product can tick them all off.
Consider the rules of the exhibition venue you’re attending
Any stand contractor worth their salt will help you out with this bit, but it’s worth you being well-versed in the rules and regulations of the venue you plan to exhibit at.
Whether you’re heading to a venue in London, Birmingham, or another major city, each has pros and cons and accessibility considerations, and some of them (we’re looking at you, London Olympia) are just downright quirky.
Facilities like the NEC Birmingham and ExCeL London are amazing places to exhibit at, but they definitely require some preparation.
Consider different types of exhibition stand
Next, you need to think about what type of exhibition stand or booth is most suitable for your brand (and what fits in with the venue you’re attending!).
Exhibition stand designers like us will advise you on this, of course, but it always helps if you have a rough idea of what you need.
- A modular exhibition stand is an exhibition system comprising different blocks that can be reconfigured to fit various spaces.
- Shell schemes are pre-assigned spaces allocated to you by exhibition organisers. They’re booths, usually with 2-3 walls, that can be customised with your choice of graphics, furniture and props.
- Bespoke exhibition stands are purpose-built for each exhibition.
- They’re unique to your business and the event you’re attending.
- A space-only exhibition stand is an allocated plot of exhibition space. All you get is the floorspace – the rest is up to you (and us!).
You also need to consider whether you want to rent or purchase your stand (and what goes on it!).
A stand can be owned entirely, rented, or a combination of the two. Combining owned and hired elements is great for maximising the space you have or adapting a pre-existing stand to accommodate unique features for a specific event. We’ve added loads of interactive hired elements to stands we’ve built, including seating areas, demo areas, presentation areas, games, and even a fully functioning kitchen!
“If you think you can only hire a couple of bits of naff furniture from us, then think again.
“We supply anything and everything you can think of for hire: giant video walls, games, furniture, touchscreens, stylish future and even the structural elements to cleverly design your stand in an impactful yet cost-effective way.”
Ed Marshall, Creative Director, Motive Exhibitions
Think about a sustainable exhibition plan
Is sustainability and sustainable exhibiting important to your brand?
If so, you need to consider how you’re going to incorporate this into your exhibition plan.
The exhibition industry is not known for its eco-friendliness. But it doesn’t need to be this way, and there are plenty of ways to make your exhibition presence as eco-friendly as possible.
If you plan to exhibit more than three times in one year, we’d recommend buying your stand.
“Using the same stand multiple times allows you to be smarter with your planning, and we can create a design that can be repurposed and reconfigured for each event you attend. We’ll add clever little touches and adapt the existing stand to suit any exhibition space you book.
“By doing this, you can significantly reduce the cost of every exhibition, as well as your environmental impact”
Dave Hennessy, Director, Motive Exhibitions
Prioritise your exhibition stand over your space
When it comes to exhibition budgets, we see this happening time and time again.
Businesses book the biggest floor space they can without thinking about the design. They’ve secured a massive space, but there’s no money left to buy anything to fill it!
It’s not worth spending 90% of your budget on your space and leaving yourself with hardly any options on what you can do with your stand. Even the scales out; budget for a smaller stand which looks great, rather than going big on floor space for the sake of it.
We can advise you on what budget you should allow for what you are trying to create, and make sure that you have an awesome-looking stand which is the perfect size.
Plan your exhibition resources
If you’re a small team, then taking 3-4 members of staff away from the office may not be an option.
So, you might have to consider hiring contractors who are experienced in working on exhibition stands, even if it’s just for the hospitality side of things.
Or, you can consider a rota whereby your own team mans the stand for a day or two at a time – but don’t leave yourself short as there’s nothing worse than having an exhibition stand full of visitors that you can’t chat to.
PS: Don’t forget to budget for accommodation for staff and contractors!
Post-event communications
Your event was a success! You’ve met some great prospects, exchanged details and feel optimistic about your new leads.
Time to put your feet up!
Not so quick…
Your exhibition plan also needs to include your post-event communications, which should be completed and ready to go before the exhibition starts.
Whether this be emails, brochures, flyers, or maybe even product samples, your post-event communications should bolster the objectives you set out at the start of your plan.
So now’s the time to send them.
Every hour counts after an exhibition, so strike whilst the iron is hot!
And finally; have a ‘plan B’ in case of bad weather!
Fingers crossed it won’t snow, but the Great British weather is unpredictable in autumn and winter, so make sure you’ve got a plan A and a plan B for how your staff are getting to the exhibition, and how they’re getting to and from the venue each day if they’re staying over.
It’s also worth considering booking transport and accommodation for important visitors – especially if they’ve travelled a long way to see you.
“Whether you’re travelling to a one-day event or going backwards and forwards between the venue for a several-day exhibition, give yourself more travel time than you think you’ll need.
“It’s much better to be somewhere earlier than needed, than running the timings to the wire and arriving stressed because the weather didn’t work in your favour.”
Sam Hudson, Operations Director, Motive
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Motive Exhibitions, 3 Orion Court, Ambuscade Road, Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Socon, St. Neots, PE19 8YX