How to Manage a Successful Exhibition Stand

Contributed article in our business series. Enjoy! – Kimberly

The investment in both attending and having a business presence at a trade show needs to pay dividends for the company. There are many different ways to bring value and get the most out of diverting money and employees to the exhibition centre to meet and greet with interested attendees. Here are a few suggestions for managing a successful exhibition stand:

Focus on the Lighting

Lighting is everything. The human eye is attracted to things that are bright enough to be noticed and interesting enough to keep the attention once it has been acquired. In a sea of other exhibition stands, the importance of effective lighting should never be overlooked.

Stand Out With a Professional Exhibition Stand

Especially for small businesses and smaller exhibition spaces, it is critically important to make a statement with your exhibition stand. Leaving this up to the professionals is the right approach to take. A company like Finesse Exhibitions that has been in the business of creating attention-grabbing exhibition stands for over two decades is a good choice.

Maintain a Consistent Marketing Message

There is nothing like confusing potential customers with a marketing message that seems to be saying different things to different people. All literature, posters and press packets need to present the brand in the same way so that it is recognisable and clear. The staff members managing the exhibition stand need to have practised their 30 second pitch so that they will not get tongue-tied when customers walk up. If needed, provide time ahead of the exhibition for proper practice or training.

Building Rapport with Visitors to the Stand

Building relationships is all about making people feel comfortable. A successful exhibition stand in many ways lives and dies on the successful interaction between the staff and visitors to the stand. Staff should talk to as many people as possible. Don’t let staff members be afraid to walk up to attendees at the edge of the stand and begin a conversation.

Ask the visitor questions. Show interest in their business and what their needs are that the company may be able to help solve for them. Each face-to-face meeting is an opportunity to learn about the individual needs of the customers of the business. This can be invaluable.

Keep Staff Members Out in the Open

Depending on the design and construction of the exhibition stand, employees may have difficulty standing out in front so people walking past can see them. People have a tendency at trade shows to stay behind the welcome counter or in other positions that put a barrier between themselves and the potential visitors wandering into the stand area to learn more. You should learn about the different ways to attract new visitors to the exhibition stand before attending.

Consider Rotational Shifts for Staff Members

Exhibition days can be long and drag on. Meeting and greeting a new collection of people every hour gets exhausting quickly even for those who claim to be “a real people person”. Ensure that staff members get sensible rest periods and if possible, create a rotational shift which reduces the total number of hours that each staff member is at the exhibition stand. This way they’ll be fresh and energised when meeting each new visitor to the exhibition stand.

Plan ahead for your next trade show to help get the most out of your investment in an exhibition stand.

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