Mastering your exhibition stand brief:

How to get what you want

Have you booked to exhibit at an event or trade show? Do you now need to organize your company's stand?

If you haven’t done it before, it can seem a little daunting, but don’t worry – we’re here to help. Taking client briefs is what we do, day in and day out, so we’re in a pretty good place to tell you what your contractor is looking for before you pick up the phone.

Whether you plan to go bespoke, or you’re opting for an off-the-shelf exhibit, it all starts with a good brief. The brief lets your stand build partner understand your requirements. From there you can enter into a collaborative process, drawing on your partner’s experience to ensure you get maximum ROI from your exhibition presence.

The basics

Start your briefing document with the following details:

• Exhibition name, date and venue
• Your company name and website
• Business description
• Division that is exhibiting
• Deadline for the proposal

Your budget

While you might not like the idea of ‘putting your cards on the table’ and revealing your budget upfront, it’s important to give an idea of how much your partner has to work with so they can tailor your proposal. This is certainly the case with custom stands - it’s not helpful for anyone if hours of design time are spent to present a concept that’s three times what you can afford.

Don’t let that put you off, however. There are off-the-shelf options, like our range of show ready stands, which give you a selection of options at different price points. This can be a good starting point if you’re new to exhibiting and unsure of where your budget should be set – you can even work out a rough per meter-square price before you pick up the phone.

Your objectives

Explaining your purpose for exhibiting is probably the most important element of the brief. This should steer both the content and the purpose. Consider the following questions, these are the cornerstones of your event planning process:

• What do you want visitors to do on your stand?
• How many staff will there be and what will they be doing?
• Will you have products on stand?
• Do you want to provide catering?
• How do you want the stand to look and feel?
• Is there a theme?
• How will the stand reflect your brand values or brand aesthetic?
• What do you want people to think as they walk away from the stand?
• What does success look like and how will you measure it?

Remember that your stand is just a means to an end, so don’t get too bogged down in the how until you have a clear idea of the why.

Stand specifics

Beyond the vision you have for your stand, you also need to let your partner know the specifics of space you have booked. You don’t have time to waste looking at castles if you only have space for a cottage! Here’s what you’ll need to mention:

• Stand size
• Stand configuration i.e. terrace, island, corner
• Number of walls required
• Stand orientation and any preferred flow.

Most exhibitions have rules dictating factors such as maximum heights for walls and display elements, which will vary according to the space you have booked. Usually there is also a percentage rule specifying how closed off any exhibit can be i.e. only 40-50% of any open side can be closed off. Make sure you also provide that information so your stand design will meet the regulations – or at least provide the regulation sheet from your event organizer.

If you have received a floor plan from the show management, you should include it with your brief - your location in the hall is critical because it will influence the traffic flows around your stand.

If your stand is next to coffee lounge...

If you’re opposite a big glitzy stand, for example, there will be high footfall. You can aim to attract traffic as it leaves that stand by clever use of sight-lines. If, on the other hand, your stand is located next to the main exhibition coffee lounge, people will be lingering there to take refreshments so it’s probably not worth investing in your own barista facilities.

Your stand design should never be done in isolation - you’ve got to think about the neighbors, the surroundings and the sightlines. And as well as considering the on-stand experience, think how the stand will work from 50 yards away, as well as in the greater scheme of the show.

Design features and equipment

This section is the place to mention any particular features you will need built into your stand or integrated into the design. These could be:

• Meeting room
• Changing room
• Storage cupboard
• Shelving
• Plinths and display units
• Reception area
• Catering facilities

You’ll also need to think about your lighting and power requirements. What AV equipment will you be using and where? Do you want spotlights on wall displays? Will you have fridges or coffee machines that need power?

If cables need to be run across the floor, then it will be necessary to include a raised platform in your stand design. If your stand features a raised floor, will you then need a ramp to provide disabled access? You can also think about the type of floor covering you would like for your stand.

Finally, it’s important to mention if you hope to be able to re-use your stand or elements of it for future exhibitions, or if this is a one-time-only exhibit. This will let your partner know if you they’re recycling your space after the show, sending elements back to you or putting it into storage for another time.

Branding

To help design a stand that conveys your unique brand style, you’ll need to supply some assets. You can either provide completed artwork, or have it designed by the in-house graphics team. Either way, you’ll need to send over:

• Your company logo
• Your brand Pantone colors
• Your brand fonts
• Any images or graphics you want included

Think about how branded you want your stand to look - should it be immediately recognizable or more subtle? Will you want hanging signs to increase your stand’s visibility? How about a custom-printed floor? You can also integrate plasma screens as part of your branding to display slideshows or corporate videos.

Andy’s top tips

Andy Hickinbotham, who heads up show ready at GES, says...

“It’s a good idea to cross-pollinate ideas - go to some shows outside of your sector to gain inspiration. Go to a pharma show, go to a retail show or even an air show or a motor show and see what works well. You might see something in pharmaceuticals that would work well for your retail company, for example showing products on a touch screen instead of using space on the stand. Don’t be shy...It’s good practice to visit other marketing environments and take a look at what other people are doing.”

Got all your stand requirements down on paper? Contact us to find out how we can bring your ideas to life.