Planning An Exhibition: 5 Secrets To Successful Exhibition Planning

There’s a valuable observation in here for marketing and communications professionals, who not only need to think about how to reach clients and prospects who have already adapted to a new normal but also how they adapt their marketing channels in light of new ways of working.

According to the 2020 Global Recovery Insights Report from the UFI, live events were sorely missed during the lockdown period by the businesses who rely on them to connect with their customers with almost half of those who exhibit at trade shows reporting their cancellation has had a detrimental impact on their business, reducing their ability to build awareness with their target markets. 43% described this impact as being large or very large.

Exhibiting still remains one of the most effective channels for reaching a highly targeted and decision-oriented audience.  Even how to exhibit hasn’t changed drastically as it’s still a case of finding the right event, booking your space and turning up.  But the way to exhibit – the process of delivering a successful event and achieving your event objectives – has most definitely evolved.  

Here’s what we’ve learnt over the last couple of years:

1. Exhibition Budget Plan

Your budget is the foundation of your exhibition project, but it’s closely connected to the other most important set of numbers you need to consider – the KPIs that will help you understand whether your exhibition has been a success.

With regard to event budget, there are lots of elements to include. The total cost will most likely vary depending on the size and scale of the exhibition, location and why you’re there.

To build your high-level exhibition budget plan, think about:

• The cost of the exhibition space
• Whether you are using a modular or custom exhibition stand and if you need to commission new components
• Additional stand furniture such as a tables, chairs and cupboard space
• Tech, IT and connectivity
• Promotional items
• Refreshments and catering
• Staffing and any associated travel/accommodation costs
• Logistics and delivery costs

Depending on the above, it’s not unusual for a total event budget to sit within the £50,000 – £150,000 bracket. This is where the second set of numbers come in as you should be able to demonstrate through measurement and KPIs that for the event investment of x, the return is expected to be y, generated through increased lead generation, sales or even brand perception.

At Aboveline, we can work with you to develop an event budget that captures all of your essential requirements as well as a bespoke exhibition stand to ensure you stand out for all the right reasons whilst you’re deploying your event strategy.

2. Exhibition Planning Brief

Your event brief is space to think about how you want to ‘show up’ at your exhibition. Consider your key messages and how you want delegates to think about your brand once the event is over. This is the place to propose any promotions you want to activate at the exhibition or if you’re attending for a specific reason, such as launching a new product or service, then you can think about what this could look like.

Your event brief is also a great place to capture how you want to work with other third-party suppliers to create your exhibition vision. This could be bespoke lighting contractors for mood and ambience, AV so that you can play music or deliver live audio, or even a hospitality partner so you can provide refreshments or ‘theatre’ within your stand environment to attract visitors.

All of these considerations will influence one of your biggest decisions: what kind of exhibition stand you want and how you want it to look.  The bigger the space you have, the more creative you can be with your design but you can have just as much brand impact in a smaller space with the right design and exhibition components.

Unless you are turning up with a very basic pop-up stand and minimal additional requirements, it’s worth investing in a partnership with an exhibition contractor.  They can help with not only the design and build of your stand, but also the logistical arrangements pre, during and post-event and managing any third-party contractors you’ve identified in your brief.

3. Plan Your Exhibition Presence

The venue an exhibition is held in and the available space to match your objectives are all really important when it comes to maximising your ROI.  Is it easy for delegates to access public transport? Is there parking or is it close to the motorway network for those driving? How experienced is the venue when it comes to hosting events and exhibitions and what support are they offering exhibitors to store components and event materials in the run up to the event? Knowing this information can help you assess the viability of exhibiting versus the investment you’ll need to make.

When booking a stand space, you should ensure that it fits both your budget and business objectives. Whatever you book needs to be worth the investment, whether that is a smaller stand away from footfall or a larger stand with much greater footfall. Work out what is best for your business.

Most exhibition organisers will offer early bird discounts or special offers for those booking early, so getting in early with your booking can often reap early savings that you can put towards your event presence.

4. Create An Exhibition Schedule

To ensure your exhibition goes smoothly, you can’t be too meticulous when it comes to planning your schedule.  Planning backwards from the event date and organising yourself for the post-event close-down and storage all need thinking about as well as how the stand is going to be managed whilst you’re live at the event.

When it comes to staffing, think about who needs to be involved in the prep, whether that’s the event concept and design or the narrative for when you’re there. You may need time to build out a script or event narrative so that those manning your stand are clear on the messaging or sales pitch.  Exhibiting is the culmination of lots of elements coming together on the day so make sure you document as much as you can.

A good exhibition partner will help you with your schedule.  At Aboveline, we use our extensive understanding of industry best practice and first-hand knowledge of the best approach in a multitude of scenarios to help our clients plan out a successful exhibition whilst carefully managing internal stakeholders to ensure everything is delivered on time.

5.  Research into Exhibition Planning

Who else is exhibiting? How many delegates are expected on each day of the exhibition and what are the expected peak footfall periods? Who is positioned next to or around your stand? What did the event look like last year?

These are all excellent questions to ask about an exhibition and can all be answered with some desk research and a phone call or two. Make sure you’re arming yourself with as much information about the exhibition as possible to help you make an informed decision about attending and then to fully maximise your exhibition presence. If you’ve taken a break from exhibiting but are looking to reinvigorate your exhibition strategy, why not reach out to our team of experts?  We live and breathe exhibitions and would love to chat with you about creating a memorable brand experience through your upcoming shows. Get in touch with our team by calling 01270 848 650 or fill in our contact form here.