Pre-Exhibition Marketing Methods to Ensure More Footfalls at Your Stall

Participating in a trade show is a serious business. For companies, it’s a platform to promote their brand and expertise, and usually involves a hefty investment. Rent for the exhibition booth space, the cost of creative exhibition stand design and installation, travel and accommodation expenses incurred by company staff attending the trade show, free give-aways and other expenses – they all add up to a fairly large number. So naturally, you have to get good return on investment.

Pre-Exhibition Marketing Methods to Ensure More Footfalls at Your Stall

Whether you are looking for sales leads or to create a buzz for your brand, whether yours is a custom built exhibition stand or a modular design, success depends on getting the right people and the right volume to your booth.

Plan ahead

Research has shown that about 70% of attendees usually make a list of the stands they plan to visit long before they enter the exhibition hall or convention centre. Most individuals visit trade shows with the intent of finding products, services, and solutions so they have a predefined plan for the stalls they will visit during the event. Hence, it is necessary to ensure that visiting your exhibition stall becomes a part of your target audience’s agenda. To do that, they must be notified about your participation in an event in advance so that they are persuaded to visit your stall.

Here are 4 marketing methods to increase the footfall at your exhibition stall and maximize the return on your investment.

1. Harness the reach of social media

Social media is a great way to notify your target group that you are participating in a specific trade show. Create posts for your business page on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram and promote your exhibit. You can highlight features of your stall, introduce special offers, share videos of your product and invite visitors to come see/try the product up close.

2. Design a catchy email campaign

When it comes to email, there are two groups to target. Firstly your inhouse database of regular customers, local contacts and solid prospects. Secondly, the registered attendees of the trade show. Organisers will usually give you access to this list, so you can shortlist possible prospects and reach out to them.

Though the most ideal strategy would be to send personalised mails or invites, it may not be practical. In any case, email marketing is a really effective and inexpensive way of informing visitors and attracting leads. Here, rather than generic invitations, try highlighting a fresh offer or product feature that works as a hook to rouse curiosity and build interest in your product or company. 

3. Invest in digital marketing

While promoting your event on social media is free, it can be helpful to leverage paid ads and posts to ensure the right people see your communication through targeting. You could also build an interactive microsite with simple questions, drop-down lists etc. encouraging visitors to set an appointment for meeting at your stand. It’s a great way to ensure potential visitors visit your exhibition booth.

4. Go offline too

In addition to online channels, don’t forget to use every offline opportunity as well. You could publish advertisements in industry magazines to promote your exhibit and make a case for prospects to visit your trade show booth.

There are many companies who prefer to use snail mail too, sending creative invitations and direct mailers. In our increasingly digital world, holding attractive communication in your hand has its own appeal.

Conclusion

When planning your pre-exhibition marketing strategy, it’s worth remembering that even a creative exhibition stand design can draw crowds. But high footfall doesn’t always translate into success. A well-planned and efficiently-executed pre-exhibition marketing strategy can ensure that a high percentage of visitors are from your target demographic so you generate more relevant leads.

Benefits of Custom Exhibition Stand Design over Modular Designs

Best Custom Exhibition Stand Design In India?

Custom Exhibition Stand Design

Broadly speaking, there are two types of exhibition stands: custom and modular. Each has its pros and cons. Modular display stands are built from individual modular parts and usually consist of metal frames, connectors and the business’ chosen graphics. The stands are available in a range of standardized styles, and sizes, and they are simple to put together and take apart. The primary advantage of modular stands over custom exhibition stand design is the fact that they are more cost-effective, and have been designed for mobility and multiple usage.

On the other hand, custom exhibition stands are tailored to specific requirements. They offer scope to be creative with design and display ideas, and to make a statement that is exclusively and distinctively, YOU.

In this article, we take a more in-depth look at the plus points of custom exhibition stand design.

Get noticed

One hardly needs reminding that it’s a highly competitive world out there so you really need to stand out and get noticed. Your trade fair booth design needs to grab attention and attract footfall. With custom exhibition stand design, you get a chance to create something unique and innovative that stands a better chance of getting noticed. With a custom structure, bespoke graphics, strong branding and endless possibilities of videos, animations, virtual environments and interactive games – your custom stand is certain to make your stand memorable.

Build brand

Bespoke exhibition stands are designed with your brand at the heart. Style, graphics, colours, messaging – they can all be used to make your stand distinctive and memorable. A made-to-measure stand is an opportunity to present your corporate identity and brand values the way you want, with powerful messaging to reiterate and enhance your brand positioning. Custom exhibition stall design with creative flair and integrated branding approach will help you stand out on the crowded trade show floor.

Have flexibility

Custom stands can be designed to make optimal use of space. Depending on the stand you have booked, its dimensions, layout, open sides, etc., you can design structures and displays according to your exhibition objectives. You have the flexibility to use the space, map the visitor’s journey and plan displays for better ergonomics and visibility. You can also include features that can be modified and adapted for future shows, so your bespoke exhibition stand is a smart investment for your business.

Conclusion

Whilst a standardised, modular exhibition stand might be more affordable, and you can design panels as creatively as you like, it doesn’t offer the exciting possibilities of a bespoke stand. If you want to create a real buzz; if you want to make your business more eye-catching and memorable; custom exhibition stand design is the only way to go. A custom stand will exploit the benefits of extreme flexibility of design to create a structure that makes best use of given space, attracts the right visitors, achieves your exhibition goals, and builds your brand in the most impactful manner.

Bright ideas in exhibition stall design

As we come close to the end of 2018, it’s time to gear up for a busy season of trade shows. In India, winter is a popular time of year and there are a number of expos and trade shows in the offing.

It’s time to plan how to make the most of your exhibition budget. You’ve probably already decided and booked your space at the exhibitions of your choice, so now it’s time to partner with a creative and reliable exhibition stall design & construction agency that can deliver best designs and ROI. 

Here are some of the current trends in exhibition design that you should be aware of. 

Less wood, more aluminium

Earlier, modular stands were created out of wood, but recent developments in the industry have changed that. The latest trend is lightweight aluminium panels which can be joined together easily and can be assembled in half (or even less) of the time it takes to build a wooden stand. What’s more, these aluminium frames can feature easy-change fabric graphics or graphics on a rigid substrate such as foam board which means you can have custom branding at a fraction of the cost compared to a wooden stand.

Things are getting curvy

The days of square layouts and boxy construction are gone. From shell schemes to the gantry rigs, stand designers are experimenting with curves that will help create a point of difference at the trade show. Curved stands mean your branding can be seen from every angle, and can be used creatively for different objectives. For example, for displaying company history or a timeline of innovation, curved surfaces offer a creative flow. In larger exhibition stands, curves are being used to create little booths for private interaction with select visitors.

Best of all, curved stands are no longer as expensive as they used to be, so more and more exhibitors can use them in their creative exhibition stand design.

Focus on lights

Lighting has always been an important element of exhibition stand design and now, with the advancements in lighting technology, creative exhibition stall designers have a large and exciting range of options to work with. Designers will focus on creating the right lighting accent for the custom exhibition stands, so that it compliments and enhances the branding and colour palette chosen for the stand.

LED light walls, backlit displays, LED-illuminated portable displays and backlit accessories such as light box counters and center towers can be used to fantastic effect for award winning exhibition stand design. Not only does backlighting take display graphics to the next level, it creates brand visibility from afar, attracting attention and footfalls for your stand.

Complimentary offerings

These days, almost everyone carries multiple devices which need charging. That’s why in more and more public places, we see more and more charging stations. Offering such a service is a good way to attract visitors to your exhibition stand, as is providing refreshments. Visitors spend hours at trade shows, and so a cool drink or small snack is always welcome. You can use digital technology to publicise your offering – and drive traffic to your stall. Then, while visitors wait for their device to charge or sip on your complimentary drink, your sales staff will have a good chance to initiate conversation and engage in some meaningful sales talk. 

Interactive technology

Exhibitors are increasingly using interactive technology such as Virtual Reality to engage the audience in a trade show setting.  It helps to attract visitors, keep them occupied if the staff is busy, and conduct some experiential marketing. By including a virtual reality headset or game, you can demonstrate your company’s offerings in a memorable way, and add an element of fun to the experience. 

For a successful trade show booth experience, it pays to collaborate with an exhibition stand design company that has the experience, skills and creativity to deliver maximum impact. SEED (Smart Exhibition & Environment Display) can assist with complete Exhibition Design solutions from concept to commissioning. SEED is a leading Exhibition Stand Design company with over 25 years of real-world experience in creative exhibition stall design and an impressive list of clients and award-winning stands to its credit. 

As a proven pan-India and globally operating expo booth designer, SEED has a world-wide network of production vendors, stall builders & contractors to ensure your booth design is installed with quality, economy and hassle-free efficiency.  Our team of professional designers & architects stay abreast with the latest trends and create custom booth designs that enhance and promote your brand with relevant engagement and compelling impact. 

Contact www. smartexhibitiondesign.com

CHECKLIST FOR EFFECTIVE EXHIBITION STALLS

Most businesses in the corporate world know, and acknowledge, the value of trade shows. What’s more, the value doesn’t just hold good for the ‘big guns’. Even small businesses and startups can benefit from this platform.

Trade shows offer an opportunity for real-time interaction; for face-to-face communication with prospects and customers. It’s a platform to build brand and launch new products and services while staying abreast of what’s happening in your industry. 

Exhibition Stall Design & Build

There are some things to consider and inputs to incorporate - before, during and after the show - if you want your trade show booth to deliver effective return on investment. Here’s a smart checklist.

BEFORE THE SHOW

- Appoint a professional design agency

- Develop a creative stand with a strong key message

- Ensure proper presentation of your brand

- Train staff to man the stall

- Inform customers & prospects about your participation

DURING THE SHOW

- Ensure your staff is greeting visitors warmly and providing required information

- Offer refreshments and/or giveaways to attract visitors

- Distribute relevant sales collaterals

- Scan attendees' badges or collect business cards to create a record of people you meet

AFTER THE SHOW 

- Follow-up with leads captured during the trade show

- Help your prospects move to the next level

- Review and analyze ‘lessons learned’ 

- If using a modular display system, dismantle and store components safely until the next show

SEED (Strategic Exhibition & Environment Display) can partner with you for complete Exhibition Design solutions from concept to commissioning. SEED is an Exhibition Design company with over 25 years of real-world experience in creative exhibition stall design for hundreds of companies – big and small, local and MNC, B2B and B2C. Thoughtful strategy aligns with well-crafted designs to achieve the specific goals set out by every client for each exhibition.

Creative Exhibition Stall Design

Whatever your industry; no matter where the exhibition, SEED has the expertise and network to ensure creative and timely trade show booth build that optimizes impact and ROI.

www.smartexhibitiondesign.com

Exhibition Stand Designers for IIDE 2015

IIDE 2015 – India International Dairy Expo for the dairy industry, focusing on dairy farming, veterinary, processing, packaging, quality management, distribution and also the dairy products. With such an exhaustive focus on the dairy industry, IIDE has become the most important trade fair catering to the needs of the Indian dairy industry. IIDE 2915 is scheduled to be held on 23^rd, 24^th & 25^th of April, 2015, at the Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai, INDIA.

SEED is an Exhibition booth design company located at Pune, India. We specialize in stall fabrication across India. Our exhibition stall designs and corporate exhibition stalls have won us many accolades.

Visit us at: www.smartexhibitiondesing.com, or contact us at :+919373273322

Tips On Getting The Most From Your Exhibition Stall Design

Once you’ve decided to participate in an exhibition or trade fair and you’ve hired a reliable exhibition stall designer to help you make your presence felt, there are some things you can do to maximize the return on your investment.

A seasoned exhibition stall designer will take the trouble to understand your company, its values and culture as well as the purpose of participating in that particular exhibition or trade fair, before coming up with suitable and creative stand designs. These professionals will also study the space available and the logistics, like angles and lighting, before suggesting an appropriate expobooth design or trade show display ideas that will allow you to fully utilize the space and logistics available to you.

But what can you, as company hiring an exhibition stall designer, do to make the most of your exhibition stall design? Here are some tips (from a professional exhibition stall designer) that might help you get the most from your exhibition stall design.

Tip #1

If possible, conduct a dry run of the assembly of the exhibition stand or booth. (This will not be required if you commission your exhibition stall designer to handle the assembly and dismantling.)

In case your team is going to manage the assembly and dismantling on their own, it is a good idea to construct the stand or booth and put up the artwork at the office premises; especially if this is the first time you are using this particular exhibition stall design. This will give the team a chance to understand the design and the complexity of the stand or booth. It will also help them know how long assembly and dismantling will take and how many people will be required. Additionally, it will give them practice and confidence to set up on the final day, knowing the tips and tricks, like which parts to place first, etc. This will save time and energy (and also avoid arguments) on the day of the event.

Tip #2

Ensure all the “extras”, like lighting and electrical points, are made available before the actual event.

Someone from your team or your exhibition stall designer needs to check the venue for logistics because it may not be possible to fix things like unavailability of sufficient lighting or plug points, on the actual day of the exhibition. All the “extras”, in terms of cables, wires, extension boards, etc, should be procured and kept ready before the final day.

This is even more important if your exhibition stall design involves audio or video, lack of which would bring down the whole show.

Tip #3

Make sure all your promotional items, like handouts, leaflets and especially giveaways, are ready well in advance, because there is nothing more embarrassing, in the exhibition context, than a customer pointing at a sign that says, “free t-shirt” and you having to apologize for not having any.

If you plan to invest in freebees or giveaways, you or your exhibition stall designer should ideally check with the organizers of the exhibition if there are any things that are not allowed to be distributed at that particular exhibition or venue.

Tip #4

Brief the team, who will be manning your stall or kiosk. Aside from knowing what to say and how to interact with potential customers, they should be briefed about the general rules of decorum for representing your company at an exhibition or trade show.

For instance, you should make them aware that overstepping the space assigned to you or making too much noise will attract the wrong kind of attention, especially from the organizers.

Tip #5

Remember to have fun. No customer wants to approach someone who looks glum or too busy.

Your representatives should look like they are enjoying themselves and happy to interact with customers; not looking bored or busy doing something else.

Hence, to get the most of your exhibition stall design you need to plan, check and re-check every aspect of your stall or booth design, including the representatives manning the stall or booth.

For more tips and complete Exhibition Design Solutions check out Smart and Effective ExhibitionDesign (SEED) - a brand activation strategy by Interics Designs Pvt. Ltd, one of Pune’s top ten agencies.

Getting The Right Attention At Exhibitions

Exhibitions and trade shows provide a great platform for businesses to showcase themselves, their products and their services. They allow for mass communication and direct interaction with the target audience. But the potential customer noticing your presence at an exhibition of a thousand plus participants simply isn’t enough. Seeing your stall should peak his interest enough to want to approach the stall and explore your display or interact with the personnel manning the stall. And all you have is ten seconds to make it happen!

This isn't an impossible task if you have professional help. Exhibition Stall Designers can help you stand out at exhibitions and trade fairs, without seeming desperate for attention.

Screaming or Begging for Attention

Loud colours, cluttered displays and scantily clad representatives reflect badly on your brand. It’s actually quite a turnoff- like a spoilt child, screaming and wailing for attention –nobody takes it seriously. Such tactics may grab attention initially, but do not arouse enough curiosity to make the viewer approach the stall. In short, this kind of attention is useless, if not detrimental, to your brand.

Imagine walking by an overly embellished stall at a trade fair, with props and decorations falling all over the place. You would probably ignore it and walk on by or feel sorry for the business for having to go this far for a little attention. Exhibition Stall Designers know that this isn't the kind of attention that will prove beneficial to your brand or your sales.

What works

Good exhibition stall design is one that acts as a resource, allowing your audience to interact with you instantly; One that makes your audience want to interact with you instantly.

Obviously, there are no golden rules or secret formulae that Exhibition Stall Designers use while creating exhibition stand designs. These professionals study the location, such as outdoor or indoor exhibition, space, lighting and your target audience before planning and crafting a suitable design that will help you utilize the space in the most efficient manner, allowing for maximum possible interaction with your potential customers.

However, making full use of the given space is the least of your worries. You also have to ensure that the exhibition stall design or exhibition booth design is unique and intriguing, as well as embodies your brand and the product or service you are offering.

Depending on the nature of your business, an experienced Exhibition Stall Designer should be able to come up with at least 5 novel and feasible exhibition stall designs. Though, there is no end how creative you can get with exhibition stalls and booths, you must remember that all the panels, display items, and flyers as well as representatives should look and act in accordance with your brand guidelines and company values.

Good practices

While selecting an exhibition stall design, avoid getting too carried away with display ideas that are too colorful or too complex – so much so that they take the focus off your brand and product or service.
Interactive activities are great fun at exhibitions and trade fairs – as long as they serve their purpose of connecting the customer to the brand.

To recognize good exhibition stall design, ask yourself a few questions –
Is it making full use of my company logo?
Are the colours, visuals, activities and representatives in accordance with my brand?
Is all the information on the display attractive and legible?
Are all the images/photographs appropriate?
Is the design suitable for the location, space and lighting?

Insider Tip

What looks good on the screen or paper may not be the same in reality. Ask your Exhibition Stall Designer about the feasibility of the proposed stall or booth design. You may need to make sure that all your displays are tried and tested in actual settings before finalizing the ideas.

Smart and Effective Exhibition Design (SEED) is a brand activation strategy by Interics Designs Pvt. Ltd. (one of Pune’s top ten agencies) for complete Exhibition Design Solutions from concept to commissioning.