Your exhibition stand will contribute massively to your success at any trade shows you attend. It essentially acts as the foundation from which you project your brand, and as a result, a lot hinges on getting your approach just right.
To make sure you don’t make some simple mistakes, we thought we’d list some of the common pitfalls when it comes to exhibition stand design and execution. From designing without intentionality to going off-brand, here’s what you need to be aware of.
Designing without clear intentions
Any design process, whether you’re making a pair of trousers or a car, needs to start with a clear set of goals and intentions.
With exhibition stands, these might include showing off a new product, creating a space to talk with potential clients, or just creating something that strongly represents your brand.
If you start the design process without these goals clearly laid out, you’ll likely struggle to come up with something that’s actually relevant to your needs.
Not working with a professional design service
At trade shows, you have relatively little time to make a big impact on others in your industry. While the brevity of these events can make companies hesitant about investing properly in an exhibition stand, that’s exactly why you need to have as good a stand as possible to showcase your business.
Working with a design specialist such as Focal Exhibitions can maximise your chances of creating something that really works. Besides, once you’ve designed something that’s effective, you can use it at future events for years to come.
Poor use of space
At trade shows, you only have a limited amount of space to show off your brand. As a result, you really can’t afford to waste any space in your exhibition stand design.
If you’re using your stand to create an immersive space to welcome visitors into, then every single square metre of that space needs to be working in your favour.
Whether you integrate branding into your tables and chairs or have other hybrid uses of space, you need to think about how you’re doing everything in your power to make the most of what you’ve been given.
Going off-brand
Lastly, you want to make sure that your exhibition represents your brand as accurately as possible.
As you’ll be at a trade show, it’s expected that your brand will be projected loudly and clearly – you don’t have to worry about being too subtle, but you do need to make sure you don’t go too off-brand.
From logo orientation to the colours you’re using, you need to make sure that everything is in line with your brand guidelines, including the way in which you’re communicating your message.
Creating a highly effective exhibition stand can be a tricky task, and it’s generally not something you should try to do alone. There’s a lot that goes into the design process, and you need to make sure it reflects both your brand principles and your specific goals for attending trade shows.
