Tag Archive for: tradeshow

Choosing the Right Stand Builder 

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Any working relationship is important. When working with another person or organisation, you want the process to be as smooth and successful as possible, so that both parties are delighted with the end result. 

The same goes for working with a stand builder. From the moment you begin working with each other, you want the relationship with your stand builder to thrive. 

But how do you know which stand builder to choose? And how do you decide who is the ‘right’ stand builder for you?

In this blog, we explain exactly how you can go about choosing a stand builder that fits with you, your business, and your future exhibitions. 

There are a range of questions that you should ask in order to figure out which stand builders could help successfully bring your vision to life. 

1. Do the company values of the stand builder align with your own? 

A company’s values are what make them… them. They’re at the heart of everything the business stands for and can be what sets them apart from their competitors.

So why would you work with a stand builder who disregards or disagrees with your values? 

Your exhibition stand is a representation of who you are, and therefore should convey those core values that you’ve worked hard to define. If you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of an attendee, you want those few seconds to portray your company as strongly as possible. 

Therefore, when you work with a stand builder who does not align with these core values, they are unlikely to do them justice. That’s why choosing a stand builder who understands your vision, your values, and your purpose as a brand, is so crucial.

You can read Be Exhibitions’ values here. 

2. Does the stand builder’s creative vision align with yours? 

Similarly to point 1, another key thing that you and your stand builder must agree on is creative visions. 

The way your company looks leaves a lasting impression – especially if an exhibition stand is the first thing a potential customer sees.

It’s crucial that your stand builder has a creative vision that aligns with yours in order to create a stand that you’re visually delighted with. They must understand what it is you’re wanting to achieve and how you’re hoping to achieve it in order to bring that vision to life. 

It’s always worth looking at previous stands designed by this stand builder and reading testimonials to see if they’ve achieved their customers’ creative visions in the past. 

3. Is the account handler helpful? 

An early sign as to whether or not the stand builder is a good fit for you is whether or not they’re helpful. 

When we say helpful, we mean:

  • Answering questions promptly
  • Dealing with organisers and their queries promptly
  • Advising any stand build/design decisions
  • Advising useful exhibition extras like promotional goods/branded goods

A helpful account handler makes all the difference. They add value to your exhibition stand experience, making your life easier and your stand the best it can be. 

4. What accreditations do they have? 

Besides ESSA (Event Supplier and Service Association), do these stand builders have any accreditations that demonstrate their commitment to crafting exceptional exhibition stands? Or accreditations that are important to your brand?

At Be Exhibitions, we are a member of ESSA. In fact, Ellen, our Director, is the Young Person of the Year for ESSA. Recently she’s been achieving individual accreditations in health and safety, to ensure we’re as up-to-date and in the know as possible. 

We are also a member of the Good Business Charter.

5. Is the experience enjoyable so far? 

Of course, most things come with a little stress. But one of the main purposes of working with a stand builder is to be able to offload that stress and immense responsibility onto a professional, meaning hassle on your end should be minimal. 

From the initial consultation right through the day of the exhibition (and beyond), this collaboration should be an enjoyable experience, and something you walk away from with positivity. If this isn’t how you feel with a stand builder, then they’re not the right one for you.

Work with Be Exhibitions 

With all this in mind, if you’d be interested in creating a strong relationship with a stand builder who is passionate about honesty, personal touch, quality and sustainability, get in touch. 

Contact us today. 

01425837005

info@beexhibitions.co.uk

Top 6 things to consider when including products on your stand

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Your products are at the core of your business. Without them, where would your business be? That’s why including your products on your exhibition stand is so crucial – but it needs to be done right.

Exhibitions are a unique chance for potential customers to interact directly with your products – to see them face-to-face and touch, hear, and see them in action. However, there are a number of things that businesses often overlook when it comes to exhibition stands, and many of these are related to the way in which they display their products.

To avoid taking the focus away from your products, we’re sharing 6 things to consider when creating your perfect exhibition stand.

1. Stand spacing

Will multiple people want to interact with your products at once? The chances are, they will.

At exhibitions, you’re likely to be welcoming groups of people wanting to touch and experience your products, and you need to ensure you’re allocating enough space for this.

If your products are all crammed together or placed in the corner, people are more likely to simply look from afar while others engage, or walk past altogether, resulting in missed opportunities.

We recommend spacing out your products and leaving sufficient room for multiple people to get involved at the same time.

2. Internet requirements 

Do your products need an internet connection? Don’t overlook this, it could be the difference between brilliant demos and hours of network issues.

Typically speaking, the internet at events is slow and expensive, and to get a decent download speed you have to spend a lot of money.

Because of this, many businesses may decide not to rely on the capabilities of the event wifi and will instead bring personal hotspots, especially if they have many products running on a single internet connection.

3. Software demonstrations

The internet can also play a huge part in software demonstrations. Your hardware is key to ensuring any software demonstrations show the product in its best light – from the minimum hardware requirements, availability of demo data, size of screens and more.

If you can set up your demos to run locally instead of via the internet, life will be a lot easier and much less expensive. It wouldn’t necessarily make a difference to stand design, but would make a big impact on budget.

Furthermore – you must test, test, test before the show! Test with internet, without internet, in the office, at home, at a public space, anywhere and everywhere to make sure that any kinks are ironed out before the show. This will save an enormous amount of time and stress during build up and during the event itself.

4. Electrical needs 

What needs power, how much is needed, and how accessible is it?

No matter the size of your exhibition stand, adequately powering your electrical products is fundamental. If incorrect – whether that be too little power, too few points, or even too much power, there can be terrible consequences.

Usually, an exhibition organiser will ask for your power needs in advance, meaning you should turn up on the day with exactly what you asked for. However, this means being prepared ahead of time and knowing which products need powering and where they’ll be on your stand.

Plus, bringing a few spare extension cords is never a bad idea. 

If exhibiting abroad, you also need to consider adaptors. For more tips on exhibiting abroad, read our blog – ‘How to avoid the pitfalls of exhibiting internationally’.

5. The weight of your products

Before your stand is built it’s important to chat to your stand designers/builders about the weight of your products.

The choice of material they’re mounted on will be affected by their weight, as well as their mounting style (wall, desk, cabinet etc.)

The last thing you want is a product falling or being unstable, not only could this cause damage to your stand, but it could also be a health and safety hazard. So, get weighing!

6. Your messaging

Does your messaging match the products that are on display? As new products are released and others discontinued, you may find that your exhibition stand messaging needs changing.

Check this well in advance of the exhibition date, as changes may need to be made by stand designers, with new graphics designed and printed. Afterall, outdated messaging gives off the wrong impression.

Showcase your products with Be Exhibitions 

There can be many requirements of a well-built stand and promoting your products is just one, but it’s a very important one.

If you’d like your products to stand out, we can help.

Contact us today:

01425837005

info@beexhibitions.co.uk

How to avoid the pitfalls of exhibiting internationally

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Top 6 things to consider when taking your stand abroad

Thinking of exhibiting overseas? Or perhaps you’ve already booked your space? Fantastic – time to get prepared.

Exhibiting abroad can be great for your business. The many benefits – from reaching a wider audience and developing brand awareness, to increasing sales or entering new markets – easily outweigh the pitfalls, but you still must take time to actively avoid them.

In this blog, we’ll talk you through how to make the most of your overseas exhibition by avoiding the most common pitfalls.

1 Failing to plan is planning to fail

Exhibiting in the UK takes a lot of planning, let alone heading overseas. When it comes to visiting and exhibiting at an international exhibition, planning must begin many, many months in advance.

When considering factors such as travel, transporting the stand, country guidelines and laws, extra costs, and language barriers (to name a few), the to-do list stacks up. 

However, you don’t have to do it alone. Be Exhibitions can take on that load for you.

BigFaFa, Amsterdam

2 Shipping

Organising international shipping should not be overlooked as an easy task. The size and weight of your stand, as well as the destination will affect the cost, vehicle, and means of transport.

When it comes to transporting your stand to and from the country, it’s often cheaper to send it by boat than it is by plane – but this takes longer.

Delays are also a real possibility and should be considered in advance.

What3words, Vegas,USA

3 Extra costs (did someone say drayage?)

Extra costs can creep up on you if you’re not careful. In fact, they’re often unavoidable. But preparing for these as best you can is key. In some countries, exhibiting simply costs more than at home. For example, it costs 5X more to exhibit in the USA than it does in Europe.

One thing you may not be aware of in the states is drayage – the cost of having your stand moved from the delivery vehicle at the venue to your exhibition space. Don’t forget this one as it can catch you out!

It’s worth noting that a few countries do not accept cash for show services, so keeping a debit or credit card nearby is also a good idea to ensure you’re not caught short.

Researching the cheapest means of travel and accommodation for employees should also be done in advance to save on last minute costs. As a general rule, if something is left to the last minute, it is likely to cost more.

4 Consider the language barrier

Does the country you’re exhibiting in speak English? It may be that a second language needs to be considered on your stand.

Perhaps altering your signage to be more accessible to visitors is something – whether that be adding translations or minimising the amount of written wording used. In the same vein, having your flyers, business cards, pamphlets and promotional merchandise printed in English as well as the language of the country you’re exhibiting in will let all visitors know what your brand is all about.

Having a staff member or partner who speaks the local language is also crucial to ensure that no visitors get ignored. It also doesn’t hurt to learn appropriate greetings before your visit.

Micro Nav, Switzerland

5 Get to know the country and the culture

Different countries have different exhibiting rules and regulations that businesses need to be aware of before they arrive to exhibit. To avoid arriving and running into issues, research should be done well in advance and before making solid arrangements.

The culture is also key. Depending on where you’re exhibiting will depend on the way in which business is conducted and the stands are operated. For example, in some countries it may be customary to slightly bow your head rather than shake hands.

6 Leave nothing behind

When attending an exhibition in the UK, extra baggage is not usually an issue, as you can pop it in the back of a car or courier it to the venue. Therefore, the items you remember at the last minute can be thrown in the car before you head off. However, this is not the case when heading abroad. Those last-minute items – extension cords, name badges, promotional items – need to be thought about in advance and a checklist created. Of course, some items can be bought by your team, but this could end up being extra hassle, extra cost and time consuming to arrange.

The Cube, Madrid. This cube did a European tour!

Go international with Be Exhibitions

Exhibiting at international shows is a valuable experience that can help boost brand exposure and sales to a level that may otherwise be impossible in the UK alone. With new markets to tap in to, shipping your stand overseas is worth the extra effort.

If you’d like to avoid the pitfalls altogether and let someone else keep you organised, give us a call.

Contact us today.

01425837005

info@beexhibitions.co.uk