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designcom@expoexhibitionstands.comChoosing the perfect trade show for your brand in Europe, with hundreds unfolding every month, might seem like navigating a labyrinth.
In the hustle and bustle of trade shows, where everyone’s fighting for a bit of attention, it’s all high stakes, isn’t it? How your booth looks and how savvy your team is can really make or break how your brand comes across!
A smart marketer always learns from other marketers’ mistakes. Such mistakes are common at trade show rental stands where businesses from a particular industry market their products and services.
A lot of exhibitors often ignore small things when planning their big shows. And more often than not, these errors are related to booth staffing and exhibition stand design. And both of them are hands down, your brand reflection at an exhibition. So, if you’re aiming to avoid the common mistakes exhibitors make while designing their exhibition stand rentals and preparing their staff for the big day, here’s what you need to know.
Creating a safety zone:
Your staffers might not realize it, but it falls on you to make sure they understand the importance of maintaining a professional attitude at trade show stands. Often, you’ll find staff members clustering in corners or against the walls of the booth, or around the presentation areas, chatting among themselves. These areas where they congregate are dubbed “safety zones”. Staffers subconsciously look for an escape from the crush of attendees and end up in comfortable zones projecting that they are having a casual staff meeting.
Your potential visitors or passersby, when walking past your custom exhibition stand rental, would not step in as they might feel they are intruding on your private space or casual meeting. The exhibition halls are usually very huge, and the visitors will most probably not get a chance to walk past your booth twice. So, teach your staff that sitting or standing at their ease can cost you a potential lead.
Presenting a strong pitch and ignoring what visitors are looking for:
This has everything to do with your sales script and inexperienced staff members. An overly aggressive sales pitch or presentation is likely to backfire. Grasp the straightforward idea that marketing is about persuading, not forcing or deceiving people into making purchases. When making your presentations, you need to talk more about facts and the latest trends and less about yourself. The “all about me” strategy will likely turn away potential customers, mainly because everyone claims to be the best.
Another thing that can upset your trade show attendees is the information that they are not looking for. It’s always better to indulge in conversations with your attendees and try to understand exactly what they are looking for, instead of overwhelming them with a memorized sales script.
Handing out literature and premiums to avoid talking:
Keep this simple fact in mind: your exhibit staff is your brand ambassador and they should not cut corners when representing your brand at the show you have been planning for months. Often, staff members are unsure about how to strike up a conversation with unfamiliar people and end up handing out marketing materials like brochures, flyers or giveaways to keep them occupied. This definitely isn’t the right approach.
You should only take those members on board who are good at networking and interested in talking to your prospects. However, it’s crucial to also provide your trade show stand rental staff with training that teaches them how to finalise a sale, establish a connection, and interact with an interested visitor.
Ensure that your staff either has prior experience with exhibitions and understands how to engage with visitors, or provide them with the necessary training.
Standing at the booth like a security guard:
This is also a common mistake many staff members end up making in order to come across as proactive. Sometimes, staff members unintentionally patrol the peripheries of exhibition stand rentals to make themselves look approachable to visitors. It might surprise you, but this can actually create a barrier between your exhibition stand and the visitors.
While keeping your booth energetic and proactive is essential, there’s no need for staff members to stand guard as if they’re vigilantly watching for something. Sitting behind the desk and waiting for visitors to approach is also not the right way. So, here they surely need to strike a balance between the two.
Mixing the outer edges of the booth with structural elements:
When finalizing your bespoke exhibition stand design, keep in mind that your booth should look welcoming and congenial. Many exhibitors make the mistake of mixing the outer edges of their booth with the internal structures, which blocks a lot of space in between and creates a castle-wall effect which may project that you want to keep invaders at bay.
Whether it’s an exhibition stand rental or a custom trade show stand, make sure these barricaded castle-like structures are not part of your booth ideas. Your booth walls (if any) and internal structures should be aligned in such a way that induces easy visitor flow. Visitors shouldn’t feel like they are intruding; instead, ensure your booth space is open and inviting.
Keeping a gap between the aisle carpet and exhibition flooring:
Even though you know the exact measurement of your booth space, you may not be aware of the carpeting measurement of the fairground. A lot of exhibitors don’t know whether their booth flooring is extending all the way to the aisle carpet and they end up creating a moat or gap which can hinder the smooth visitor flow.
Even though it’s not a physical barrier, it affects the passersby’s psychology, making them feel that they need to cross an impediment to enter both. So, the takeaway for you is that make sure that the aisle carpeting touches the edges of your trade show stand rental so that there is no interruption in the visual flow.
Barriers due to colour or lighting contrasts:
Don’t overlook the impact of strong contrasts. They might create visual obstacles that, as an exhibitor, you may not notice. However, for an attendee, these contrasts can subconsciously influence their perception. Before you finalize your custom exhibition stand design, you must ask the fairground authorities about the colour of the carpets. There’s no need for your exhibition booth’s colours or design to match the fairground’s carpeting exactly. The key is to ensure that your booth flooring doesn’t clash with the exhibition carpeting.
Lighting is yet another medium that can create striking contrasts and hinder the visual barrier. Excessively illuminated booth spaces, when contrasted with the ambient lighting of the fairground, can appear to form a “force field.” This effect often deters visitors, who might think they’re encroaching upon a reserved or secure area. Again, have a word with your exhibition stand builder and make sure that they don’t incorporate lighting which is in striking contrast with fairground lighting.
Insufficient booth staffing:
Insufficient booth staff is the last thing you want for your trade show booth rental. Many exhibitors invest in large booth spaces and develop top-notch exhibition stand designs, yet they overlook the importance of having enough staff on hand. Just imagine you have a visitor at your booth, but there’s no one available to assist them, or your staff is busy attending to the other visitors. You can only imagine the impression you will create on the visitors.
For medium or large booths, ensure you have enough staff to cover all key areas of your exhibition stand. For example, there should be an adequate amount of people to manage your demonstrations, presentations, product sampling, meetings, and booth reception.
Failure to follow up:
Neglecting to follow up with leads and contacts after an exhibition is a significant misstep. Without a clear strategy for post-event engagement, you risk allowing promising leads to fade away and miss out on potential business ventures. Effective follow-up means promptly reaching out to maintain the momentum of initial interactions. Tailoring your communication to reflect the specifics of each lead’s interests and needs can make a substantial difference.
Employing a mix of follow-up methods—emails, calls, or social media messages—and offering additional value, like informative resources or exclusive offers, is key. This approach not only bolsters lead conversion rates but also lays the groundwork for lasting professional relationships, maximizing the ROI from your event participation.
Creating a low-quality exhibition stand:
Last but not least; bear in mind that an exhibition is a place where your competitors have assembled under one roof, and everyone has the best marketing plan to promote their businesses. They come up with the best exhibition stand design ideas to complement their products and services. It’s crucial not to compromise on the quality of your booth or any related equipment. Setting up a subpar booth can either make you blend into the background unnoticed or, worse, isolate you and deter people from approaching.
Whether you want to buy a trade show stand or wish to opt for exhibition stand rental, make sure you hire the best bespoke exhibition stand contractors in Europe who do not compromise the quality of your booth. Practically speaking, when exhibiting at European exhibitions, the quality of your booth and marketing materials must meet European standards. If they don’t, you might encounter problems even setting up your exhibition booth from the start.
Conclusion:
Understanding the common mistakes in exhibition stand design and setup is crucial for effective trade show preparation. By integrating these insights into your planning, you’re better equipped to create a compelling and successful booth. This involves focusing on high-quality design, ensuring staff are well-trained, engaging with interactive elements, and maintaining a cohesive brand message.
Additionally, having a clear follow-up strategy for leads is essential. All these elements together will enhance your trade show presence, attract more visitors, and facilitate meaningful interactions. Ultimately, this comprehensive approach will significantly increase your chances of achieving your marketing goals and making a lasting impact at your next international exhibition.
About Expo Exhibition Stands:
Since 1979, Expo Exhibition Stands has been a leading exhibition stand builder with a strong presence in 7 major European countries. At the core of our approach is a deep understanding of your brand and its specific needs. Our skilled 3D designers specialize in creating bespoke exhibition stand designs that perfectly meet your criteria. Within five business days, we send you a 3D design of your stand along with a comprehensive quote. If you’d like any modifications or refinements, we’re fully prepared to revise the design. Additionally, we provide a dedicated project manager to ensure that your exhibition stand rental doesn’t just meet your expectations but surpasses them, setting you up for a successful event in 2024. With our support, you’re not just getting ready for an exhibition; you’re gearing up for a triumph.
