Answers to popular questions about exhibition stands from the exhibition designer of ESBAU
Regardless of the size of your company, if you are planning to exhibit at a trade show, you will be faced with the question of booth design. In fact, the booth design needs to be a superstar at the exhibition and stand out from the competition.
Experienced companies know that booth design should be entrusted to a specialized design agency or exhibition booth builders. There are always designers on the staff of the booth builder. However, we recommend that you entrust the task of booth design to the booth builder. The stand builder’s designers know from experience how to draw a design that can be realized in the future. The builder is interested in minimizing or avoiding mistakes and inconveniences that may be made by an inexperienced designer who has never seen a production in person.
To make it easier for companies to decide how to make the proper exhibition stand design or where to order it, the leading designer of the ESBAU Yaroslav Gerelovsky exhibition stand construction company gave answers to the most frequent questions of clients.
The most common questions
What is an exhibition stand?
Complete visualization of the booth at the exhibition. All available design elements (graphic materials, logos, colors, key images) are used for the visualization. The ultimate goal is to visualize the brand image through the eyes of the designer or brand audience.
Which exhibitions are worth visiting?
As a designer, I would like to say that all exhibitions are worth attending. However, a company should independently determine the list of critical exhibitions to attend or participate in based on the company’s business goals and direction.
Why do I need an exhibition stand?
Participating in an exhibition is a unique opportunity to make yourself known to the whole world and benefit from it in the form of sales or strengthening your position in the market. The objectives are different, as are the sizes of the companies that decide to participate in exhibitions.
How much does an exhibition stand cost?
The cost of a booth depends primarily on the design of the booth. The cost is also influenced by the size of the area the company plans to rent. The price is also influenced by the country of the exhibition, the popularity of the exhibition, and the costs of organization for the organizer of the exhibition. The design of the exhibition stand determines the materials from which it will be made, and this significantly affects the price. That is why it is essential to determine the budget for the construction of the exhibition stand at the stage of planning participation in the exhibition and to create a design based on it.
What are the latest trends in exhibition stand design?
Over the past five years, the exhibition world has seen a shift in focus towards reducing its impact on the environment. As a result, a wide range of environmentally friendly materials such as cardboard, wood, composite, and recycled plastic are being used to design exhibition stands.
In addition, LED screens, interactive panels, and holograms are increasingly being used in exhibition booths to attract attention and create a WOW effect for visitors.
3D printing has also become an essential part of the exhibition business.
What is better, to rent or buy an exhibition stand?
There is no single answer to this question. It depends on your objectives at the show and your company’s marketing goals. You will always rent a booth with limited design options and a primitive assembly system. A custom booth will be built according to an individual design and look more organic with sophisticated materials.
Stand design
Can I use my own design for an exhibition stand?
Of course, you can use your own booth design. Your designer must consider the physical properties of the materials and the static loads that the design will generate in reality when assembled. This is the only way to guarantee that the booth design will be realized.
How to choose the right exhibition stand for your business?
It would not be correct to say that some booths are suitable and some are wrong. The choice of booth depends on what kind of space you get on the show floor. It can be an island booth, a corner booth, an inline booth, a peninsula booth, or complex variations of these. Companies make their own decision on what type of booth to build, depending on their goals for the upcoming show.
How to design an effective exhibition stand?
In fact, a compelling exhibition stand design is a 3D visualization of the information collected from the client. We try to consider all the wishes and moods of the client. At the same time, we never forget the limited budget of the client and always offer a solution without going beyond it. All this allows us to create a beautiful and practical exhibition stand design.
What are the key elements of a successful trade show stand?
In my opinion, the critical aspect of any design is the reception. Apart from that, the emphasis constantly shifts to logos, graphics, and furniture. Without these vital elements, an exhibition stand will look like a child’s drawing.
How can technology improve exhibition stands?
Technology in exhibition stand design is designed to attract the attention of visitors. At a trade show, every booth competes for that attention. And the more attractive solution is presented on the stand, the more likely visitors will visit you. Modern solutions that will shine on the stand: Interactive displays, virtual reality, digital signage, live demonstrations, and presentations.
When should the exhibition stand design phase begin?
The earlier you start working on the design of your exhibition stand, the better. There will always be adjustments from your side or the builder along the way to refine the structure. While these edits may seem minor, they can stretch over time and jeopardize the project. It may seem to those involved in the project that the design is still imperfect. However, there is no limit to perfection, and the main thing is to stop in time in their fantasies. This often helps the limitation in the budget of the customer. If you already have a rented space for your stand and a budget approved, start creating your exhibition stand design.
How to make your exhibition stand environmentally friendly?
Today, most of the materials used to create trade show booths are environmentally friendly. However, if you want to emphasize that your company adheres to a code of sustainability, ask the designer to reflect this through the materials used in the booth.
Stand location
How to choose the right place for an exhibition stand at the event?
The best spaces at trade shows are sorted out first. If a company thinks it is in the right place, it is guaranteed to book that space for next year as soon as the show is over. That’s why it’s difficult to snag a great spot when you’ve decided to exhibit for the first time.
The best places to exhibit at a show are where the most people are. These are the entrance groups, the center of the exhibit hall, and often places near the buffets.
What documents and permits are required for exhibition stands?
Each show organizer has its own unique requirements for booth builders and exhibitors. But the most common and widespread are fire safety certificates, occupational health and safety certificates (risks associated with using materials), installation permits, and use of special machinery.
What lighting techniques can enhance your exhibition stand?
Lighting at an exhibition stand plays an important role. The attention of the visitors on the exhibition stand goes behind the light. In a small area, you need to show a large amount of items or information. You can use contour lighting, accent lighting, and general lighting.
Who transports the stand?
The stand is delivered to the exhibition site by the stand builder. Usually, the stand is delivered disassembled. It is a set of elements from which the specialists on-site need to assemble a ready-made design in just a few days.
General questions
How big are the exhibition stands?
As far as your imagination, budget, and the size of the venue will allow. There is no limit to the size of a booth. Some of them can be multi-story and as large as a full-fledged apartment building. Usually, the size of the stand is limited only by the client’s budget.
What type of exhibition stand is most popular?
If we mention the location of the stand, the most popular is a peninsula – a stand with only one closed wall. If we are talking about materials, then most often, custom exhibition stands are built according to an individual design.
What type of interaction with exhibition visitors is best?
This is a difficult question to answer because the way a company communicates with its visitors is based on its goals and brand language. It is hard for me to imagine Google handing out flyers to visitors at a trade show while claiming that its main communication tool is the digital space.
What are the common mistakes to avoid with trade show stands?
There are dimensional errors. When the design is of one size, but the developer has provided ready-made stand elements cut to other dimensions. This can be discovered too late when it is impossible to correct the error. Or, for example, problems with graphics. If the graphic designer sent files to the printer in the wrong format. This can affect the quality of the graphics themselves or the color reproduction.
Can exhibition stands be reused for multiple events?
You may reuse the booth only if you have discussed and agreed upon this possibility with the booth builder in advance. However, you will need to reorder the graphics and some disposable elements of the booth. You can also reuse the booth if it is made entirely of modular components.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of non-standard and modular exhibition stands?
The main advantage of a modular stand is its lightness and reusability. The disadvantage is the limited design. The opposite is true for custom-made stands. Cool design, but difficult to reuse.
Participating in a trade show and designing a booth can be a simple task if you follow the right algorithm and turn to professionals.
