How to develop a design for an exhibition

Recommendations for Managing the Creative Process, Its Optimization, and Expenditure

Are you confident that your company needs to participate in an exhibition and have already booked space for setting up a stand? Then this article is for you! We will share secrets on how to create a stand that will attract visitors, what can interest them, and what can make the stand memorable. We will also teach you how not to pay for services you don't need. Get acquainted with a step-by-step instruction developed based on our personal experience from Torgsoft's participation in numerous exhibitions and other events.

First Stage - Main Task: Designing the Exhibition Stand Layout

First, you need to think and decide what it should look like, create an image in your head, and then try to convey this information as accurately as possible to the designer who will be working on your layout. The cooperation process should look like this step by step.

1. Express the goal you are pursuing in this format - "We need (who) to be sure that we are at the highest level doing (what) and want to cooperate exclusively with us at our prices (which)."
2. Analyze the design of last year's exhibition, conduct a comparative analysis of your stand with competitors' stands. Approach this issue objectively. Make a list of what your competitors had better than you, what was worse. Based on the analysis, draw conclusions and form a strategy.
3. Specify all conclusions and wishes for creating the new layout.

See, it's quite simple - just three points. And why? Because even the most experienced designer doesn't know more about the business than its owner. The clearer and more accessible you explain all your requirements and wishes to the designer, the more benefit and profit the final result of their work will bring you. The designer has the knowledge necessary for their work. In most cases, this is an aesthetic perception of the world and the visualization of this in their work products. No more, no less. If you give the designer freedom of choice, they may either mess up or do everything at their discretion. Such a design decision can lead to unpredictable results and not meet your expectations.

Moreover, do not overlook the following points:

• Do not ask the designer to prepare several layout options for you to choose from. Designing a layout is not calculating integrals, of course, but still a laborious process. If you present the information and task correctly, you will get the desired result. So why create three layouts, two of which are doomed to remain layouts? It's better to present all the necessary information to the designer correctly - and they will draw one, but a quality layout for you. If not all wishes are considered or you want to change something, it can always be revised. It's different when the designer on their own creates a couple of alternative layouts at their discretion. In this case, you don't have to pay for all the layouts, only the one you ordered. Why overpay?
• After receiving the first version of the layout, you will already see how much it meets your wishes. Dissatisfaction with the result usually occurs for two reasons: either the designer deviated from the task during the work, or you incorrectly conveyed your thoughts. Here the previous advice will help you.

There are failures in the process of creating a layout. The main thing is to try and look at the result. If this happens, be patient and try to look at the situation from a different angle, or explain to the designer what exactly does not meet the requirements in the created layout, ask them to revise the sketch or edit the technical task.

Regarding the formal side of the issue, we recommend taking the following tips into account:

1. Calculate the budget. Determine how much you are ready to spend on the exhibition as a whole. The calculation can be made regarding the turnover for the year. Usually, 1 to 3% is allocated.
2. Make a work plan for yourself with specific dates. You can set a penalty for late completion of each preparation stage. If the contractor is punctual, they will not object to such measures - they simply have nothing to fear. This approach can greatly help you if you ordered the creation of the layout from one person and the actual production from another.
3. To avoid unpleasant situations, one person should be responsible for setting the task and accepting the finished work.
4. Don't write the technical task for the designer yourself. The best way to convey information is to specify all wishes in a dialogue format, and after that, the designer will write the technical task in a way that is convenient for them to understand. After all, they will be working with the task.

If you have an interesting idea and a good, accessible technical task, the designer will come up with ideas during the dialogue. If this situation arises, consider that 50% of success is already in your pocket.

Second Stage - Quality Control of Work

During the approval of the layout, pay attention to the following points:

Accessibility and conciseness. Your layout should be easy to perceive. The human brain remembers and assimilates information well, which it saw during the first 3-5 seconds. Looking at your stand, it should immediately be clear what your activity is aimed at. This approach is very relevant, for example, for crowded exhibitions with a large number of stands of various business directions. The circumstances there are so lively that you may simply not be noticed.

Don't try to attract everyone's attention. Why would you need that? Your goal is to be noticed by those who really need it, who can offer you cooperation. 

Color scheme. Among advertisers, there is already an established opinion that coincides with scientists' opinions. The human brain best assimilates the combination of colors - yellow-black or white-blue. Advertising executed in this color scheme will attract much more attention than any other. Even red color, which also attracts attention, does not act as attractively on people.

Market specificity. The main requirement is to stand out but at the same time not to be excessively extravagant in your segment. When the layout is ready, try to show it to your clients and hear an outside perspective. You will always have time to approve the layout.

Keeping up with the times. When creating a corporate style, don't discard the fashion trends of this year. If you are creating a layout in 2018, it should correspond to the trends of this year.

Analysis of the target audience and the cost of call to action. This will allow you to devote time only to genuinely interested clients and pay a reasonable amount for it.

Proper calls to action. The simplest way is signboards with slogans "order at a price from X000 UAH" or "order a tester with free delivery". It may seem funny and silly to you, but people respond well to this. If you dig even deeper, you can create a territory of individual sales. It's enough to design the stand with such a proposal: service/product, term, and price. Such a signboard can sell on its own. This option is very helpful when there is a lack of competent managers.

Demonstration material. Place your products in a visible and passable place.

Viral marketing. As Dale Kennedy said: "Being boring in business is a terrible sin." Try to deviate from established rules. Invent something new, come up with your "tricks". The most common solution is life-size dolls with a photo frame, a place for free charging of gadgets and devices, a large bright flag, uniform for employees, light installations, a lot of promotional material with your logo. Such advertising will work for you for a long time. Many exhibition visitors take photos and post them on the internet.

Zoning. Quite a new but very effective way. An open structure with small partitions is suitable for the reception area and the business area.

Promotional material. Given only to those who visited the negotiation zone. The choice here is quite wide. This can safely include various samples, certificates. This method works very effectively when promoting new products. Distributing samples increases the chance of future cooperation.

Price list. The most common presentation option is a one-sided A4 sheet with contact information.

The business owner's goal is to distribute as little promotional material as possible and indicate the most important information. Put yourself in the place of an exhibition visitor. It's very noisy, lots of people, and you run around the exhibition all day with a huge packet of flyers and leaflets. Most people just throw all this away.

Third Stage - Production of the Developed Design

There are the following types of promotional stands:

•  Built-in stand. Looks very dignified:

- combination of different materials and textures (e.g., lacquer and matte texture, wood and metals);
- lighting;
- live flowers, especially tall and blooming ones;
- interactive zones and monitors with continuous broadcasting of useful information.

• Standard stands. Banners with hooks for hanging, self-adhesive film with bright print will look great. Printing using eco-solvent inks will save you from an unpleasant sharp smell. If your business is related to the food industry, this will give you a huge advantage and not deter visitors who approach.

• An open stand without walls and partitions. The most common is the roll-up. However, it can be replaced with paper structures with or without a frame. Such stands are very light and easy to install.