Positions everyone!

When the tradeshow doors open to visiting delegates all your behind-the-scenes preparatory work, probably starting 12 months ago, is put to the test.

One of the common pre-show dilemmas is which stand space to choose.  Faced with a floorplan, probably already populated with long-standing exhibitors, here are some starters to narrow down your options:

Study the floorplan – are there halls or zones dedicated to companies offering similar or complementary products and services?  Does the floorplan (online or offline) show where your competitors are? These points would be a first step in narrowing down an appropriate area.

Consider the potential for passing traffic – of course, if you are at the entrance/exit or on a main aisle the footfall will be great, but never underestimate a location near the toilets or cafes/restaurants as all delegates will need these at some stage during the show! En route to a conference, seminar or workshop area can also be good.

Consider the size of your stand – people think the larger the space the better they will look and the more business they will do, but remember, every square metre will cost you money, not just for the space but for furnishings and staffing. Attractive graphics enhancing a clear, focussed message on your company offering – which will already be highlighted in the show catalogue – alongside a basic consideration of floorplan and passing traffic is all you need…

Simples….. or is it? Here are a few tips and tricks we have learned over the years…

DON’T get drawn into positioning yourself next to major companies with very large stands! Chances are they will have enclosed stands which means you will be facing a wall across your aisle. People won’t naturally want to walk down an aisle with a wall.

DON’T get obsessed with being near the entrance/exit/main aisles. Whilst you may congratulate yourself on being the early bird to get these spaces they tend to be the most expensive and, actually, still have drawbacks. For example, most people, on first entering a show, are not really concentrating as they are still getting their bearings checking floorplan against reality. For main aisles you really are competing for the attention of delegates trying to get from A to B so may end up spending way more than necessary on enticing gadgetry or giveaways. At the exit delegates are either focussed on getting to the next hall or heading home having done what they needed to do, or, quite frankly, having had enough!

DO check with the organiser on how enclosed conference/seminar/workshop zones are. You don’t want to compete with mic’d up speakers when holding discussions on your own stand.

DO scour the floorplan or check with the organiser to see whether a relevant country, trade association or other shared stand is planned. These are an excellent way to be a larger player in a very big competitive game boasting a combination of experienced, highly connected exhibitors as well as new exhibitors. Each will draw footfall that may be useful to you. Most pavilions break up a large stand into smaller sections saving participating companies money, organisational time and even staffing costs. The hidden benefits of knowledge share and ensuing trade between companies on the stand should also not be underestimated.

This last point leads us nicely, and not surprisingly, to how Tomorrow The World can help you. If the above sounds far too time consuming we offer exhibitor packages to suit all budgets, from completing the tasks you struggle with right through to “all in” packages and group stands ready for your arrival.

To put it simply….we do all the hard work, you just turn up and sell!