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Remember... nearly all of the visitors
have gone to a lot of effort and expense to be there – they
wouldn’t do this if they were not very serious prospects.
 
When planned and carried out correctly, exhibitions are highly effective marketing tools. At Abacus Exhibition and Display, we are keen to offer more than just stand design and build, we want to ensure our clients get the maximum return on their investment, by integrating their exhibition activity as part of an overall marketing plan.
By explaining the pros and cons of different approaches, highlighting potential problem areas and showing when and where our services can be of help, this document will give anyone new to exhibiting an insight into how the exhibition and event world works.
Although primarily aimed at showing
the beginner the best way to proceed, there may even be something
of interest here for the seasoned exhibitor. Please contact us if
you would like to discuss anything with one of our exhibition consultants
08700 672 118 or
e-mail david@abacus-display.com
Helping you to plan, please click on a link.
It's very easy to underestimate the time required for preparation and planning for an exhibition. All too often it is put it off until the last minute. This often leads to undue stress for you and your contractor and generally extra expense. This is hard to deal with so planning ahead can make everyone's life a lot easier. Appoint an exhibition manager, someone who has overall responsibility for the project - and the drive to get things done within the tight timescales.
A written exhibition plan should be drawn up giving:
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Time scales to work within |
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Staffing levels at show |
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The total allowable budgets |
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Show linked promotions |
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Space requirements (include
storage) |
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Show evaluation methods |
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On-site services (electric,
water, waste) |
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On stand data capture |
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Criteria for stand and graphics design |
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Lead follow up |
List key tasks and allocate responsibility and deadlines for completion. Finally, circulate the plan to the departments and individuals responsible for input - and keep on top of them!
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Listings of major exhibitions and their
organisers for the UK and the rest of the world can be found in
the Exhibition Bulletin (Tel: 020 8846 28000) a monthly publication
available on subscription or public libraries. There are many ways
of finding exhibitions on the World Wide Web, but the events worth
going to are the ones your competition frequent. Remember they are
there for a reason and if they have been more than once then it
has probably been successful for them. Don’t worry about competing
with them just yet! But if you don’t go, no one will see you!
Contact the organisers of the exhibitions you're considering and establish:
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The exhibitions Proof of Attendance from previous shows |
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Does the show attract market-leading companies? (Is the competition there?) |
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Is it a new event? If so, how long has the organiser been established and what are their credentials? |
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Is the event well advertised in trade magazines? |
The trade magazines chosen by the organisers in which to advertise the event should be a good indication of the show's suitability for your products or services.
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To assist in working out the cost of exhibiting, make a list of the major expenses and put some effort into getting realistic costs against them. This should give you a fairly accurate budget as most items are fixed costs.
Generally costs will include:
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The cost of taking space at the show |
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Cost of electrical/water & waste connection to services |
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Stand design and construction (shell scheme, custom made?) |
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Show linked promotions (printing, stationery) |
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Staffing costs (hotels, expenses, travel) |
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Catering/hospitality |
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Furniture hire and display |
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Transport |
If you are having designs and quotes for a custom-made stand, tell the contractor what your budget is to ensure you get the most for your money and avoid any misunderstanding as to how much you want to spend. Then, if you're getting several quotes, you'll be comparing like with like.
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Booking space early gives you the best
chance of obtaining the ideal site. However, depending on the show,
holding off until the eleventh hour could get you a space at a reduced
cost, but we would not recommend this as it allows you very little
time for planning and you may miss out on a space all together.
Some points to bear in mind when selecting a site:
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Shell schemes are good for first time exhibitors or for those on a low budget, but tend to be all the same and therefore create less impact |
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Space- only sites mean the exhibitor has to provide everything from the carpet up, but with a good contractor the possibilities for layout, style and expression are endless |
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A space-only site is cheaper
than a shell scheme site, so the saving can go towards a custom
build |
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Island and corner sites offer more open sides, therefore more opportunities for the visitor to step on and visually you are seen from more angles |
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Look out for columns, switch-boxes
and height restrictions as these need working round and can
eat into your available space |
We can advise you on all of the above and even book space on your behalf.
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Knowing who is likely to attend the exhibition will assist you in deciding what to exhibit and the best message to carry. You should be able to get a detailed breakdown of previous year’s attendance from the organisers.
You'll need to define:
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Who visits the show? Why? |
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Who of these are you aiming to attract? (realistic numbers) |
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How many leads can you expect? (What will you do with them?) |
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What's the "hook", the message you want to get across to them? |
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What products will visitors be most interested in? |
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What targeted promotions are the organisers planning? |
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Can you get some mileage from them? |
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With Health and Safety becoming a real issue in exhibition halls and build and breakdown times getting shorter and shorter, the use of experienced professionals for stand design and build has never been so important. At Abacus we know what needs to be done and can handle all of this for you.
Contacting the British Exhibition Contractors Association (BECA) Tel: 020 8543 3888, will provide you with a list of approved contractors that meet the high level of workmanship and business practices BECA require to award membership. Also, you will be covered by the Associations guarantee bond, underwritten by a major United Kingdom insurance company, details of which can be obtained from BECA.
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Association of Conferences & Events |
Tel: 01480 457595 |
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Association of Exhibition Organisers Ltd |
Tel: 01442 875551 |
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National Outdoor Events Association |
Tel: 020 8669 8121 |
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Exhibition Venues Association |
Tel: 01435 872244 |
Ensuring you use an approved
contractor will allow you to concentrate on using the unique opportunities
for sales an exhibition provides, safe in the knowledge there'll
be nothing waiting round the corner to give you a nasty let down
at the last minute. Just being aware of the points in this document
should help you exhibit effectively, safely and with the minimum
of stress.
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To make absolutely certain everything is right on the day, you can of course contact us and benefit from our years of experience in the industry.
Wherever they are working in Europe, Abacus teams know all the major venues, best access and parking places, and who to talk to on site to make sure things happen. Whatever problem they are faced with on the day, it's unlikely to be new to them, or for them not to have a solution. So call any one of us on 08700 672 118 or e-mail david@abacus-display.com
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