Imagine you are at an event. Visitors catch sight of your stand and stop in their tracks, genuinely interested in what you do. At a busy exhibition, creating that moment (ideally again and again!) is what makes your investment worthwhile.
Here are five practical tips to help ensure your stand not only draws a crowd, but also delivers real results for your organisation.
1. Know what makes you unique
We've all heard the saying 'think outside the box'. But when faced with tight deadlines, fresh ideas can sometimes feel out of reach. The best starting point? Go right back to basics.
Focus on what makes your business unique and build from there. This might be a game-changing product, your commitment to sustainability, or sector expertise.
If you have recently introduced a new product, consider launching it at the event. Bring samples, demos or visuals that invite people to stop, engage and remember you.
Whatever your strength, use the event to spotlight it.
2. Let your visuals do the heavy lifting
Your stand is your shop window. Stick to bold, simple brand visuals that communicate one clear message. Additionally, think about the hierarchy of content. What should people notice first, and what should they remember?
Banners can be a powerful tool, but only when used strategically.
Avoid using outdated designs with new ones or overloading them with text.
Keep them simple, current and consistent with your brand.
Make sure the text is clear and well-positioned (anything on the bottom-half could be hidden by a table!)
By taking this approach, our expert design team at Ruddocks, helped FLEXIS UK become true showstoppers at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC, Birmingham. And we got some amazing feedback! Here's what their team had to say:
Visitors were impressed by our stand and how 'cool' and 'captivating' it was! Your creativity made a great impact, thank you for all your support in the run up to the show!
3. Choose the right people to bring your stand to life
People buy from people. So, who you have on your stand is just as important as the stand itself.
Choose team members who are enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and genuinely enjoy meeting new people to ensure everyone who visits you has a positive and memorable experience.
And don't forget to engage with attendees before and after the event, too.
Join relevant conversations on social media, use event hashtags, and build anticipation. The more visible and active your brand is across all channels, the more memorable and credible your presence becomes.
4. Be a show stopper
Once you're set up on the day, don't just wait for people to come to you. Get out there and start conversations with as many people as you can. You never know who will provide the next opportunity for collaboration.
Pro tip: find creative and engaging ways to capture contact details so that you can continue your conversations after the exhibition ends!
Prize draws, sustainable merchandise, interactive games or tasty treats all work well but the key is to make them feel natural, not forced.
Having a system in place to record specific interests or conversations can help you build personalised, bespoke, impactful insights, giving you a better chance of turning conversations into opportunities.
5. Keep the momentum going
The event is over, what now? Timely, thoughtful follow-ups are essential to making your investment count.
Reach out to contacts while the conversation is still fresh, through personalised and relevant communications soon after the event. Reference your discussions and offer something of value.
And last but not least, keep showing up! Attending one exhibition and expecting a flood of new clients is unrealistic. Building visibility and trust over time, across multiple events, is what delivers real long-term returns.
Need a hand?
We know how much time and resources go into getting exhibition-ready. The good news is, you don't have to do it all yourself. Whether you need help refining your message, designing your visuals, or creating a full event stand and supporting event communications, we’re here to help.
Reach out to us today and let’s create your show stopping stand!