When is The Right Time to Upgrade to a Custom Stand

You have taken the first steps of exhibiting at an expo. You now know what does and doesn’t work for you and your business. You have tested the waters and got an idea of what return the expo gives to your company.
You’ve seen those big, shiny stands with so much impact and crowds and you now want that to be you!
So when is the time to step it up a notch and upgrade to a custom booth?

Here are some key points that may allow you to evaluate that decision.

This isn’t your first time attending the event

Taking the first step of exhibiting in an expo is exciting yet scary at the same time. It’s about testing the waters and seeing what does and doesn’t work for you and your business. What drives more sales and potential clients and what does not. Knowing all these crucial points will help you determine when the company is ready to invest big and make a huge statement.
Although many companies want to jump in big it is best to sit along the side lines for your first and second year to ensure the return is consistent and growing – as this occurs it will then give you the confidence to invest in something a little more special and permanent.

Understanding that custom stands will require a large investment of time & money

With a custom stand, one thing to remember is the booth is going to bring your brand to life through the stand design. It will be a completely recognisable face for your company or product. In achieving this a specific process needs to be undertaken to ensure the result meets your requirements. After all, you are investing big, so you want to ensure you get it right! The best process is to document a brief entailing all your stands needs for the expo and simply go out to tender. With a custom stand you will receive a custom design tailored to your brief, you can then source several quotes and designs until you find one that stands out to you and appoint a supplier (hopefully us). There will most likely be a series of revisions until everything is finalised. The process takes time – especially on your very first build and you don’t want to rush it.

Understanding your purpose

Every brand attends an exhibition with a sole purpose. Whether that purpose is to launch a new product, launch a brand, re-brand the company or simply want to generate leads and engage with their prospective clients.
A custom stand is the best way to do this as it allows you to stand out from the crowd. This doesn’t essentially mean you need the biggest space in the expo, it simply means you create impact with the space you choose through showcasing a product, promotional giveaways, offering a coffee bar to sample your products, real live demonstrations or having interactive elements on the booth. With a custom stand you will have complete control of the user experience and essentially what they will take away after experiencing it. You want to leave an impression on visitors so when they do walk away, they won’t forget the brand.

You are attending multiple exhibitions throughout the year

Attending multiple exhibitions within a year can have a huge impact on your pockets so ensuring you have a cost-effective plan in place can do wonders and a custom stand does exactly this.
With the help of your stand builder a custom stand can be initially designed to configure into different sizes, be re-branded, and have interchanging graphics and components. This essentially allows you to have brand consistency. Your brand is something that creates recognition with a customer and there is nothing more important than ensuring that you have brand consistency at all events attended. Whether that be through an image, a colour, an icon or even a sound – it is vital.
Owning your stand components will save costs year on year and although there will be a higher upfront capital cost the savings will be in the re-installations of the booth.

As you can see timing is the key! A great custom stand is something which can set you apart from key competitors and allow you to stand out and maximise your exposure at the show. It will create a point of difference and more importantly leave a lingering impression on your visitors. And even though it will be a big investment, it is a great investment that will bring your brand to life.  
All you need to do is ensure your company is ready and then let the exciting planning phase begin! If you’re ready to start planning your custom booth, we’re here to help you get started contact us at letschat@events720.com or follow the link below to ‘Contact Us’