Tips for organizing high-impact fairs or exhibitions

Every fair or exhibition is a unique opportunity to position your brand and generate new business networks.

Trade fairs and exhibitions are large-scale events where companies from a specific industry showcase their products within a specific time and space, allowing visitors to learn about their products or services.

Typically, organizations set up their stands, which become marketing tools that are ideal for promoting a business and/or service, and/or presenting new offerings to the target audience.

Exhibitions attract a large number of people and represent an important source of income for exhibitors, organizers, and the venue where they are held.

In the case of trade fairs or shows, the main objective is primarily commercial, while in exhibitions, the focus is on showcasing (although products and/or services can also be commercialized). Nevertheless, both formats work perfectly within a below-the-line (BTL) marketing strategy and brand positioning.

Here you will find some essential tips to organize a successful fair or exhibition:

- Use a monthly agenda in which you have ordered each of the actions and assign a person in charge for each task. Do not forget to detail the deadlines.

- Prepare an executive summary that includes the general and specific objectives, target audience and communication plan.

- Set up committees. A management system is very efficient when it comes to organizing academic, logistical, administrative and commercial aspects.

- Work with a design team that produces visual communication while fulfilling the brand identity. Apply the same concept to logos, billboards, stands, spaces, brochures, etc. Do not forget that the space must be focused on showing the advantages of your product or customer service, so all design efforts and attention should be directed to meet the demands of your visitors.

- Prepare a general budget that include all income and expenses. Leave a margin for eventual additional expenses. It is important to have a maximum and a minimum limit, especially in those large sector fairs and congresses.

- Hire a stand owner who is in charge of the construction and assembly. It's prefered those who can bring creativity and innovation, and are characterized by a high degree of professionalism. Do not limit yourself to a conventional format, you can also build tours or installations with an artistic touch; such as projections, irregular and adaptable stages, fabric shapes and with lights, holograms or asymmetric screens, etc. Look for proposals where exclusive, intelligent, simple and alternative variants predominate.

- Use technological resources such as: facial recognition, artificial intelligence, holograms, biometrics, drones, contactless, virtual and augmented reality, QR codes and / or special effects.

- Try to have all the insurance, authorizations and permits, services and emergency equipment required by the general organization. These services must cover the assembly, development and disassembly of your stand.

- Have an action checklist that organizes your daily task. Make a daily check of each activity.

- Do not forget to include in the budget the necessary additional services such as: stand staff, cleaning, security, internet, barcode reader, etc.

- In the case of organizing conferences, plan the schedule of talks with the technical and honor committee. It includes the necessary technical requirements such as: auditorium, projector, computers, recording service. etc.

- Keep a record of all printed material and promotional materials such as samples or presents.

- Use social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or Instagram or to enhance your presence. Share photos of your stand, upload notes on important visits, send surveys, newsletter, promote your talks, etc. Through these applications you can benefit from feedback from opinions, reviews and comments from different audiences.

- At the end of the event, prepare a full executive report detailing the achievements, and a press summary. It includes statistical data that allow you to measure the scope of your objectives.

- Finally, send a thank you note to all internal and external collaborators.

Here are some types of exhibitions that you can organize:

BOOK FAIR

Book fairs can be excellent spaces for the promotion of reading, literature and knowledge.

If you are part of a publisher, you can promote the catalog with special emphasis on news and special promotions. They are also a good opportunity for official bodies and educational institutions to have an institutional presence.

ART EXHIBITION

Art exhibitions are ideal for promoting the work of one or more artists.

With this event, new contacts can be generated, which allows linking the artist and his representative with potential buyers. They are also an excellent opportunity to attract the public interested in the development of the cultural industry.

SCIENTIFIC EXHIBITION

Scientific exhibitions are made up of stands offered by organizations linked to the same sector.

The objective is to publicize scientific developments and connect with colleagues or specialized public in the area of knowledge of the fair. At the stand or in parallel rooms you can make presentations, talks and / or demonstrations.

COMMERCIAL FAIR

Trade fairs have objectives focused on the commercialization of the products and services offered, unlike exhibitions whose purpose is to show products and/or services. They can be exclusive (for previously invited participants), or open to the public, upon payment of a ticket.

In these fairs and exhibitions it will be important that the stand and/or the presentation project a high-impact brand image, which is achieved with an extension and assembly according to what you want to present.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit."

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DanielaSánchezSilva©