The main challenge when exhibiting at a trade fair is focused on one point: the best location for your stand! Here are some factors to consider to help you determine the best location to negotiate for when you register for a trade fair.
Plan ahead!
It's no secret, the early bird catches the worm and those who book first get the best locations. Most of the prize locations at trade fairs are already booked from one edition to another. Clearly, the perfect scenario is to be in with the in-crowd. However, if your'e not, we would advise you to contact the organiser as early as possible and ask to be sent for the site plan ASAP.
Remember to study your needs thoroughly in terms of floor area and frontage, but also your display needs, i.e. do you want one or several open sides? An open corner? An island? Your stand designer will be able to help you define your needs before you contact the organiser.
Traffic flow: the basics
Having located the main entrances and aisles, here are a few tips to bear in mind. Should you choose a location to the left or right of the entrance? This is a question you've probably not asked yourself, but it is important! The fact is that it has been observed that people in countries where everyone drives on the right, tend to turn right on entering a trade fair. However, if you're exhibiting in the UK, choose a location to the left of the entrance , because the Brits drive on the left. -
Lots of traffic doesn't always mean lots of attention.
It seems logical to choose a location in an area with high footfall. However, this strategy doesn't always guarantee a very attentive audience.
A few examples:
It is an undeniable fact that the areas around the restaurants, conference rooms and toilets are very busy, but people have other things on their minds than stopping at your stand.
Close to a high-profile competitor: if your greatest rival is also going to be present and is likely to draw big crowds of visitors, why not take advantage of that fact by setting up nearby? A word of warning - you may come a cropper if your competitor's stand is so absolutely fabulous that it eclipses all those around it.
Close to the entrance or the exit: all visitors will pass though these areas at one time or another. However, we would advise you not to set up there. When they come in, people have their noses glued to the trade show's site plan and programme. On their way out, visitors don't want to see yet another stand.
So, which are the prize spots?
The trick to ensuring that you get plenty of interested visitors to your stand: plant yourself in the stream of people heading for a high-profile competitor's stand (not right next to it, as explained above). If you set up your stand far enough away from the rival's stand, but on a route that people have to take to get to it, you can take advantage of the flow. In addition, the audience is highly likely to be searching for what you have to offer because they're interested in your competitor.
Give priority to the main routes too and take the time to study the site plan of the trade show to negotiate for the location that suits you best.
Once you've spotted the prime location for your stand, book it straight away, because the best places are soon taken.
