Author: Andrew

A QR Code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode which first designed for the automotive industry in Japan. Initially patented, the inventor chose not to exercise his patent rights – what a nice chap!  Consequently, the QR code system has become popular outside the automotive industry due to its fast readability and greater storage capacity compared to standard UPC barcodes.

More and more organisations are now using QR codes as part of their exhibition strategy.  Increasingly, exhibitors are printing QR codes on their exhibition stands and exhibition printing (panel displays, business cards, brochures etc).

This is because they can be used to hold company contact details or information related to a special offer or promotion.  With the increased adopted of smart phone technology, mobile phone owners can simply take a photo of a QR code with the camera on their mobile phone. In doing so, people are able to collect the information they need quickly without the need to write it down. Consequently, stand visitors can quickly add the contact details of a sales representative to their phone’s contact database or download the URL of a product information page or competition page.

Equally, companies are increasingly collecting contact details of people attending exhibitions through QR codes.  Quite often nowadays, delegates at conferences are given a badge by the event organiser which includes their own QR code.  Exhibitions can simply scan the visitor’s QR code so they have a record of who came to the stand.

Creating a QR code is simple!  There are a number of websites that will generate a QR code for you free of charge. Once you have your QR code image, you can simply  integrate it within your design.  Test your code before you sending it to print however!

If you have any questions about QR codes and how they can be used as part of your next exhibition, get in touch today!

Companies are no different from individuals it seems when it comes to ‘hoarding’.  Does your organisation keep all sorts of stuff in storage with the idea that they can useful again at some point in the future?

Believe me, in the exhibitions arena, some companies are the worst hoarders on the planet! Scratch beneath the surface and most offices are crammed full of outdated exhibition stands which are either broken or way past their ‘sell by’ date.  What’s more, they haven’t been used for years!

I’ve found all sorts of stuff at clients’ offices over the years:

• Broken exhibition stands which can never be used again
• Damaged exhibition stands that have been mended poorly
• Heavy MDF display units which take up loads of space
• Exhibition displays showing the company’s old logo
• Pop-up displays where the spring has snapped inside the roller
• Outdated promo items (who needs a 2MB USB stick these days!)
• Boxes of old brochures – all kept for a rainy day!

Companies keep all this because they’ve invested thousands in their exhibitions progamme over the years and they’re loathed to throw it out!  Few companies realise that there is a better way.

• Have you considered exhibition stand hire?  It’s a lot cheaper than you might think and you don’t need to worry about storing it after the show!
• If you exhibit at a lot of shows every year, have you asked yourself whether your stand infrastructure is truly modular?  Some modular exhibition stands fold away into low volume containers when they are not needed – have you invested in the right solution?
• If you already own your own infrastructure, have you thought about an outsourced exhibitions management contract where your supplier stores all your kit for you, freeing up valuable space on your own premises?

200m2 provides end-to-end exhibition services, from stand design to fully outsourced exhibition management services.  Get in touch to find out more!

Here’s another question I ask my customers when they have decided to exhibit at a particuar exhibition:

“Why is this the best exhibition for you?”

Some of the answers I have received over the years have brought me to tears!   Here are some of the answers:

• Because I can move my air miles membership to the next tier
• Because my wife likes New York
• Because I can add on a sneaky holiday afterwards
• I prefer that venue because it’s got a better hotel nearby
• It’s never very crowded – I suffer from claustrophobia

So what are the important factors to consider before committing to an exhibition or trade fair?  Here are my top exhibition tips!

• Select an exhibition that will attract both existing and new customers
• Obtain data from the event organiser – look closely at visitor profiles
• If you’ve exhibited there before, look at results from previous years
• Select a good stand location. Be careful not to get stuck at the back!
• Find out where your competitors are going to exhibit
• Book early to get the best pitch!
• You may get a better deal later on, but your location may suffer!
• Remember: Location, Location, Location!
• Ask for a multi-year deal – 3 years for the price of two?
• Be aware of geographic & seasonal considerations
• Are the transport links good?
• If you need to host your guests overnight, are there facilities nearby?
• Take the right exhibition stand – will your presence ‘stand out’?
• Think modular! Modular exhibition stands provide total flexibility
• Consider exhibition stand hire – it’s a lot cheaper than you think!
• Look at outsourcing your ‘exhibition management‘ to a specialist

200m2 offers a complete range of exhibition services on a global scale.  From exhibition stand design to event staffing, exhibition PR to exhibition data capture, 200m2 can help you to fine tune an exhibition strategy which mitigates risk and reduces costs.

We will help you to select the right exhibitions to exhibit at and, in doing so, we can help you to leverage the return on your investment.

Get in touch to find out how!

Every week clients are asking us at 200m2 Exhibition Stands for ideas on how to make their exhibition stands more appealing.  Experiential marketing is the new buzz phrase in exhibition services – how can you use your exhibition stand to provide an experience which attracts a greater number of visitors?  By allowing the visitor to interact with your services and products, you are providing a solid and longer lasting connection with the brand.

We received one of the best requests last week!  During a family viewing of the latest Bond film “SKYFALL” my client was hit with one of those “Eureka” moments, resulting in a potential theme for his next exhibition….. BOND….. James Bond!

At 200m2 Exhibition Stands we have the reputation for offering a particularly high standard of exhibition services.  But this time our research guys got stuck into this project with a little more enthusiasm than normal.  They started digging through the archives for some interesting BOND memorabilia and exhibition props that have been used in the past 23 Bond movies.  Here are a few examples…

• Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 from the movies Goldfinger and Thunderball sold for a huge £2,800,000 in 2010 (at the time that was the most expensive piece of film memorabilia ever sold at auction).  Ok so we can strike this one off the list!
• How about having a exhibition prop such as a replica gun from a Bond film? This might scare the customers on the stand to start buying… and quick!  One of Sean Connery’s Walther PPKs recently sold for £277,250 at auction. And guess what?  The auction item didn’t even make it into the film – it was just used for a promotional poster!
• At a Bond exhibition, it would be easy to let time slip away. Bond’s watch from the film Skyfall sold for £157,250 at a recent Christie’s auction.  I wonder if they included all the accessories in the price!
• Sometimes exhibition props can be a gamble… the poker table from ‘Casino Royale’, for example, sold for £85,250!

Given these prices, hiring such items for a week could be expensive… and then there’s the exhibition insurance to think about!

Embracing the concept of ‘experiential marketing’ is important, but we need to keep our eye on the purse strings. Have a theme by all means, but don’t loose focus on your products. If you are using one of our high quality modular exhibition stands,  such as TRUSSwire and CROSSwire this will remain the most cost effective way to attract the crowds.

If you would like to find out more about these two award winning modular solutions, please get in touch!  They are far more affordable than you might think…