Category: Blog

Every month or so, we receive a call asking us to explain what an ‘exhibition shell scheme’ is.

For many years now, exhibition shell schemes have been the default option for most organisations attending a show.  Usually the exhibitor pays the event organiser a set fee for the floor space and the location plus an undisclosed extra for a basic ‘shell’.

A shell scheme package is usually a hassle free option because you are buying in services from the event organiser.  The package typically includes stand walls, lighting, carpet and a power socket.

A typical shell scheme package is like a blank canvas. The shell scheme walls are usually white or grey and consist of metre wide panels – this allows the exhibition organiser to increase the size of the shell scheme for each client very easily.  In addition, every shell scheme comes with a fascia board displaying your company name and stand number.

The problem is, most exhibition stands based on a shell scheme will look the same.  That’s fine if you’re just using the stand to meet existing clients.  But what if you want to attract passers-by on to your stand?  A shell scheme without any personalisation makes it very difficult for you to stand out from the crowd!

Consequently, most organisations will attempt to personalise their stand space by adding ‘pop-up’ roller banners in the corners or by sticking posters on the back wall.  They may even add a basic table and some folding chairs and maybe even a brochure stand too.

The problem is, everyone else with a basic shell scheme will be doing the same thing.  To really stand out, you need to think about professional shell scheme graphics – large format graphics which are designed to fit snugly on to each panel.  The results can look really impressive.

BUT here comes the BUT!  A lot of organisations struggle to re-use their shell scheme graphics – panel sizes are not always standard.  Before making a decision, consider taking a ‘floor space only’ package and then buying or renting your own stand equipment.  This will ensure the graphics can be re-used.   The costs of a CROSSwire stand, for example, are far less than you might think – especially if you are looking for an exhibition stand hire solution.  Get in touch if you’d like to discuss the options available.

Exhibition furniture is an area of exhibition management which is often overlooked.  But whilst it’s not as important as say the location of your exhibition stand within an exhibition hall, it is still a very important part of an organisation’s exhibition strategy.

Like your exhibition stand, your exhibition stand furniture will say something about your organisation to your clients, prospects and competitors – your exhibition stand furniture projects your brand identity.

Think carefully about your exhibition needs: Do you want potential customers to be able to sit down? Would you like to demonstrate a product or show a video presentation?  Practically, what facilities will your stand staff need to do a good job?  What about electrical connections and lighting?

The right exhibition furniture will attract a prospect on to your stand.  Meeting tables and screen partitions provide meeting areas where your conversations are shielded from passers-by and more importantly, your competition.   Storage keeps your bags and coats locked away – secure from thieves but also out of sight.   Reception desks will encourage people to make enquiries and the smell of a fresh coffee machine can be a license to print money!

First off, you need to decide if you are going to buy or hire exhibition furniture.   In most situations, the best thing to do is to hire exhibition furniture — unless you’re in the business of maintaining, transporting and storing things!

Remember, if you buy a sofa or some stools for a counter, they can quickly look out of date.  They can also get damaged in transit or in storage – mould and damp are the exhibition manager’s biggest headache!  Exhibitire furniture hire ensures it always looks like new.

200m2 is one of the UK’s leading exhibition services companies.  If you’d like to discuss your own exhibition furniture needs, please get in touch.

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!