Making The Most Of Hillhead 2009

Stand Design

It is important to make your products stand out from the rest and you have five basic ‘weapons’ at your disposal:

On larger stands make use of coloured areas both to define the different product lines on display and to highlight products.
Match the colour scheme to your corporate colours.
Consider linking graphic displays with bands of colour running behind each board.

Think reusable! If you are dressing out a shell scheme, a pop-up display provides a large-format backdrop that is both easy to erect and is designed for use over and over again.
If you use a stand designer, brief them on your full display requirements for the next two-year period so that they can design for use in different locations.
On larger stands consider using some form of barrier to channel visitors to product areas.
Consider whether you wish to offer hospitality - which in turn should be dependent on how long you wish clients and prospects to remain on your stand.
If possible, raise products well off the ground, particularly smaller products, which should be placed at hand height.

Simplicity rules when it comes to graphics - use pictures rather than text wherever possible.
Pictures of your products should show them working in the target environment.
If you use bullet points to provide information, remember the ‘3/5/7’ rule - restrict yourself to a maximum of: 3 colours, 5 lines of text and 7 words per line.
Use professionally shot video or multi-media to attract attention.
Make sure that your graphics emphasise your unique selling points.
Make sure that everyone can understand what your company actually does.
Don’t assume everyone knows you - the purpose of exhibiting is to meet new business prospects!

Always put extra lights on your products whatever the ambient lighting.
In summer, highlight products rather than risk ‘frying’ staff and visitors with thousands of watts of floodlighting.

The Hillhead quarry showground is a large site:

Make sure that people can see your stand location by getting your logo up high in the air.
Consider using a blimp to advertise your presence.
Always use raised flooring in marquees to avoid rainwater problems.
Consider using a professional stand builder to dress out the interior; pole and panel systems can look flimsy on uneven floors.
Pay attention to lighting your graphics adequately.
It may be hot in a temporary structure - consider fans and cold drinks and even the occasional ice-cream.
Have a storage area for raincoats where it doesn’t matter if they drip.
Consider carrying a stock of umbrellas for prospects to use - they make great give-aways as they are always highly conspicuous around the show.