Planning Successful Exhibitions

Hints & Tips

You should always ensure that your supporting web site pages and email addresses appear on every single communication item used for the show. Show invites and adverts, promotional gifts, brochures, flyers, visitor and press packs, staff badges, stand backdrops and signage, internal documents and communications. It will add significantly to the effectiveness of the show. Of course, you need to provide content for the supporting web pages but that isn't covered in detail here. Things and content to consider are:

• Separate public and internal web pages?
• Keeping the pages updated as the show date approaches and then during the show.
• Web cam for during the show?
• Be online during the show using a purpose built on-line chat room?
• Marketing directives re: company colours, branding etc.
• Product photos and descriptive text.
• Objectives of show entry
• Competitions and promotions at show
• Participating staff photos and background
• Enquiry form

Use a spreadsheet to prepare a budget. Allow space for actuals. Keep it updated. Apart from forming the basis for seeking funds authority, it forms a useful cross-reference to your plan - a lot of the things on your plan will be a budget item and vice versa.

Take a pocket digital camera with you to record moments for your in-house magazine or web site. It also can act as a useful substitute for a photocopier...

Prepare an "essentials" box. A few spare business cards, compliment slips, stapler, 4 or 5-way power distribution block, sticky tape, scissors, bluetack, superglue, penknife, screwdriver (flat & crosshead), first aid kit.