1. Come up with a good story

A stand concept, central theme or good story binds everything together. It appeals to hearts instead of heads. And that’s a good thing, because in a marketing context, emotion convinces twice as much as rational arguments and facts do. In addition, stands with a story linger longer in the visitors’ minds. Make sure your story is in line with your brand and your products - but thinking out-of-the-box might also work surprisingly well.

2. Consider a lead collection tool

Lead collection or lead generation tools help you collect data from stand visitors. This has two major advantages: first of all, such a tool automatically adds this data to your CRM database, so that your sales managers can start using it immediately afterwards.

At the same time, lead collection tools are excellent sources of information. And everybody knows that data is worth its weight in gold. Booth visitor numbers give you an idea of who visited your booth and when. Based on these freshly acquired insights, you can improve your stand for your next participation in order to get more results out of your investment.

3. Think of the customer experience

Exhibition booths allow you to provide information and show products. But so do websites. Where can you make a difference? With interactive applications and compelling experiences at the booth! Make sure your visitors can do more than just look around. At the Van Marcke stand at Batibouw 2020, for example, you could discover products by sliding a large screen back and forth, and on the booth of Jaguar - Land Rover at the Brussels Motor Show 2020 there was a climbing wall for the real daredevils! These experiences are often eye-catchers that lure more people to your booth.

4. Create a clever stand design

At an exhibition you are quite often surrounded by competitors – it would be wise to make sure your booth stands out! Whether it's with a unique story, a striking design or technological novelties, that's up to you.

But you don't just generate impact by attracting attention. Discuss the stand design thoroughly together with your stand builder. Is the visitor flow working? Is there enough storage space for your staff to keep the stand clean? How much room do you provide for hospitality? Tie all the loose ends together to form a strong unity.

5. Utilize your marketing tools

Comprehensive brochures or short flyers? The choice is yours. Start creating your booth content in time, and consider videos for screens, live sessions and interactive workshops. Gadgets are nice to have as well, so visitors can take something that bears your brand name home with them. Consider matching your marketing tools to the theme of your booth.

6. Go the extra mile

A classic booth doesn't work like it used to, and quick and dirty is completely out of date as well. Create impact by going the extra mile, on every level. Think of unique catering, original activities for visitors, a warm welcome by hospitality staff, ...

Don't forget the details. Choose furniture that suits your concept and decorate your stand with unique accessories. High-quality workmanship and sturdy materials are also important: your stand will look good until the end of the fair, and visitors will link this sense of quality to your company or brand.

7. Make sure you can rely on a partner

As you can see, there's a lot involved in preparing for a trade fair. A reliable partner who can relieve you of all your worries across the board is a huge help. Remember that you can perfectly outsource all of the above, from catering to concept to content creation. Choose a partner with impressive reference cases and a proven track record in various sectors. Tip: since a trade show is often an international event, it's a good idea to look at the international expertise of your partners.

Creaplan: expert in stand construction

Still on the lookout for a reliable partner for your next exhibition participation? With more than 25 years of experience, Creaplan is ready to take care of your next project, while guiding you from A to Z. Contact us for an introductory meeting without obligation, we would love to hear all about your trade show plans.