Elevating Your Trade Show Impact: The Right Time for Creative Booth Design?
The decision to participate in a trade show and invest in booth design is typically the result of strategic thinking shared by the marketing department, sales team, and senior management. Participation goals may include:
- Promoting the company and brand
- Creating opportunities to meet potential new customers
- Launching a new product or service, or showcasing existing offerings
- Maintaining the company’s position and status as a market leader
- Strengthening and preserving relationships with existing customers
- Facilitating internal connections for companies with global representatives, as international exhibitions offer a perfect meeting place for strengthening ties
For large companies, presence at leading trade shows is essential to maintain their status, preserve connections with their professional target audiences, and ensure continued growth.
Types of Exhibition Booths
When it comes to exhibition design, there are several types of booths, primarily distinguished by their size, location, and complexity:
- Small booth design (8-12 sq m): Suitable for small companies or minimal displays based on basic marketing materials. These usually don’t require complex installation and are suitable for presenting information or small products. The exhibition Organizers often provide standard stands including branding, furniture, and electricity, offering a good solution with standard height and appearance. Such booths can accommodate 2-3 representatives.
- Medium booth design (20-50 sq m): Allows more flexibility in design and can include separate areas for product displays and meetings. This booth size can be handled by organizers, but it very much depends on the appearance you want to project. Keep in mind that it will be quite standard. Product displays can be based on existing display systems, without custom adaptation to the product. Such booths can include a projection screen, a small demonstration area, and accommodate 4-8 representatives.
- Large booth design (80-200 sq m and above): Requires the integration of multiple functions and areas such as a reception desk, meeting areas, display spaces, demo areas, storage spaces, and brand activation zones. In the production and design of booths of this size, the importance of a creative exhibition design agency is critical to success and building a holistic approach. Base costs are high and will include considerations for ceiling design, lighting and electrical needs, and it’s important that a designer plans the space and addresses the various needs and functions.
It’s important to note that for all three options, experienced exhibition designers must consider the booth’s location in the show and the number of sides open to the public, as these significantly impact the design strategy and planning of the booth space, as well as the budget, which is a derivative of all these considerations.
In-House Resources vs. Outsourcing
Most companies don’t maintain an internal team specializing in exhibition booth design. This is because it’s a specific skill required only relatively infrequently. Therefore, most companies turn to outsourcing services for booth planning and design.
For small and standard booths, sometimes exhibition organizers offer built-in solutions including basic branding. In these cases, marketing and procurement managers can handle the production independently. However, it’s important to consider that this may take valuable time away from other tasks, and the connection to the brand book and company spirit isn’t always maintained.
So When Should You Turn to Professional Booth Design Services?
The decision to use professional booth design services depends on several factors:
- Booth size: The larger the booth, the greater the need for professional space planning.
- Complexity of functions and display: If you’re showcasing large or complex products, or planning special interactions with visitors, it’s advisable to use a professional booth designer.
- Importance of the exhibition: The more significant the exhibition is for your business and your business audience, the more worthwhile it is to invest in correct and impressive professional design that’s precise for your goals.
- Previous experience: If this is your first time participating in an exhibition, or if you’re interested in a new and surprising concept, professional design services and production support can be critical to success.
Different Types of Booth Design Services
When it comes to exhibition booth design, there are several levels of service:
- Design up to the rendering stage: These designers create a visual concept and renderings of the booth. This is an initial stage, and there may be gaps between the rendering and actual execution.
- Comprehensive design with detailed fabrication specifications: Here, the designer provides all the files needed for booth production, but the client is responsible for working directly with the construction company.
- Design including supervision: This service includes all stages from planning to supervision of execution, ensuring maximum alignment between planning and implementation.
- Comprehensive service from concept to execution: This is the most comprehensive service, including all stages from strategic concept development, through design and execution, to managing all logistical aspects at the exhibition itself.
A booth designer typically can’t provide the full end-to-end service including production of ancillary activities, working with organizers, etc. On the other hand, companies specializing in booth planning can offer all these service levels and tailor the solution to each client’s needs and budget.
Timelines
Booth planning and design is a task that requires time, thought, and a work process with you, the clients. Beyond the planning stages, the production stage itself requires quite a bit of time, especially during busy periods for exhibitions in Europe. Often, large construction companies have filled their production capacities and don’t want to submit a tender proposal because they know they won’t be able to handle it or it will simply create chaos in their factory.
On the client side, most large companies issue tenders a year before the exhibition for large and complex booths. If you have a medium-sized booth (up to 70 m²), start the selection process for design and production suppliers at least 8 months before the exhibition. Small booths receiving solutions from organizers can start even 3 months before. But always leave yourself a buffer; this world is not at all forgiving to those who are late in decision-making.
Summary and Recommendations
Choosing the right approach to exhibition booth design and production depends on the company’s size, budget, and goals for participating in the exhibition. However, for large companies with significant booth space, turning to a professional creative booth design agency is usually the right choice.
A professional agency can provide:
- Comprehensive strategic planning of the exhibition presence and building a holistic approach
- Impressive and effective booth design, branding of the activity
- Management of all logistical aspects, including hotel management, hospitality, and events outside the exhibition area
- Integration of interactive elements and brand activations
- Maximization of return on investment in exhibition participation
Ultimately, investing in professional design and production services can pay off greatly, especially for medium to large companies participating in significant international exhibitions. An impressive booth design and precise strategy can make the difference between a routine presence and a resounding success at the exhibition.
If you’re planning to participate in an upcoming exhibition, you’re invited to contact us. Onyx Productions specializes in exhibition booth design and production while creating a unique brand experience, with creative capabilities and practical execution ability. We provide end-to-end service that goes beyond booth design and planning, management with organizers, and actual production. We specialize in art direction, creative management, and graphic design according to the brand book, and even know how to create a dedicated design language for the project if needed. Onyx Productions provides you with a one-stop solution at the highest level.
We hope we’ve helped clarify things for you. If you have any questions, feel free to call or leave a message by email, and we’ll be happy to schedule a call. Until then, follow us on social media, and see you soon!
