I can stall no longer!
October 29, 2011 5:03 AM Subscribe
I have booked space at an expo. I am clueless. Please help me understand how to create/buy an awesome stall!
My tiny educational-gaming concern will be at the BETT show in London this January. We've booked ten square metres of empty space, and I've no idea what I should be filling it with - I've not been to very many similar events.
Stuff I've worked out so far:
1) We need somewhere to put laptops/screens - we're going to be getting people playing our games, so they need a place to do this.
2) Big displays of our awesome CG art would be good, and this seems like a standard thing to do.
3) Our space has people passing on both sides, so designs with a defined 'back' aren't right for us.
4) I should probably/definitely make sure to go to similar events in advance.
So - what on earth do we put there? My first thought was two smallish tables with a two-sided banner connecting them - is this a standard thing, or would it appear embarrassingly rudimentary? Would some sort of pop-up screen fit in there, somehow?
Also - any tips & tricks for providing an awesome expo experience on a relatively tight budget would be very welcome. I really know very little about this, so I'd be enormously grateful for the most basic of advice.
My tiny educational-gaming concern will be at the BETT show in London this January. We've booked ten square metres of empty space, and I've no idea what I should be filling it with - I've not been to very many similar events.
Stuff I've worked out so far:
1) We need somewhere to put laptops/screens - we're going to be getting people playing our games, so they need a place to do this.
2) Big displays of our awesome CG art would be good, and this seems like a standard thing to do.
3) Our space has people passing on both sides, so designs with a defined 'back' aren't right for us.
4) I should probably/definitely make sure to go to similar events in advance.
So - what on earth do we put there? My first thought was two smallish tables with a two-sided banner connecting them - is this a standard thing, or would it appear embarrassingly rudimentary? Would some sort of pop-up screen fit in there, somehow?
Also - any tips & tricks for providing an awesome expo experience on a relatively tight budget would be very welcome. I really know very little about this, so I'd be enormously grateful for the most basic of advice.
I went to CES a couple of years ago and it seemed to be very effective to have large LCD televisions mounted in booths that people could stand and play on. It has the benefit of showing off your excellent graphics as well as giving lookers-on a chance to come watch. One or two of those set up will draw crowds.
It might help to have a couple of laptops on tables for people who maybe don't want to try it out as publicly.
I'm not sure what this show is like, but definitely ask around and look for pictures of booths from last year to get a sense of how professional other boots look. They can cover a wide range from a skirted table with a few signs and posters to multi-level constructions with full A/V wiring. If they do tend toward the more professional, it is worth it to engage a graphics design company with experience doing booths. A full-on booth design company is maybe too much for you, since they probably do the larger installations (like the multi-level one I mentioned). My company just went through a graphics/marketing group that we work with and they designed our standard booth elements for us; we just had to get them printed.
posted by olinerd at 5:53 AM on October 29, 2011
It might help to have a couple of laptops on tables for people who maybe don't want to try it out as publicly.
I'm not sure what this show is like, but definitely ask around and look for pictures of booths from last year to get a sense of how professional other boots look. They can cover a wide range from a skirted table with a few signs and posters to multi-level constructions with full A/V wiring. If they do tend toward the more professional, it is worth it to engage a graphics design company with experience doing booths. A full-on booth design company is maybe too much for you, since they probably do the larger installations (like the multi-level one I mentioned). My company just went through a graphics/marketing group that we work with and they designed our standard booth elements for us; we just had to get them printed.
posted by olinerd at 5:53 AM on October 29, 2011
Best answer: I am not a professional exhibition planner. (There is a lot that goes into this and it is an actual job.) However, I have designed and dressed a lot of stands on the smallest possible budgets in my day. The smallest possible budget, just so you know, isn't that small and you're looking at 10 foot x 10 foot booth, yes?
In your case, with traffic on both sides, I would go for pop-up banners - either two of these, or four of these set back to back in pairs. Do not attempt to print text you want people to read on these banners. They will read almost none of it. Banners of your awesome CG art with your logo over and possibly a slogan would be sufficient. Price around.
Flow and the ability to get people to engage with your booth is critical. You do not, not, not want tables, and if for some reason you get stuck with them, you do not want to stand behind them - you do not want people to have to step into your space to engage with you because they won't. You probably want two of these tall cocktail tables like this; I would call them tallboys but your catering supply company mileage may vary. You can skirt them like this. Put your laptops on those. Put brochures if you have them on those. If you don't have brochures, it's OK. I think they're a waste of money at conventions anyway unless you happen to have a spare 1,000 already in your office. Get 1/3rd A4 leaflets made up instead. They're cheap, even on full colour gloss. Edge to edge picture, logo, phone and web address one side, tight marketing bumpf on reverse. Hand those out but especially make sure anyone you're really talked to walks away with one.
Knowing the exact dimensions and configuration of your booth would help. Is it a corner? Two sides of two aisles? This is important because ideally, you want to borrow a projector or the largest flat screen you can get hold of and run constant video. How and where you set this up is totally dependent on the stand. 3 minutes of your most interactive footage on an endless loop will drive you crazy but this is not about you.
Have something branded but not overly promotional to hand out. Nobody needs another pen. Go to Big Badges and order 1000 badges with your characters on them. Stand at your booth handing out badges from clear containers. It will give you something to do besides standing there feeling like a pillock, which you will because 90% of exhibitions is being ignored. It helps if you have a reason for people to break their wall of ignoring you.
The single best thing you can do with your trade show time is this: use it to build a mailing list. Stand there with your badges, handing them out, and saying to people passing by "Would you like to be entered into a draw for a free bottle of champagne?" To enter, people put their email address on a paper list. 10 days after the show, follow up with an awesome email campaign in which you announce your prize draw winner and sell the snot out of your product.
I say that because the number of people you will actually be able to sell to at this gig will be minimal. People you get a chance to really talk to and demo the product, exchange cards. Make a note about the person on the back of each card as soon as they leave the booth and follow up these warm contacts in person.
Finally, the one advantage to having a table in those aisle booths is that you can skirt and drape the table and all the space underneath is storage. You will have so much shit to store you can't believe it. Contest sheets. Clipboards. A box of 100 pens. Gaffer tape. Scissors. Your personal bags. Coats. Cables. Extra power strips. Extension leads. Brochures. The plastic containers you hauled all this shit in with. It is essential that you run a pristine and tidy booth so plan to remove all of this in the containers back to the car or van (yes van) after setup.
The pop-ups are not really optional, FYI. The badges and flyers can be cut from the budget but should not be - these are where you will get actual promotional mileage and saving this particular 100 quid is a bad, bad idea.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:09 AM on October 29, 2011 [9 favorites]
In your case, with traffic on both sides, I would go for pop-up banners - either two of these, or four of these set back to back in pairs. Do not attempt to print text you want people to read on these banners. They will read almost none of it. Banners of your awesome CG art with your logo over and possibly a slogan would be sufficient. Price around.
Flow and the ability to get people to engage with your booth is critical. You do not, not, not want tables, and if for some reason you get stuck with them, you do not want to stand behind them - you do not want people to have to step into your space to engage with you because they won't. You probably want two of these tall cocktail tables like this; I would call them tallboys but your catering supply company mileage may vary. You can skirt them like this. Put your laptops on those. Put brochures if you have them on those. If you don't have brochures, it's OK. I think they're a waste of money at conventions anyway unless you happen to have a spare 1,000 already in your office. Get 1/3rd A4 leaflets made up instead. They're cheap, even on full colour gloss. Edge to edge picture, logo, phone and web address one side, tight marketing bumpf on reverse. Hand those out but especially make sure anyone you're really talked to walks away with one.
Knowing the exact dimensions and configuration of your booth would help. Is it a corner? Two sides of two aisles? This is important because ideally, you want to borrow a projector or the largest flat screen you can get hold of and run constant video. How and where you set this up is totally dependent on the stand. 3 minutes of your most interactive footage on an endless loop will drive you crazy but this is not about you.
Have something branded but not overly promotional to hand out. Nobody needs another pen. Go to Big Badges and order 1000 badges with your characters on them. Stand at your booth handing out badges from clear containers. It will give you something to do besides standing there feeling like a pillock, which you will because 90% of exhibitions is being ignored. It helps if you have a reason for people to break their wall of ignoring you.
The single best thing you can do with your trade show time is this: use it to build a mailing list. Stand there with your badges, handing them out, and saying to people passing by "Would you like to be entered into a draw for a free bottle of champagne?" To enter, people put their email address on a paper list. 10 days after the show, follow up with an awesome email campaign in which you announce your prize draw winner and sell the snot out of your product.
I say that because the number of people you will actually be able to sell to at this gig will be minimal. People you get a chance to really talk to and demo the product, exchange cards. Make a note about the person on the back of each card as soon as they leave the booth and follow up these warm contacts in person.
Finally, the one advantage to having a table in those aisle booths is that you can skirt and drape the table and all the space underneath is storage. You will have so much shit to store you can't believe it. Contest sheets. Clipboards. A box of 100 pens. Gaffer tape. Scissors. Your personal bags. Coats. Cables. Extra power strips. Extension leads. Brochures. The plastic containers you hauled all this shit in with. It is essential that you run a pristine and tidy booth so plan to remove all of this in the containers back to the car or van (yes van) after setup.
The pop-ups are not really optional, FYI. The badges and flyers can be cut from the budget but should not be - these are where you will get actual promotional mileage and saving this particular 100 quid is a bad, bad idea.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:09 AM on October 29, 2011 [9 favorites]
Oh, also make sure you check your full AV requirements with the convention organiser. They will nickle and dime you literally to death at Olympia if it is the way it used to be. Power strips are like £20 per day, and you can only plug yours into theirs. Internet is hard wired and billed.
PS: I like badges because most people go home and then, I swear, throw out their convention bags and the 3,000 dead trees inside them. Badges tend to go in pockets or saved for kids!
posted by DarlingBri at 6:16 AM on October 29, 2011
PS: I like badges because most people go home and then, I swear, throw out their convention bags and the 3,000 dead trees inside them. Badges tend to go in pockets or saved for kids!
posted by DarlingBri at 6:16 AM on October 29, 2011
The badges are an excellent idea. The graphic does not have to be the entire character, it can be strategically cropped, ie head and torso, so that it fits the space better. Your website or logo should be included, in small type if it's on the rim. If your logo is half-way decent, it can be in the background behind the character (even if it's a bit covered up).
Storage. Large totes with lids, like this to schlep everything back and forth.
Nthing high tables. Nobody wants to bend over or sit down.
For a prize drawing, you could set it up where they toss their business card into a large glass jar/vase. Put a few ringer cards in first--just make sure that you take these out before the drawing.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:08 AM on October 29, 2011
Storage. Large totes with lids, like this to schlep everything back and forth.
Nthing high tables. Nobody wants to bend over or sit down.
For a prize drawing, you could set it up where they toss their business card into a large glass jar/vase. Put a few ringer cards in first--just make sure that you take these out before the drawing.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:08 AM on October 29, 2011
Ikea Hackers had a post the other day on the use of Stolmen, Lack, and Expedit to build an expo exhibit. Seems to me that the latter two are awfully heavy/unwieldy for this application, but you get the idea.
posted by lakeroon at 7:29 AM on October 29, 2011
posted by lakeroon at 7:29 AM on October 29, 2011
I have worked a stall at a small expo for years - and have attended two larger ones for years too.
The number one thing is: Do not just sit there passively!
Engage as many people as you can! Work the crowd!
Have a short and a long sales pitch ready. Practice and prepare your speech so that it flows fluidly when you are there - and talk to as many people as possible. You are half-carnival barker when working an expo booth. Having a corny joke or too doesn't hurt.
I am serious. I have seen flashy booths, where the workers just sit there and wait for guests to talk to them, and no one comes over to the flashy booth. I started with a very simple, super basic booth - but I engaged people, worked the crowd non-stop, and I was very successful. In later years, knowing I would be successful, I invested in a fancier booth, but quickly learned my success depended on how much I worked the crowd, not on how fancy my booth was.
(Though, if you are prepared to work the crowd, a fancy booth can make it easier, and make you more memorable - so a fancy booth is definitely worth it)
posted by Flood at 7:52 AM on October 29, 2011
The number one thing is: Do not just sit there passively!
Engage as many people as you can! Work the crowd!
Have a short and a long sales pitch ready. Practice and prepare your speech so that it flows fluidly when you are there - and talk to as many people as possible. You are half-carnival barker when working an expo booth. Having a corny joke or too doesn't hurt.
I am serious. I have seen flashy booths, where the workers just sit there and wait for guests to talk to them, and no one comes over to the flashy booth. I started with a very simple, super basic booth - but I engaged people, worked the crowd non-stop, and I was very successful. In later years, knowing I would be successful, I invested in a fancier booth, but quickly learned my success depended on how much I worked the crowd, not on how fancy my booth was.
(Though, if you are prepared to work the crowd, a fancy booth can make it easier, and make you more memorable - so a fancy booth is definitely worth it)
posted by Flood at 7:52 AM on October 29, 2011
> Power strips are like £20 per day
That's on the cheap side. Power and internet will be priced at the smallest epsilon below which people would openly revolt.
Also, check and recheck your stall requirements; most of the (admittedly, different sector and different country) trade shows I've exhibited at limit furniture to what the organizer's contractor supplies. Most halls are so heavily unionized that if you even think of plugging into an available socket without the contractor's $50 to do so, your stall will be blacked and you will be asked to leave.
(I ♡ Montréal ...)
posted by scruss at 8:14 AM on October 29, 2011
That's on the cheap side. Power and internet will be priced at the smallest epsilon below which people would openly revolt.
Also, check and recheck your stall requirements; most of the (admittedly, different sector and different country) trade shows I've exhibited at limit furniture to what the organizer's contractor supplies. Most halls are so heavily unionized that if you even think of plugging into an available socket without the contractor's $50 to do so, your stall will be blacked and you will be asked to leave.
(I ♡ Montréal ...)
posted by scruss at 8:14 AM on October 29, 2011
I left exhibit design in 1999 but Exhibitor Magazine was always a good resource for ideas and their classified often have things that are affordable.
I second the suggestions to use human eye contact, an engaging manner, attractive posters and a ready practiced human spiel (the elevator pitch) that would catch the attention of tired people wandering around loud noisy halls full of people who all want their attention.
The best places are those that offer a chance to sit down... leave them be for a bit but then ask if they'd like some information. Put a couple of easy chairs and an inviting cushion or two, a table and if your budget permits, water, juice or coffee. It will attract people in a laid back kind of way.
posted by infini at 9:33 AM on October 29, 2011
I second the suggestions to use human eye contact, an engaging manner, attractive posters and a ready practiced human spiel (the elevator pitch) that would catch the attention of tired people wandering around loud noisy halls full of people who all want their attention.
The best places are those that offer a chance to sit down... leave them be for a bit but then ask if they'd like some information. Put a couple of easy chairs and an inviting cushion or two, a table and if your budget permits, water, juice or coffee. It will attract people in a laid back kind of way.
posted by infini at 9:33 AM on October 29, 2011
Best answer: -have some object at your booth which is instantly visually interesting - such that people are drawn to look at it, even if they just see it from the corner of their eye. Make it be an object whose interest is compelling even with no explanation, no sign, no nothing. It has to make people say "wow, what's that?" or "can I touch it?" or "wow, how cute" etc, and they'll pause for a moment, and then you can say "want to try?" or similar. A big screen with your game might work if the visuals are great - but even a lava lamp, or big flexagon-like mathematical object sculpture, or something else that is quasi-related. Could be a distinctive weird plant. Set this object in a position where the most people can see it, between waist level and just-above-head-level for a walking person.
-have the name of your company and your 3-6 word slogan visible (in easy to read font) from a distance, and from any angle people might reasonably approach your booth. People should be able to size up your booth and see "oh, games for learning" or whatever, and decide whether they're interested - this overcomes the initial wariness to talk to you, IME - they can see you are being straightforward about what your product is, and they don't have to be on guard against some mystery pitch. Plus if you are busy talking to one person, all the other people walking by during that 5-minute conversation will be able to see whether they should be signing up for your updates, or hanging around looking at your game etc.
-have a large-type sign saying "Live demo!" or "Try the game!" or similar; should be visible for a person walking by. For each different game you're demoing, a sign with a 3-5 word description in large type "Bears Learn Calculus!" or whatever. Again, make it so people do not have to talk to you to see what's going on.
-have a small piece of paper with brief (3 sentence or less) explanation of your project, web address, email addy, etc - and have LOTS of these. Place them in stacks in at least a couple of spots, so people can grab one if they're too shy to talk to you.
-have a clipboard with (many) sheets of paper where people can leave their name and email address - label two columns "name" and "email". IMO you can be straightforward and say "Sign up for updates on our great games!" which feels more honest to me than a drawing... depending on your audience, they may respond better to honesty than promo-ism.
-definitely have a notebook where you can take notes on people you've met - and annotate business cards as you go - "wants to work with us on math game", "might want to beta-test in small school", etc. You'll forget these details quickly, so annotate as soon as possible after talking to the person. Everyone who's working the booth should know what the protocol is for annotating contacts - who talked to the person, what the person's interested in, this info should go in a central location.
-be ready that this will involve schlepping a lot of little items, storing them out of sight, etc, so you'll want plastic bins or big tote bags etc and ideally a skirted table to put them under. Also you'll want to bring a jug of water and snacks for yourself if you get stuck at the booth for 10 hours. (And you'll want to bring very comfortable shoes)
-it's probably good to have the people working your booth all wear something distinctive - same colored t-shirt with company name, or bright hat, or giant colorful pin, or something. So if people see you walking around away from your booth they will be able to say 'oh, you're from that game company, I wanted to ask you something but your booth was swamped when I walked by'. I was skeptical about this at a recent expo I worked, but it was a huge benefit.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:54 AM on October 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
-have the name of your company and your 3-6 word slogan visible (in easy to read font) from a distance, and from any angle people might reasonably approach your booth. People should be able to size up your booth and see "oh, games for learning" or whatever, and decide whether they're interested - this overcomes the initial wariness to talk to you, IME - they can see you are being straightforward about what your product is, and they don't have to be on guard against some mystery pitch. Plus if you are busy talking to one person, all the other people walking by during that 5-minute conversation will be able to see whether they should be signing up for your updates, or hanging around looking at your game etc.
-have a large-type sign saying "Live demo!" or "Try the game!" or similar; should be visible for a person walking by. For each different game you're demoing, a sign with a 3-5 word description in large type "Bears Learn Calculus!" or whatever. Again, make it so people do not have to talk to you to see what's going on.
-have a small piece of paper with brief (3 sentence or less) explanation of your project, web address, email addy, etc - and have LOTS of these. Place them in stacks in at least a couple of spots, so people can grab one if they're too shy to talk to you.
-have a clipboard with (many) sheets of paper where people can leave their name and email address - label two columns "name" and "email". IMO you can be straightforward and say "Sign up for updates on our great games!" which feels more honest to me than a drawing... depending on your audience, they may respond better to honesty than promo-ism.
-definitely have a notebook where you can take notes on people you've met - and annotate business cards as you go - "wants to work with us on math game", "might want to beta-test in small school", etc. You'll forget these details quickly, so annotate as soon as possible after talking to the person. Everyone who's working the booth should know what the protocol is for annotating contacts - who talked to the person, what the person's interested in, this info should go in a central location.
-be ready that this will involve schlepping a lot of little items, storing them out of sight, etc, so you'll want plastic bins or big tote bags etc and ideally a skirted table to put them under. Also you'll want to bring a jug of water and snacks for yourself if you get stuck at the booth for 10 hours. (And you'll want to bring very comfortable shoes)
-it's probably good to have the people working your booth all wear something distinctive - same colored t-shirt with company name, or bright hat, or giant colorful pin, or something. So if people see you walking around away from your booth they will be able to say 'oh, you're from that game company, I wanted to ask you something but your booth was swamped when I walked by'. I was skeptical about this at a recent expo I worked, but it was a huge benefit.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:54 AM on October 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
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Also, as a regular person (not as a designer or anything) the idea of sitting at a table looking at a laptop in a large expo space is kind of depressing, so I would think vertically in terms of visually. Could people stand and play the game? Could tables be raised on a platform so that the laptop is eye level for people walking by, or have what's happening on the laptop projected on a larger monitor higher up for people walking by. Or at least tall signage.
posted by vitabellosi at 5:47 AM on October 29, 2011