How to Write the Perfect Exhibition Stand Brief

Welcome to our blog, where we delve into the crucial aspects of creating an effective brief for your exhibition stand builder. Whether you’re a seasoned exhibitor or new to the scene, providing a comprehensive brief is essential to ensuring your stand design meets your objectives and maximises your exhibition experience.

In this blog, we will guide you through the process of outlining the details necessary to convey to your exhibition stand builder. From understanding your brand identity to specifying technical requirements, we’ll cover all the bases to help you communicate your vision effectively.

It cannot be overstated how vital it is to make your brief as detailed as possible. A thorough brief serves as the roadmap for your stand builder, enabling them to create a design that aligns perfectly with your goals and objectives. By leaving no stone unturned, you’ll ensure that every aspect of your exhibition stand is tailored to your needs.

So, whether you’re aiming for a striking visual impact, optimal functionality, or seamless integration of technology, following our blog will equip you with the knowledge and insights to craft a brief that leaves nothing to chance. Get ready to elevate your exhibition experience to new heights – happy exhibiting!

The Essentials

Begin by laying the groundwork with crucial details about the exhibition and your booking:

  1. Name of the exhibition and dates
  2. Type of space you have booked
  3. Stand number
  4. Stand size/dimensions and orientation
  5. Copy of latest floor-plan – You can find this in your exhibitor manual. This helps the stand builder to identify where there might be traffic hot spots, and how to maximise on the typical traffic flow in your location within the hall.
  6. Single or multiple events annually – this is really important as it could impact the type and design of the stand your stand builder puts forward so it can suit all of your needs. A modular exhibition stand would be a great option for a company that is exhibiting at different shows, and at each event requires a different stand size or format, while a custom-built stand might be considered ideal for a company exhibiting at multiple shows, but with the same size stand and layout.

About You

Provide your exhibition stand creator with a comprehensive overview of your business, including details about your products or services, core values, and market presence. Share insights into your establishment, whether you operate on a global scale or within specific regions.

Describe your typical clientele, highlighting their roles and preferences when engaging in business transactions. Whether they’re CEOs of large corporations or small business owners, delve into what sets them apart and what they seek in business relationships.

Take the opportunity to narrate your brand’s journey, including interactions with clients, competitors, and your experiences in the exhibition circuit. Additionally, furnish your brand guidelines to offer a clear understanding of your visual identity and brand standards. The more insights you provide, the better equipped your exhibition designers will be to create a stand that resonates with your brand and engages your target audience effectively.

Objectives of Your Exhibition = Why are you exhibiting?

One of the fundamental steps in creating an effective exhibition brief is clarifying your objectives from the outset. What do you aim to accomplish, and what drives your decision to exhibit? Providing detailed insights into your experience, expectations, and reasons for participating will greatly enhance the effectiveness of your brief.

Why have you chosen to exhibit at this event?

Each year, your company establishes event objectives, and it’s crucial to ensure your exhibition stand supplier comprehends your primary goals.

For instance, you may be attending the show to unveil a new product, forge connections with potential clients, or enhance brand visibility while fostering relationships with existing customers.

Regardless of your objective, it’s imperative to articulate it clearly and ensure that both you and your stand builder are aligned in understanding its significance.

Your Audience & Your Customers

Ensuring that your exhibition stand design team comprehends the stand’s purpose and its target audience is paramount. Provide insights into the general demographics of your typical prospects. You can facilitate this process by requesting a breakdown of last year’s visitors from the event organiser. Utilise this information to strategise regarding technology integration, branding initiatives, choice of textures and colors, as well as aligning with prevailing trends across various aspects of stand design.

Your Exhibition Message

After identifying your objective and understanding your audience, the next step is to define your campaign message with utmost clarity. While many exhibition stand builders offer assistance in crafting your stand’s message as part of the design process, providing precise guidance enhances the likelihood of satisfaction with the design concepts generated by the exhibition company.

What Do You Need On Your Stand - Technical Requirements

In this section, it’s imperative to provide a comprehensive outline of your specific needs for the stand. Consider detailing the following aspects:

You might already have envisioned certain features or aesthetics for your stand. These could include practical elements such as a fridge for storing chilled food, designated meeting areas, specific furniture requirements, or the necessity for reliable WiFi connectivity. Ensuring these details are clearly communicated in your exhibition stand brief enables the designers to integrate them seamlessly into their ideas and designs.

Additionally, the exhibition designers may propose the option to hire some or all of these items, and they can manage this aspect as part of the project management process.

Questions to get you started:

  • Do you need a sit down area for meetings?
  • Do you need a store room?
  • Do you need fit out items such as demonstration counters, worktops, shelves, coat hooks.
  • Do you need equipment such as a fridge or water cooler, coffee machines
  • Do you want plants and floral arrangements?
  • Do you want hospitality items such as a reception desk or bar.
  • What type and quantity of seating – sofas, sit up height, poseur height?
  • Do you want open seating? Or semi-secluded or private offices?
  • What display or demonstration areas do you need? How many? Sitting or standing?
  • What specific equipment or machines will these need to be accommodated – provide exact specifications. Are there specific operating requirements?
  • Number and type of literature displays
  • What are your lighting requirements?
  • Do you want an unique elements?
  • Do you want any interactive elements such as Audio visual requirements, TV screens, video walls, data collection via iPads
  • Do you need any staff members?

How Do You Want It To Look?

The visual appeal of your exhibition stand is paramount. Always communicate any preferences regarding the aesthetics and ambiance of your stand to your exhibition stand builder. Are you keen on ample lighting, or do you have specific preferences? Share any additional details you deem relevant here!

Detail the desired look and feel you wish to achieve. For instance, are you envisioning a simple, pristine, white aesthetic, or something vibrant and striking? If you were to distill your desired aesthetic into three words, what would they be?

How do you envision the use of imagery or graphics?

What mood and style of lighting are you aiming for?

It’s always helpful to provide pictures or even a rough sketch of your ideas to give your stand designer a starting point for their creativity. This allows them to explore various possibilities and come up with an exciting design. If you’re unable to find suitable images, consider requesting examples from your stand builder’s previous work or inspiration bank during a call. Examples and Inspiration: If you’ve spotted exhibition stands that resonate with you or have a particular theme in mind, share visual references to provide the designer with a clearer understanding of your preferences.

Logistics & Stock

Considerations for your exhibition stand extend beyond its design. Are there any pieces of equipment or machinery on the stand that necessitate heavy lifting equipment? Additionally, what are your plans for the stand post-show? In addition to constructing the stand, would you like your exhibition stand builder to incorporate the costs of dismantling, transporting, and storing the stand into their quotation?

Budget

Transparency is key! By openly sharing your budget, you can avoid any potential disappointments. Providing a clear budget allows the stand designer to unleash their creativity while staying within your financial parameters, resulting in a design that perfectly suits your needs.

While it may initially seem counterintuitive to disclose your budget in your exhibition stand brief, doing so can prevent future headaches and frustrations. There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a stand design only to realise it exceeds your budget by a considerable margin.

Include a contingency fund. Despite careful planning, last-minute additions to the stand can arise, such as your manager’s request to serve delicious cocktails and other beverages. By having a contingency fund in place, you can handle such unexpected expenses without stress. You need not disclose this information to your designer, but it’s advisable to account for it in your budget planning.

Previous Experience

If you’ve previously exhibited at trade shows, share your insights with your stand designer. Discuss what worked well in the design of your previous stand and what fell short of expectations. Have you come across stands at exhibitions, in magazines, or online that have caught your eye? Do you have any specific ideas you’d like to explore further?

Questions

Feel free to pose any queries you may have to your exhibition stand builder. If there’s anything you’re unsure about, don’t hesitate to seek clarification. A reputable contractor will be accustomed to addressing a wide range of inquiries in a clear and comprehensible manner. Moreover, if you don’t have any questions initially, rest assured that they will likely have a comprehensive list of probing questions for you.

How Your Decision Process Works

Maintain honesty and clarity when communicating with your stand builder.

If your brief is part of a tender process:

  • Provide contact details for the person your provider can reach out to for questions or discussions regarding any aspect of the brief.
  • Outline the forthcoming steps in the process.
  • Specify the criteria you’ll use to assess the tender responses and the timeline you’re adhering to.

In Summary

Throughout this guide, we’ve delved into the essential elements of crafting an effective exhibition stand brief. From outlining your objectives
and understanding your audience to detailing technical requirements and budget considerations, we’ve covered everything you need to equip your stand builder with the information they need to create a stand that truly reflects your brand and achieves your goals.

Remember to be transparent and clear in your communication with your stand builder, providing them with as much detail as possible to ensure they can deliver a design that exceeds your expectations. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and share your past experiences to inform the design process further.

If you’re ready to take the next step in creating your perfect exhibition stand, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Our team is here to help bring your vision to life so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Feel free to explore our inspiration page for ideas and our portfolio to see examples of our past work.