HOW TO WRITE THE PERFECT EXHIBITION STAND BRIEF

Have you been tasked with writing an exhibition stand brief, but are unsure on where to start? With over 35 years’ experience in delivering exhibition stands, we’ve seen all manner of briefs in our time.

With Clip, discover how to create the perfect exhibition stand brief by following our recommended structure and step-by-step advice.

Step 1 – About You

It’s really important for your exhibition stand builder to understand your business, so start your exhibition stand brief by introducing your company. This should include:

  • An overview of what your company does
  • Your industry
  • Company size
  • An idea of your regional, national, or global presence
  • Company vision, mission, and values
  • Your competitors

As well as sharing details about your company, it’s a great idea to also supply a website address, so your supplier can visually understand what your brand is all about.

Step 2 – About Your Customer

Next in your exhibition stand brief, we need to understand a bit more about your customer. Inform the exhibition stand supplier about who buys your product or service – again, industry and sector are useful!

If you also have a deck of buyer personas, please share them with your stand contractor, as this really helps them to design the perfect exhibition stand with your audience completely in their mind.

Step 3 – The Exhibition Event

Cad exhibition stand designing

Alongside understanding your company and customers, your exhibition stand builder will need to know what show you’re going to! Inform them of the show, date, location and stand size.

If you have already booked your stand space, give the exhibition company your stand number. This helps the stand contractor to identify where there might be traffic hot spots, and how to maximise on the typical traffic flow in your location within the hall.

At this point you should also inform them if you’re going to more than one show, or if you need to use your stand for more than one event. This is so that your exhibition stand builder can design a stand that suits 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.

Read more information about these stand types in our blog ‘Modular vs Bespoke Stands’.

Step 4 – The Objective of your Exhibition Event

Why are you going to the exhibition/show?

Every year your company will establish an event objective, so ensure your exhibition stand supplier understands your main objectives.

For example, you might be attending a show to launch a new product, connect with new potential customers, or to raise your brand profile and use it as an opportunity to build relationships with existing clients.

Whatever your objective, make sure you know it and that your stand builder knows it too.

Step 5 – The Audience

Your audience might be similar to your customer (step 2), but this part is where you are more specific about the audience and demographic at your show. The more your stand builder understands about them – professionally and personally – the better your exhibition stand designer can tailor the design around your audience.

Most national exhibitions and shows hold a lot of useful data about their event footfall and demographics, often available on their website to view. Ensure you use this information in your exhibition stand brief.

Step 6 – The Campaign Message

Once you know your objective and your audience, next is to decide on your campaign message. Be as clear as you can!

A lot of exhibition stand builders will help you create the message for your stand as it is part of the design process, but the more precise you can be, the happier you’re more likely to be with the design concepts that the exhibition company produces.

Step 7 – The Budget

Be honest!

If you’re open and transparent about your budget, then you will avoid disappointment. Working with a budget in mind allows the stand designer to be creative –within your budget – and produce something that will hit the spot from the start.

For guidance on how to accurately set your budget, read our helpful guide on how to set up and measure your ROI.

Step 8 – Stand Functionality, Look and Feel

Clip state of the art technology image

As mentioned earlier, if you have already booked your stand, provide the stand number as the exhibition company can then consult directly with the show organisers.

Think about what you want the stand to do. Some common questions are:

  • Do you want interactive elements?
  • Do you need a space for meeting and talking with visitors?
  • Do you need a sit-down area?
  • What about storage?

Any thoughts or ideas you have about the space needs to be given here for the stand designer to consider when putting together a design. Everything from equipment, products and TV screens will be included.

Always let your exhibition stand builder know if you have any preferences on the look and feel of your stand. Do you want to see lots of lighting, or any specifics? Anything else you think they need to know – share it here!

 

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