Trade fairs, conferences and business events are a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure, improve brand visibility, network with industry peers, and connect with potential customers and partners.
Exhibiting at an event, however, can be a daunting task – especially if you're new to the process and don’t know where to start.
Adverset Display has been designing and printing exhibition stands right here in the UK since 1989. From classic pull-up banners and more modern fabric stands to complete media display kits, we provide high-quality display banners for every kind of event.
We’ve packed this guide with the expert insights and practical advice you need to plan a successful exhibition stand, including when to start planning, how to pick the best stand type for your needs, and tips for creating eye-catching artwork.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or an exhibition first-timer, this guide will provide you with the insights and knowledge you need to make your exhibition stand a success.
Planning your stand
A lot of thought and planning goes into creating a successful exhibition stand. From venue requirements to the size of your space, available staff, and practical logistics like transportation – it’s important to consider all these elements before you start designing your stand.
1. Purpose
First, consider the aim of your exhibition stand. Having a clear goal in mind can help you design a stand that really works for your needs. This is the time to pull together all your ideas and inspiration.
- Are you meeting people and raising awareness of your brand? If so, perhaps you need a comfortable space to sit and chat with the public.
- Are you displaying an array of physical products? Then consider putting your main graphics at head-height for better visibility.
- Are you aiming to collect contact details from as many interested parties as possible? Adding a couple of iPad holders will make it easier for people to sign up.
2. Logistics
Next, consider the practical logistics of the event. This will influence the style and size of your display unit, and the best assembly method for your team.
- How big is the event space?
- How many plugs are available at the venue?
- How many people will be available to assemble and dismantle the stand?
- How many shows will you be taking your stand to?
- How will the stand be transported to the location?
- Where will the stand be stored outside of events?
3. Location
Your location within the venue may also influence the type of stand you need. Often, when signing up to exhibit at a trade show or conference, organisations are given the option to reserve a specific location in the venue. These are often available on a first-come, first-served basis, allowing you to choose the best location for your display.
Ideally, you want to be somewhere that will receive a lot of foot traffic, to help maximise the number of people who see your stand.
Consider the shape and size of your reserved floor space while planning your exhibition stand. For instance, if you have a corner area, you might choose a modular Twist unit that can bend and flex to fit the space.
4. Gadgets and extras
Adding technology to your stand design can be a practical option, as well as helping your display stand out from the crowd.
Options include:
- iPad Station. iPads are a great way to quickly collect vital contact information from people visiting your stand.
- TV. If you have high-quality video to display, consider including a “wall-mounted” TV in your stand design. They can also be an excellent way to showcase a carousel of images.
- Phone Chargers. Consider offering charging outlets for people to use. This gives you a great chance to talk to the public about your company while their phone charges.
- Virtual Reality. Offering virtual reality experiences can be a fantastic way to engage the public with your stand.
- Marketing materials. Don’t forget the business cards, brochures and catalogues. We can help printing any of these for a joined-up approach to your exhibition marketing.
Types of exhibition stands
Once you know your stand’s location within the venue, have figured out your team’s logistics and decided what you want to do with your space, then it’s time to start thinking about what type of display stand you’ll need.
Here are some of the stand types Adverset Display can supply:
Fabric exhibition stands are a practical and modern option for your exhibition or trade fair stand.
The curved lightweight frame is incredibly easy to transport and assemble. In fact, this is the easiest exhibition stand for individuals to assemble alone. Simply clip the aluminium frame together, stretch the fabric over the top, and zip it closed.
The graphic is printed continuously on a single piece of tension fabric, eliminating the problem of trying to match complex designs across multiple panels.
If you’re looking for an office or exhibition sign, these premium fabric stands are a great lightweight choice. Our larger stretch fabric wall displays are great for use as dividers or backdrops for conference panels, video interviews, press conferences and media photography.
As the fabric is printed on both sides, you get double the advertising options: simply unzip the cover and turn it around to display a second message or design.
Fabric stands are also great for use as a backdrop for conference panels, video interviews, press conferences and media photography.
Twist display stands are a high-end and flexible stand for exhibitions and trade fairs. Their modular design means the curved panels can be magnetically clipped together and then twisted and bent into any shape.
You can seamlessly add and remove panels, creating a display stand that fits any exhibition area – perfect for busy organisations who exhibit often and need more flexibility.
This is also the only system that supports a “wall-mounted” TV screen.
Adverset Display include a wooden countertop that fits on top of the wheeled carry case, to create a lectern for your Twist display stand.
Pull-up banners are a cost-effective and lightweight option for advertising at fairs, conferences or exhibitions. They can be packed into a padded canvas carry case, making them a convenient choice if you need to travel.
These roller banners are also very quick to put together: simply assemble the spring-loaded poles and pull the graphic into place.
Pop-up stands have been a classic choice for trade shows and exhibitions for many years. The 'snap-up' aluminium frame and magnetic ‘clip-on’ display graphics can be set up in as little as 10 minutes, making it ideal for individuals working alone.
The stand is stored in a hard-shell wheeled carry case, which can then be converted into a lectern for your pop-up stand.
- Interactive TV and media display stands
If you’ve decided to use interactive elements in your exhibition stand, then you may need to opt for a specific type of display unit.
Adverset has a range of TV display stands that can be clipped onto an existing modular Twist system. These are a great way to mount heavy TVs on a “wall”, so you can display videos or an image slideshow.
For smaller iPad screens, you may prefer a tabletop iPad holder or even a simple iPad stand.
Having a semi-private space to sit and talk with people at exhibitions or trade shows is a great way to stand out in the crowd.
These curved meeting booths are made from light-weight aluminium, and your graphic will be printed on both sides of the stretch fabric – giving you double the advertising space.
Designing your stand graphics
Once you’ve chosen your stand, the next step is to design the artwork. Even the best display unit can be let down by bad-quality graphics, so it’s important to get this part right.
Some of the main elements to consider including in your stand artwork are:
- Your organisation’s name and/or logo
- Eye-catching photography, illustrations or graphics
- Contact details, including website
Whether your graphics are ready to print or you need help creating a bespoke design solution, Adverset can help ensure your display stand is one people won’t forget. Speak to us about getting help with your stand design.
A. You have print-ready artwork for your exhibition stand
If you already have graphics for your stand, download our artwork templates and instructions to check that they will work correctly for your unit type.
The free templates will guide you on the size, resolution, printing area, and other important details for each specific product, but the general requirements for artwork are usually:
- Resolution: Use high-resolution images to ensure your graphics are sharp and clear. We recommend at least 300dpi, at 25% of the finished size.
- Colour: To ensure accurate colour printing, convert all your images from RGB to CMYK.
- Format: High-res PDF, TIFF or JPEG.
We can also provide a PDF proof, so you can confirm everything looks good before your stand design goes to print.
B. You need help creating a design for your stand
Adverset can help create your stand’s graphic design and artwork. We have an in-house team of designers who are highly experienced in developing attention-grabbing artwork for exhibition stands and display banners.
The cost of using our custom artwork will depend on the type of stand you choose. We include the price on each product page – displayed as a one-off cost, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Simply contact our office today on 01723 363732 to discuss your design brief with the team and receive a quote.
Timelines
The main thing to remember about planning your exhibition stand is that it’s better to start sooner rather than later.
People often expect exhibition stands to be available with a next-day turnaround, but the nature of the product makes this impossible.
We recommend ordering your printed exhibition stand at least two weeks before your event.
- Bespoke Design
If you’re requesting a custom design, we recommend beginning the order process as soon as possible to ensure you’re happy with the proofs before they go to print.
- Printing and Delivery
Our Standard Delivery despatches your exhibition stand and graphic 5-7 working days after we confirm artwork approval. We also offer an Express Delivery service that guarantees despatch within 3 days of artwork approval and is available on some offerings.
- Assembling and Dismantling
The assembly time will depend on your chosen stand type. Pop-up and roller stands can be installed and dismantled in a matter of minutes.
Costs of exhibition stands
The price of booking an exhibition stand at a trade fair or conference can quickly spiral if you haven’t worked them out ahead of time. Here are some of the costs to keep in mind while planning your display stand:
- Cost of booking a stand at the event
The first thing you’ll need to pay for is your stand reservation. These usually need to be booked well in advance, so make sure you know what the cut-off date is for your chosen event, and get your spot reserved as soon as possible.
- Cost of stands
The cost of an exhibition stand will depend on the size and type of your display unit. Prices for Adverset display stands vary from £49 for a single pull-up banner to £1500+ for a complete 6-panel exhibition kit with TV stand and additional lectern.
However, it’s also worth noting that the frames are the costly part of an exhibition stand. Once you have the frames, you can simply order replacement graphic panels and switch the imagery when you need to – making them an excellent long-term business investment.
- Custom artwork
Prices for bespoke artwork by Adverset Display start from £50 for a roller banner. Contact our sales team today to receive a full quote.
- Technology
Are you using interactive screens on your stand? If you don’t already have them, you’ll need to account for the cost of buying the TV or iPad.
- Flyers and Business Cards
You may want to provide promotional flyers, leaflets, brochures, stickers, business cards or other printed materials on your stand.
- Logistics and Expenses
Finally, don’t forget to budget for any staff costs, travel, food, drinks, and accommodation if it’s a multi-day event.
Assembling and dismantling
The time it takes to set up and later remove your exhibition stand will depend on the type of unit you’ve purchased and how many people are available to help with assembly.
If you’re working alone, items like our Pull Up banner stands are a great choice as they fold down into a canvas carry bag and can easily be set up by a single individual.
Fabric banners are also very easy to set up alone: simply assemble the frame and zip up the printed fabric.
For more complex displays, you’ll need to ensure you have enough people and/or time to set up on the day.
Either way, we recommend having a practice run before the event, to ensure everyone knows what they’re doing. This way, any difficulties can be ironed out and planned for in advance.
Adverset Display provide assembly instruction videos for all our framed exhibition stands, and written instructions for our simpler units, such as pull-up or pop-up banner stands.
Have any questions about our exhibition stands? Get in touch by calling 01723 363732.
