Exhibitions are a fantastic marketing channel that allows you to recruit new staff, connect with potential prospects and grow your reputation and brand awareness to further your reach. But exhibition stands are a big investment for businesses and you need to make sure you can trust your provider. In this blog post, we run through the eight questions you should ask your exhibition stand contractor before signing on the dotted line.
1. Can You Show Me What My Stand Will Look Like?
Moving forward with an exhibition stand contractor without knowing what your stand will look like is a recipe for disaster and disappointment. The best exhibition stand builders will have a team of experienced designers who know what makes for a high-impact and effective stand. Designers can steer you in the right direction, but if you don’t know what your stand will look like, you can’t give vital input and make sure it’s on-brand. When choosing a provider, question them about their design process and look for a 3D mockup and 2D sketches showing you what you’ll get. Of course, designs will change and grow during the process, but you want to be kept in the loop at all stages and be able to make any tweaks before your stand is built so that you can feel confident your stand will meet your expectations.
At Plus Exhibition, we offer a free, no-obligation 3D stand design. We’ll have a quick consultation running through your exhibition goals and create a 3D mockup of your stand. We won’t stop until you’re happy with your design — at no cost to you. If you decide not to work with us, no hard feelings, but if you do, you’ll save costs by having your design ready to go and be thrilled that you’ll get your perfect exhibition stand.
2. Can I Visit My Stand before the Event?
Many of our clients like to keep track of the progress of their build, and while 3D mockups and graphic designs can give you an idea of how your stand will look, there’s nothing quite like seeing it in person and being blown away by your high-quality exhibition stand.
Our state-of-the-art production facility is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing you to drop in to see your stand at a time that suits you. Either book an appointment or just pop in — our team will be more than happy to show you your exhibition stand.
3. Can You Help Me Arrange Technology and Refreshments for on the Day?
Before opting for an exhibition stand contractor, it’s important to make sure you know what’s included. Does your stand hire or buy service include Audio and Visual (A/V) tech such as TVs and microphones, or will you need to source these yourself? Don’t forget to ask about refreshments, too! Your staff and prospects will be on their feet all day, so they’ll appreciate having a cup of coffee to hand!
4. What Sort of Results Can I Expect from My Exhibition Stand?
No company can make guarantees, but you should ask your stand contractor about case studies that showcase the success of their previous exhibition stands. Do they have impartial reviews or testimonials about performance? Ask about footfall and engagement (how long people stay at stands) and look specifically for similar stands in your industry — if your exhibition stand contractor has produced great results for a similar client, it indicates that they understand your industry and will be well-placed to help.
5. Why Should I Hire You as My Exhibition Stand Contractor?
With this question, you’re looking for the reasons to pick your stand contractor. Are they a member of event organisations such as the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA)? Do they have any awards that attest to their credibility and reputation? Do they have a roster of satisfied clients? Ultimately, what makes them stand out from their competitors? Many businesses shy away from asking questions like these, but it’s important — you want to know that you’re going to get a stand-our service. At Plus Exhibition, we’ve produced high-impact stands for Google, Apple and Dell, so your business will be in good company. Each of our clients also has a dedicated project manager overseeing their entire project. It’s our mission to keep you up to date, take care of you and be on hand to answer any questions you might have — even out of hours.
6. Will You Build My Stand in-House?
The last thing you want is to pin your hopes — and a big portion of your budget — on a stand that ends up being outsourced to a company you know nothing about. You choose a company because you trust its ability to provide results, but when your stand isn’t built in-house, you can’t effectively quality control the process.
At Plus Exhibition, all of our stands are built by our team of experts in our production facility. We don’t believe in keeping you in the dark; that’s why you can come and visit us and your stand whenever you like, giving you confidence that we’re the right stand contractor for you.
7. What Happens if I Have Questions during the Process?
This is a crucial question to ask because picking an exhibition stand contractor and then finding that all your questions and concerns go unanswered won’t inspire confidence in the end result. When you pick Plus Exhibition, you’ll be assigned a dedicated project manager to take charge of your exhibition stand. They’ll be available day and night to answer your questions. Worried about logistics the night before your event? Just want some reassurance that your event will run smoothly? We’re on hand.
8. Can You Deliver What I Want in My Time Frame?
Most contractors will be happy to accommodate your needs, even if you’ve only recently decided to exhibit at an event or your alternative stand has fallen through and you need professional help, fast! You want to know that your contractor can deliver quality on time. When asking this question, it’s important to also ask the others on this list to make sure your chosen provider can deliver a quality result — just because the entire process needs to be fast-tracked doesn’t mean that your contractor can cut corners.
Make sure you know exactly what to expect in terms of your stand’s appearance and equipment. The last thing you want is to choose a cowboy happy to take your money and deliver a subpar result — a stand that isn’t effective and can’t be used again. You want a stand fast, but research is the most important part of the process to find a company experienced in turning around high-quality and effective, attention-gathering stands.
Are you looking for an exhibition stand contractor you can trust? Plus Exhibition takes care of the entire process and does everything in-house for an exhibition stand that gets you results and looks exactly how you want it to. Get a free no-obligation quote and mockup of your stand today.
