Making an informed decision on an Exhibition Design Company

With so many exhibition design companies seemingly offering the same exhibition service and products, how on earth can you choose the exhibition design company that's going to be best for you? Take it from us, if you look beyond the surface you will see very important exhibition design differences, and knowing these will make an informed decision a whole lot easier!

Trade Show Appearances can be deceptive.

On first glance an exhibition stand can look great, but you will be surprised how many on closer inspection fail even the most basic exhibition health and safety tests. Plenty of modular system and custom constructions can be rushed, put together badly or just designed incorrectly. Get your chosen exhibition design company checked out by an accredited exhibition contractor organisation to make sure they can deliver something that is safe AND looks great. And make sure they are experts in a chosen field, whether it be a system exhibition specialist or a custom made exhibition design specialist

Get a budget guarantee.

Yes as exhibition design companies we love the idea of an ‘infinite budget’ for your exhibition stand, but its’ just not economically possible for the clients we serve on a daily basis. The hard facts are that the exhibition stand design needs to look ias good as possible, but within a budget set by you - the customer. Yes an 80” LCD plasma screen will look great on the custom made exhibition stand, but can the same effect be achieved by an 80” HD projector? Yes the latex finish will look great on that Foamex, but will it stay that way beyond the first day of the show? Get a guarantee from your exhibition design company that they will stay within the budget you have set – after all it’s your money!

Make sure you get a return on your investment.

Many exhibition design companies are incredibly short sighted, and many won’t actually look at the impact the exhibition stand should be making on your customers. At the end of the day SALES LEADS are the reason you’re at the trade show in the first place. Make sure your exhibition design company have created a stand that is tailored to your specific needs. Should the exhibition stand design be open and inviting? Should you have a private VIP area for chosen important guests? What should we emphasise the most on the exhibit- stunning visuals or complex information? These are all important questions that you need to make clear to your chosen exhibition design company at the start of the exhibition design process.

Make sure you know the difference between a Marketing Agency and a ‘Full Service’ Exhibition Contractor

Many advertising agencies will offer to take care of your exhibition requirements. But make sure you chose a firm that knows all the options and exhibition technologies available and will take care of the exhibition design, construction, installation and storage of your exhibit all within one company. This is very important, as the building of your exhibition stand is an area that is often presumed to be ‘under control’ when in fact it’s the part that can go wrong the easiest. You will need to choose an exhibition company that has experience building exhibits in as many countries around the world as possible, and they can get a complicated structure built to a high standard efficiently within it. You’d be surprised at how many exhibition companies employ unqualified installation staff to put up the exhibition stand, and pay the price with an unprofessional looking exhibit or stand at the trade show at the end of it., even after paying thousands of pounds on a great looking design.

These are just a few of the pitfalls that many companies make when choosing a exhibition design company to create and install a stand for them. Make sure you do your research thoroughly on the pedigree of previous exhibition work and clients, follow the advice above and you’re sure to be fine!

Happy exhibiting!