Exhibitor Magazine has a great piece on exhibiting written by Candy Adams. I encourage you to read her article Navigating Space Selection to gain more insight into the exhibitor space. She brings up several smart points such as picking the space that suits you, thinking strategically about your space selection, how the set-up of the exhibit hall will affect your traffic flow, and what to do if all the “good” spaces are taken.
Think about the first thing you do when you sign on as a conference sponsor? Do you just sign up and move on? Or do you start thinking strategically about the conference, who will be in attendance, and where you want your table or booth to be located in the exhibit hall?
Navigating an exhibit hall can be a little like a psychology experiment. Do you want to be located front and center and upgrade to a premium booth? Do you prefer to be near a food or drink station so you can guarantee attendee interaction? Or do you scope out where your competition is and place your booth in close proximity or on the opposite side of the exhibit hall?
Table selection is as much about where you are located as it is about how you plan on interacting with your current and potential customers. The four corners of the room may not be a bad place to be if you have an inviting presence and can step out of your comfort zone a bit to engage with attendees. Additionally, you may seek out a table location near a complementary company – one you often do business with or partner with for school solutions.
Make sure to use your table to your advantage – set up your distribution materials, give away items, and demonstration tools.
Don’t use the table as a personal workspace. Attendees want to engage with you and learn how your product or service can benefit their school or program. It’s easy to walk on by if you are unprepared to engage with them.
We want to hear from YOU! What do you consider when selecting an exhibitor space? Have you seen any innovative exhibit hall designs that promoted maximum interaction and limited “no-go” zones?
Next time you register to be a conference sponsor be sure to tilt the table in your favor!
– written by Kelly A. Brown