Many articles have been written about the construction of exhibition stands and displays, shedding light on various aspects of the exhibition industry. In particular, the firm ExpoGlobal Group has come out with several publications on this theme (the most recent being "Your Home For Five Days", published in 2000 in My Moscow, an international journal of information and analysis run by the Moscow Mayor's Office and City Government; "How to Participate in an Exhibition for Less"; the brochure "Recommendations from ExpoGlobal Group", etc.). The overwhelming majority of articles on this theme are promotional in nature and say why this or that exhibition company is better than the rest. In this publication, we aim to get away from the stereotype and look from the point of view of the exhibitor -the firm buying the exhibition services- at how to build a stand. We will focus on one aspect -our stand at an exhibition- and we will not look at other questions, such as planning a budget for building a stand, strategies for participating in an exhibition, choosing and reserving an exhibition area, and so on.
While we are constantly taking part in exhibitions, this does not mean that we know everything. Every professional business has its secrets. For this reason, we will pass over the first question that comes to mind -"Is this really necessary for us?", because it is amateurish. All serious firms know that exhibitions are the best way both to gain recognition and to look at other firms! Consequently, the second question that comes to mind-"What shall we exhibit?" can be left to itself. If a company has nothing to exhibit, it is absurd for it to take part in an exhibition. Therefore, the first question we shall deal with is not so much "Do we have the money for it?", but "How much money do we need?". Of course, one would always like to be able to spend as much as possible, but this is not always necessary. We must spend wisely. For the same cost, we could build two completely different stands, depending on which professional secrets we know.
Secret 1. Before our boss has planned his vacation, we get his or her advance agreement for participation in the exhibition, or, even better, confirm an exhibition plan.
Now we start thinking about our stand. Should we stick with our old stand (if we have one), though we might be a bit tired of it, or should we continue to surprise people with something new, thus showing that we are not standing still? It depends on what we want. Taking part in the creation of small architectural structures is fascinating; it is a pity there is no TV program called "Be Your Own Architect". Consequently, the earlier we start, the better our construction will be. It is always cheaper to plan ahead.
Secret 2. While not the most important trick, the one we can apply first is to "haggle" the builder's price down. The usual amount we can save here is 10-15% of the estimate for the construction of a stand. This means we have already saved part of the budget. A dreadful thing indeed it is, this budget -a dilemma between wishes and possibilities. We could, of course, cut costs still further. We could, for instance, shorten our mobile phone discussion of the estimate with the builder by, say, 40 minutes, by stating that our boss wants to take a final decision immediately and is going on vacation before the exhibition opens. Thus, we could shave another 5-10% off the cost of the stand. It should, however, be clearly understood that this might affect the construction quality. A reputable builder with a regular flow of commissions simply cannot give such a discount on a stand.
Secret 3. Find a healthy balance between wishes and possibilities. This is easy enough to do, assuming we have a client-builder chain and it includes people with common sense in the client-builder chain. It is much harder to reach a compromise under similar conditions if we have a client-agent-builder chain. Let's suppose, for example, that a beautiful design for the stand is not part of our budget. Our boss, however, has insisted that, even though we are not to go even a fraction over budget, the stand must be the best at the exhibition; indeed, it should be good enough to earn a certificate from the Union of Designers, or at least from the organizers. Here we can be helped by the ingenuity, assiduity and professionalism of a builder able to replace an expensive plastic covering for the stand with a cheaper coat of paint, and the experience of a designer able to rework the project so that the appearance is minimally affected.
Secret 4. The "in" word "tender" is always coming up. The sort of tender to announce for the project is a matter of taste and ethics. We could just approach a dozen or so stand-building companies and advertising firms found in the Yellow Pages. On the other hand, we could delve into exhibition catalogs from the last couple of years and see who is progressing, who is standing still, and who has totally fallen off the radar. Exhibition catalogs can easily be obtained from Trident Advertising and Publishing House, or from the consulting agency Expomir (both based in Moscow). But tenders, like the process for choosing the best of them, are a lottery. There may be lots of nice pictures and promises, but will the stand turn out in real life to look like it does in the design? Frankly speaking, tenders are also a lottery for the builders themselves. No reputable stand-building company is going to take part in a "super tender" with 5-8 competitors for a construction project 12 sq. m in area. If one likes a stand design, but the builders prove incompliant, one has to try to purchase the stand design and organize a fixed-price tender. But there are technical subtleties and usually only the company that designed the stand that is able to build it.
Secret 5. This consists of several little tricks. Firstly, we need to go to an exhibition complex and see how different firms build stands. We need to look carefully as we walk around the exhibition area while the stands are being built. Is there much dirt on the stand? How are the installers dressed? What materials are being used in the construction? What tools are being used? From these initial impressions we can get a fair impression of what the completed stand will be like. Secondly, we can confirm that the company doing the building is the same one we signed the contract with. If we are working with a Client-Agent-Builder chain, this has an effect on the main business criterion, price/quality. There is no need for comment here, if there are no special arrangements (a broader range, or larger quantity, of exhibition services, special prices, etc.) involved. Thirdly, we need to strongly defend our interests if the exhibition organizers impose their general builders on us, referring to exclusivity rights and threatening us with various sanctions, from extra payment for the exhibition services provided, to bureaucratic formalities concerned with document processing.
Secret 6. The last in this publication, but not the final one overall. The best, and most profitable, way to get a good stand is to work on it with a loyal, professional, reliable builder. He will see you as, more than anything, a business partner, not just a client. In fact, for complete success, this attitude should be mutual.
At the beginning of this article, we deliberately omitted specific aspects concerning exhibition stands -what everything costs. The price range for exhibition stands is huge: from $15 per sq. m for standard stands to $500 per sq. m for complex, exclusive stands. The figure also varies depending on the exhibition venue. The most expensive, though also the most prestigious, exhibition venue in Russia is without doubt Expocentr Krasnaya Presnya in Moscow. The next venue is the Sokolniki Culture and Exhibition Center, also in Moscow.
An attractively designed and well-built stand at an exhibition is, more than anything, the "suit" in which you meet visitors to the exhibition -your future clients. Sum up all the 6 secrets we have been discussing, and you will see that an attractive, presentable stand does not have to be an expensive stand.
