If organising your exhibition or event is a worrying thought then we have the answer…

Organising a show or event for your business can be both a tedious and costly task, I know I have been there myself – being pushed from pillar to post, given contradictory advice, knowing where to save money (and just as importantly where not!) especially in this current economic climate.

At the Show Store we over the years have come across many a potential client who has had enough of being messed around, ripped off, have a million unanswered questions and a budget fast running out. This is why we have created a free e-course – 20 Ways to Save You Money – that will help you to get the most from your event. Each day for 20 days you’ll get an email in your inbox with a nifty tip or trick on how to save money when organising an event for your business.

Our free e-course, brings to you 20 ways to save both time and money for the sizeable purchasing decisions that you’ll inevitably have to go through in preparation of the big day. Check lists and free guides that we think will assist you are also included for free.

Please don’t think this e-course is just for “new to exhibiting” people, we have had experienced people sign up and even they found some useful information that helped them save money.

This unbiased information will help you to achieve your goals no matter who you eventually buy from. No hard sell we just want to help and its FREE!

To sign up for the e-course just click the link above or  sign up via the Show Store.

Happy exhibiting!

Before I finish you may find our You Tube Channel useful it contains videos on various banner stands – keep checking as more and more are being added regularly.

At the Show Store we understand that there is a lot more than just the equipment to make a great exhibition stand or event. We have spent years dealing with exhibitors from all walks of life and have used these experiences to create two great FREE guides – The Beginners Guide to Sales and The Ultimate Exhibitors Handbook.

The Beginners Guide to Sales is jam packed with everything you need to know to successfully sell. This information is particularly important when you are using face-to-face marketing techniques on the road at a show, event, seminar or conference.

The Ultimate Exhibitors Handbook is a mighty 55 page handbook full of strategies, tips, tricks and checklists that you’ll be able to use to ensure that your show set-up, organization, planning, purchasing and marketing is carried out in a way that ensures your stand will stand out at the show.

Both guides are easy to use and not too technical so ideal for the first time exhibitor. We know as we have been there ourselves how overwhelming exhibiting can be.  A lot of experienced exhibitors however, have received them and they have all told me that even they have picked up a few new ideas. So don’t think just because you have been doing this for years you know everything, anyway what have you got to loose – they are FREE!

Both Guides are only available when an order is placed so can’t be downloaded and used willy nilly. As soon as the order has completed then the guides will be emailed directly to you and you can get cracking.

Also as a last thought don’t forget to view our You Tube channel which is packed with useful banner stands videos and is updated and added to regularly.

I hope you find them useful – happy reading(viewing)!

Exhibition Display Equipment represents a considerable investment and requires special attention to keep all parts in good condition. Exhibits are most susceptible to damage during transportation, installation, dismantling, and storage. Below are some tips to help you reduce down time and refurbishment costs over the lifetime of your display.

Transporting Exhibition Display Equipment

Incorrect transportation and storage of the stand can take a eye-catching, professional display and turn it into expensive scrap in seconds. Firstly, pack all of your equipment tight enough that they won’t shift and move around during transportation. This is exceptionally important for rigid graphics, large panels, and other objects that can be dented or bent easily.

Construction of the Stand at the Show

If you will be managing your own stand construction, make sure you allot enough time before the event to get everything set up and exactly how you want it. If time is at a premium the set up the perimeter, tables and main stand essentials first.

Next put in place your smaller items, decorations, and marketing material in and around the stand as the early exhibition attendees enter the exhibition hall. Depending on the distance and sizing rules, some exhibitors find it easier to build smaller items before arrival.

If you require contractors to put up your exhibition stand at the venue, take extra time to research the company. Ensure the company you hire has experience in the industry, as well as satisfied customers based on available testimonials.

Ensure you give the contractor as much information about the logistics and details in advance to help avoid potential damage or delays during the assembly. This includes information such as the number of pallets and stand pieces; a description of what’s in each box/case, which should also be labeled clearly and lastly diagrams and detail about which components go with which exhibition display piece.

Taking Down your Exhibition Stand

Taking down your stand needs the same care and attention as construction. Make sure everything goes back into the container it came in. Check to see if any of the items could be rubbing against each other, and if so, wrap them with a soft cloth, foam to protect the finish.

As you preparing items for transportation, make sure the fragile items such as graphics or lighting are protected. If you used paper graphics or marketing literature then it may also be sensible to place them in plastic to help protect against moisture.

Storage of Exhibition Stands for Future Use

When storing your display materials take care of your graphics and fabrics. They need to be carefully packed and stored out of direct sunlight, which could cause them to fade or become brittle. Refrain from using cheap cardboard boxes to store your display. Special cases provide far better protection and they are also more durable and transport more easily.

Most importantly it is beneficial to use a secure, dry and undisturbed storage facility to keep your stand in pristine condition. This will help to make sure it doesn’t get inadvertently bumped or knocked over.

For full some examples of special transportation cases please click the link, if you can’t see what you need we can supply a full range so call and we will forward the detail.

I have just been reading an article on Freebies (promotional gifts) given out at Exhibitions and Events. Most people attending a show expect to come away with free gifts, brochures, samples etc. What they don’t know is a lot of thought goes into (or should go into) what is given out.

The idea of freebies are that when the potential customer has gone home he will look/use your gift regularly so when they need your product they automatically think to call you instead of your competitors. So what you give them is important, you don’t want them binning it or shoving it to the back of the draw.

Ok, back to my article………..

A survey has been carried out and a new Top 10 has been revealed and I thought I would share it with you.

1. Sweat Shirts
2. Drawstring Backpacks
3. Pocket Calculator
4. Clocks
5. Computer Accessories
6. Umbrella
7. Flashlights
8. Packaged Candy
9. Lip Balm
10. Coffee Mugs

Controversially the good old pen has been missed off this list….I have read many reports which say the pen is the  “king” freebie as it is cheap to mass produce and people always need a pen! Make your own mind up on this one.

One item that is a new comer and is fast becoming the numero uno item to give away is hand sanitiser – since the outbreak of swine flu some genius came up with idea to add company details to the bottles and it is taking the freebie market by storm.

Moral of the story – think before you exhibit, give something away that people will use and remember you by!

Not a lot of people, believe it or not, think about replacing the graphics on their existing stands. I have had numerous enquiries for new hardware when a simple replacement graphic would suffice. Also I have found having a second lot of graphics is a great (cheap) way to test a marketing idea, especially if you have a pop up stand.

I have in the past had a client (who will remain nameless) take 3 sets of graphics with him to a show and each day had a swap around to test which concept worked the best with potential clients. As he pointed out it worked out much cheaper buying the extra sets of pop up stand graphics than paying to attend 2 more exhibitions to test his theory – good point well made!!

Most people though have a change of logo, or the images are looking tired and out dated or they want to promote a different product………these guys can just replace the graphic easily and save money!

When looking around for people to replace the graphic make sure they are able to do so.  Sounds daft but some companies will only produce a graphic for the systems they have in stock. Also if you are looking to replace a graphic on a banner stand my advice is to send the whole unit back and get them to do it for you. Most banner stands work on a tension basis and if you don’t do it properly then you can get into all sorts of bother.

The Showstore, although always offered the service, have put a new catergory on their on-line store for replacement graphics.  They will produce graphics for any type of stand (pop up stand, pop up banner stand, roll up banner stand etc), whether they stock it or not. You must be aware though if it is a stand they don’t normally stock there may be a small extra charge if they need to source special materials in order to complete the job (this will be in a minority of cases!!).

Click the link to view their prices – Replacement Graphics.