Show visitors want products, not brands - Lee Knight, the editor of Exhibitor Magazine, recently wrote "a Fortune 500 company, famous for its innovative technology designed a million dollar exhibit, exclusively to promote - not its products - but its brand. Did the stand overflow with impatient buyers and curious media? Au contraire.

With no products on display, the exhibit looked like an upscale day-care centre with no budget for toys. By the end of the first day, buyers - many of whom had flown across the country to see the company's latest products - were growing increasingly vocal at the insult. By the morning of day two, products appeared and the company jerry-rigged displays out of ugly, draped rental tables. Result: Unhappy branders. Happy customers'

Lee Knight points out two important principles of exhibiting:

PRINCIPLE ONE - no matter what your company's show agenda might be, the visitor's agenda is to find the best products and services, at the best price

PRINCIPLE TWO - Exhibitor's management wants you to deliver the goods; sales it can count, quality leads, customer retention, prospects in the pipeline, etc.

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Charging for stand design work - A group of EXSA stand designers and builders feel that a lot of time and effort goes into producing designs for potential clients, as part of the quoting process. When quotes are not accepted, suppliers have no way of being compensated for their design work. The group proposes that EXSA suppliers use a standard Engagement Letter, which would cover:

DESIGN FEE - would show potential clients the market value of the design work involved in a proposal. Suppliers would include an estimated fee, based on the number of hours spent working on the design

PROPOSAL FEE - the EXSA-determined proposal fee would be payable by potential clients if the quote and design were rejected. It was felt that the fee should be no less than R500. This would, in most cases be significantly less than the Engagement Letter's design fee.

DESIGN OUTPUTS - each proposal would include a colour rendering, an elevation plan and a floor plan. Potential clients would be charged extra for a model of the stand.

DESIGN COPYRIGHTS - the Engagement Letter should outline the supplier's copyright over the design. This would prevent potential clients from getting another contractor to use the design to build a stand for them.

The group also felt that EXSA should encourage exhibitors to simplify the tendering process. In the initial stage of the process, bidders should submit a basic proposal, together with the company's credentials. Only 3 - 5 short listed bidders should then be asked to submit designs

Please let me have your comments and opinions on their proposal. E-mail joy@donovan.co.za

 

More really useful help and advice is offered in our workshops and exhibitor coaching sessions