Hosting an entire exhibition or trade show seems like an extremely daunting task when you look at all the things that need to be considered. We have made it a bit easier by giving you a quick guideline.hosting exhibition

Budget

This will always be your starting point. Cash flow and budget are major factors that need to be considered when planning your exhibition. Set out your budget and start researching suppliers way in advance.

Venue

The venue you choose is of the utmost importance. You need to find a secure location that can handle the expected capacity. Your venue needs to match your style, size and space requirements. The venue should be easily accessible – specifically to your target market.

Parking

Exhibitions and trade shows create chaos for those attending and even those that aren’t. It is enough to quite literally drive people away, so the question you need to ask yourself is, “does the venue have parking space?” if not then are there usable parking lots in the radius of 500 metres?

It’s also a good idea to find out if there are any routine events in the area that could possibly congest your event parking.

A venue with sufficient parking space is what dreams are made of but we know that this isn’t always the case. If you feel the parking space will not be enough you could look at the UBER or Lyft event discounts and then distribute the discount code to all attendees. This not only solves the parking space conundrum but if alcohol is available at the exhibition, it also promotes safety on the road.

Vendors

Whether you’re hosting a bridal, RAGE or hobby exhibition, ensure that all vendors are relevant and agree to follow event guidelines.

Placing the correct (quality) vendors at your exhibition almost guarantees return attendees and gives your exhibition credibility.

Theme

Although your vendors may follow guidelines, they will all be different. Tie the exhibition together by deciding on a theme.

How would you go about doing this? Decide on the sort of atmosphere you want and use special effects throughout the venue to portray a consistent theme that gives your exhibition an overall identity.

For example: You may want a dreamy, warm and relaxed atmosphere. You could make use of smoke machines, mood lighting (fairy lights, up lighting etc.) and fragrance.

Music

Music can really set the atmosphere of any exhibition. It does, however need to be the right volume, type and quality for the type of attendees you’re expecting.

If music is a major part of your exhibition, pay careful consideration to the acoustics of the venue.

Guest speakers

Special guests are very important when attracting people to attend your exhibition. Find speakers and special guests that are relevant, exciting and influential. For your exhibition to make an impact (and ensure people attend the next one) your speakers must attract and engross your audience.

If you are planning on having a couple of speakers or guest appearances at your exhibition, make sure you have the correct equipment for them. With so many attendees, there will be plenty signals jamming up channels. The microphones you use should be zero-interference microphones for a seamless and top-quality presentation.

Imagery

Visuals, visuals, visuals! Everybody loves pretty things and that is why it is important to dress your exhibition up as beautifully as possible – this follows suite with deciding on a theme.

We hope these guidelines gear you up for a stress-free event. Avstage are experts in providing audio and visual technical innovation for any size exhibition or trade show.
Contact us for a little help!