Stand designer since 2009, surrounded by a talented team, R2 Stand & Event supports companies of all sizes and from all sectors of activity. We optimize their presence at trade shows in France and around the world. Each trade show and each client represents an opportunity to demonstrate our creativity; our business knows no routine.
With this experience, we would like to summarize for you in these few pages the elements that seem essential for a successful trade show.
The benefits of hiring a stand designer to create a customized professional stand. But also the importance of animations and digitization of your space to make a lasting impression on visitors.
Enjoy reading, and we remain at your disposal for any information you may require and to discuss your project.
In the age of Web 2.0, is there still a point in investing in a trade show?
Web 2.0 has transformed the relationship between companies and their customers.
Sales forces have seen their productivity increase thanks to CRM, enabling them to manage a larger number of contacts. The automation of exchanges, based on tracking and analysis of visitor journeys on websites, has further limited interactions between “humans.”
In this context, it may seem strange to want to participate in a trade show in the hope of meeting people in person.
Beyond the pleasantness of meeting someone outside of a Skype or Google Meet conference call, visiting a contact at a trade show booth remains essential.
First and foremost, it is an opportunity to present a solution, a product or an innovation, and to get immediate, valuable feedback! No newsletter, however attractive, will tell you what your prospect thinks of a new offer. At best, a click will confirm their interest. A trade show is an opportunity to gather lots of feedback in a short space of time.
Exhibiting your company at a trade show is also an opportunity to boost your reputation and gauge market sentiment. The absence of a key player is never a good sign, while a dynamic stand will have a significant impact on your prospects, as well as your suppliers, partners, and colleagues.
Finally, participating in a trade show is an opportunity for a company to bring its sales force together and motivate them.
Apart from the incredible impact that digitalization has had on promotional activities, particularly in terms of reducing costs, nothing can replace a meeting with a prospect or partner.
The importance of a trade show stand designer specializing in space design
A stand designer will offer you a tailor-made solution that is faithful to your identity while providing you with a clear and effective architectural charter.
They will guide and advise you throughout your project to ensure that your stand offers you unbeatable visibility and appeal.
Hiring a stand designer guarantees a flawless communication strategy.
At R2 Stand & Event, our entire team is at the service of your project. With their experience and expertise, our various tradesmen will do everything possible to make your stand stand out from the crowd. Our stand designers will assert your identity by making your brand unmissable at all your events:
- trade shows,
- fairs,
- exhibitions,
- showrooms
Committed to sustainable development, we offer recycled, eco-friendly materials and low-energy lighting to reduce the carbon footprint of your stand.
Design, production, installation, dismantling, and staging of your brand… The stand designer takes care of everything.
We create a stand that reflects who you are, emphasizing your brand’s personality and visibility. Our priority is to design a space that optimizes your activities. We offer a range of formats to suit your needs.
Trade show booth: Which format should you choose?
The reusable booth
This is a must-have for those who present their products at trade shows and exhibitions. Our teams create a living space that you can easily reuse for all your events, according to your criteria and schedule. Our reusable booths come in two types: single or multi-surface.
The single-surface stand can be assembled, dismantled, and reassembled in exactly the same configuration for your various exhibitions.
The multi-surface stand allows you to vary the layout, but also the message you want to convey from one event to another. It offers you the advantage of being able to adjust your surface area as you wish, depending on where you are, and thus adapt to each event.
Carpentry or aluminum booths are the most comprehensive solution for those on a medium budget.
The traditional custom-made booth
This type of carpentry booth is ideal for highlighting your brand and promoting your services and products at important events. It is custom-made according to your specifications, making it a unique space that reflects your image. Designed down to the smallest detail to be as attractive as possible, this stand allows you to be seen by your current customers and noticed by your future leads. If you only participate in a few trade shows (1 to 2 per year), this stand is the one that maximizes your efficiency while offering participants an unforgettable experience. It is the most widely used and highest-end stand.
The modular packaged stand
This package offers you a predefined stand with aluminum modules for rent in sizes of 9 m², 12 m² or 18 m². This stand is modular and adaptable: you can compose your space by combining several modules, according to your needs, the location you have reserved and the trade show where you are exhibiting. This stand can also be customized and decorated with your colors and logos for the entire duration of your rental.
The portable stand
Specially designed for short events and small exhibition spaces, this stand can go anywhere. Lightweight and transportable, it is quick and easy to set up. Your visibility and identity follow you at all times while displaying your message clearly and effectively.
Whatever format you choose, all our stands are delivered “turnkey”. All you have to worry about is bringing it to life, with one of the best cards in your deck to make you stand out. A space designed and built by a stand designer specifically to showcase your brand, while reflecting your values and identity.
A stand designer to organize your trade show stand
Organize your booth with custom specifications
Establishing specifications is obviously an essential step: this approach allows booth designers to offer a project tailored to the specific expectations and challenges of each request, in a highly personalized manner.
It allows you to highlight your strategic objectives and serves as a reference point throughout your project thanks to a reverse schedule.
With the selection of all the people involved and the implementation of a common methodology, you are assured of tailor-made services.
A stand designer to manage logistics before and after the event
Because it is obvious that our work as a stand designer does not stop at creating the perfect stand, we offer a dedicated service for the logistics and follow-up of your events.
Our logistics service takes care of everything before, during and after the event, regardless of the type of custom-made booth you choose.
Before the event, once manufacturing is complete, we take care of transport to all your exhibition venues, whether it’s the Paris Book Fair or a professional conference in New York.
We take care of road and sea transport, customs formalities, packing your stand into containers, and accompany you wherever you go. We are there to assemble and dismantle your structure.
During the event, we make sure that everything is in place and that nothing is missing for your activities. We are at your disposal throughout the duration of your exhibition.
After the event, we store all your items in our warehouses until your next event. We also take this opportunity to repair any items damaged during this period, so that your stand will be just as attractive at the next trade show.
Whether you are exhibiting in France or elsewhere in the world, our logistics service takes care of everything for you.
A stand designer to design your trade show stand!
What are the steps involved in creating a custom stand?
Designing a stand for a trade show requires several steps to achieve an optimal result that meets your expectations.
At R2 Stand & Event, our process is as follows:
- We meet with you. This discussion allows us to answer important questions that are necessary to develop a design tailored to your needs. Who is your target audience? What messages do you want to convey? What is the budget for this project? And many more…
- We work with you to draw up your specifications based on our discussions.
- Our design office, composed of an artistic director, a 3D designer, and a project manager, develops the stand design, the visuals, and the budgetary approach.
- We validate the proposals together. We optimize them if necessary until you give your final approval.
- Our carpenters, electricians, upholsterers, printers, and fitters produce all the elements of your future demonstration and reception space in our workshops.
- The logistics of your stand: your stand designer works with you throughout the entire process (transport, assembly, operation, dismantling, storage). Always in close collaboration with your teams
Once all these elements have been validated, we manufacture your customized stand.
Discover our 7-point guide to optimizing your presence!
1. Stand location
In addition to having an attractive and welcoming stand, it is essential to have foot traffic. To achieve this, there is one point that should not be overlooked when participating in a trade show: the location of your stand.
Several criteria should be taken into account when choosing your space:
- The neighborhood: always remember that people attract people and that deserted areas are places to avoid. Therefore, if possible, find out who is occupying the neighboring booths. If you are located near a highly rated company, you are more likely to attract visitors from that company.
- Busy areas: Some locations offer better visibility than others. If you are located near an entertainment or conference area, you are more likely to be seen and approached by potential customers.
- Areas to avoid: The same applies to certain areas that visitors rarely or never visit because they are located at the back of the trade show or next to a rest area.
When registering for the trade show, don’t hesitate to ask for a floor plan. Find out about the different areas before choosing your location. Generally, the organizer will give you two or three options.
Don’t hesitate to ask your stand designer for their opinion before making a decision and confirming your space, or even leave this step entirely up to them to ensure maximum visibility.
2. Aesthetics: a driver of traffic to your stand
We have just seen that the strategic location of your stand will influence how potential customers approach you. However, this is not enough to make them come to you.
Your stand is your best communication tool at trade shows.
It reflects your company and your brand. It is therefore essential that your product ranges are presented in the most attractive and effective way possible.
From experience, we know that the overall aesthetics of your stand must be designed so that people who stop by and come to meet you feel “at home.”
It goes without saying that a well-designed stand featuring your company colors is a major asset.
While showcasing your professionalism, your space must be appealing, welcoming, and designed with the customer in mind. A stand that delivers your message and highlights your expertise.
Our stand designers will offer you a trendy and modern stand design, at the cutting edge of the latest technologies. A space optimized to attract and invite customers to discover your products.
A successful customer experience requires an environment and a presence that puts them at ease at the trade show.
3. Trade show stand entertainment: optimizing the visitor experience
As we have emphasized, a beautiful space in the right location are some of the keys to a successful trade show. But your goal is not just for your visitors to come and see you! You are there to make yourself known and do business. It is therefore essential that the visit be unforgettable for your prospects.
To achieve this, there is nothing better than asking your stand designer to animate your stand.
A customer who is active on your stand is a customer who will remember you, your brand, and will come back to you when they need you. Because nowadays, a simple brochure is no longer enough to interest the public; you need to develop other strategies.
As a stand designer, we help you set up a whole range of traffic-generating activities: interactive customer journeys, digital visitor experiences, video showcases, and more. These activities will help you showcase your products and services.
The more relevant your traffic-generating activities are, the higher your potential for converting visitors and prospects into customers will be.
4. Work on your stand’s welcome, demonstrate your added value with an effective pitch
Welcoming visitors is not just a matter of uttering a few platitudes such as “Would you like a presentation of our offer?”. You only have a few minutes to show that your offer is relevant and that it addresses a real issue.
With a well-crafted pitch, you will demonstrate your added value and leave a lasting impression on your visitors, giving them an additional reason to come back to you.
Here are a few tips for creating an effective and convincing pitch:
Start by establishing a connection, a common ground between you, your project, and your audience. Begin with what they know and gradually lead them to the rest of your pitch.
Identify your visitor’s needs, provide an answer based on your company’s products and services, and illustrate your points with the tools available on your stand: product demonstrations, models, videos, 3D displays, etc.
Good interpersonal skills, thorough preparation, and knowledge and mastery of the tools available on your stand are prerequisites.
The stand is a powerful sales tool that will guarantee your future success. Make the most of it. Use and abuse its potential.
5. Collect information from your visitors today to build your business tomorrow
Collecting information from participants is one of the most important things to do when you take part in a trade show. This will enable you to analyze your audience afterwards and plan your next sales actions.
The second important point is to develop your list of prospects. This is an essential tool for building customer loyalty and informing them about your upcoming events, promotional offers, and new products, in accordance with the GDPR.
6. Stand designer and data collection
There are several ways to collect this data.
All traffic operations are suitable for collecting information about participants. Interactive quizzes, contests, participatory demonstrations—from the most playful to the most serious, there are many formats available. Your R2 Stand & Event stand designer will advise and assist you.
7. Promotional gifts and post-trade show experience
Your stand attracted visitors, your order books are filling up, your schedule is filling up—that’s great. But what about all those who haven’t yet made a decision but showed a lot of interest in your activities?
To build loyalty and make sure you’re not forgotten, go the extra mile and extend the trade show experience. Promotional and advertising items help maintain the connection. Your brand will accompany your prospects outside the trade show, on their desks, in their pockets, in their cars, etc.
How can you animate and promote your trade show booth?
Animate your social networks before, during, and after the trade show.
We won’t go back over the importance of feeding and animating your social networks in this guide, but we will offer a few tips to help you attract your community’s attention during a trade show.
How can you communicate before a trade show?
In addition to traditional communication by email and via a banner on your website, informing your community of your presence at a trade show is a no-brainer. Companies often settle for a simple post with the dates, location, etc. However, it can be very interesting to share elements of the trade show’s preparation, such as a teaser video.
The aim is to make people want to come to the trade show and, of course, to your stand, which you will have shared on social media as it is being set up.
Stand and social media activity during the event
Focused on welcoming visitors, running a stand leaves little time for Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, yet it is essential to communicate during the trade show.
It’s not too late to attract prospects or customers who are hesitating to make the trip.
Our advice is to involve your visitors in the creation of posts, either by providing them with the corresponding Instagram hashtag or, more simply, by sharing photos in which they appear, with their permission.
They should then like and share these posts, allowing you to reach their communities.
Sharing a video of a colleague trying out a virtual reality headset for the first time should do the rounds of the office.
Post highlights after the trade show
The trade show is over, logistics take over, and it’s time to share a thank-you post and maybe a few videos or photos as souvenirs.
Create some frustration among those you didn’t get to meet, but above all, invite them to come back for the next edition.
This is also an opportunity to share a survey to measure satisfaction and gather feedback to further optimize your visitors’ experience.
How can you digitize your professional stand?
Friendly hosts and hostesses and a few sweets on the counter won’t be enough to enchant your visitors. To ensure they remember their visit, you need to give them an experience.
The end of print for a multimedia experience.
It’s hard to refuse a brochure handed out at the end of a demonstration, but participants quickly regret the weight of all this documentation, which will end up on a shelf at best, but more often in the trash.
Your employees need to present their offers on tablets or multimedia screens during the trade show. It would be a good idea for them to finish their pitches by offering visitors the option of taking the documentation with them or receiving it digitally by email.
The second option is generally the most popular, as it allows you to collect information about your visitors (first name, last name, email address, job title, etc.)..
The multimedia screen will also have the advantage of allowing your visitors to browse the different pages or demonstrations on their own when your employees are busy. Touchscreen and large enough, these screens will generate traffic.
To ensure that your visitors remember their visit, it is necessary to give them a digital experience. A stand designer will offer you a solution tailored to your needs.
- VR/AR to make a lasting impression
VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) will allow your visitors to discover an immersive digital experience.
Whether for product demonstrations, tours of your facilities, or use cases, VR provides an impactful customer experience.
AR adds virtual elements to a real environment, with Pokémon being one of the most famous applications, adopted by nearly 500 million people in 15 days.
IKEA offers an AR app that allows you to virtually add furniture to your living or office space, creating an accurate preview of your layout.
Invite your audience to interact with your products digitally.
- Present your products as 3D holograms:
This is a new trend, but one that is becoming increasingly popular among exhibitors.
Present your products in a 100% virtual way and invite visitors to handle them: exploded views showing the internal composition of your new product, 360° volume projections—all solutions are available to participants.
Inviting your visitors to interact with your products digitally will leave a lasting impression. Are you looking for a stand designer to help you design and manage your trade show stand? R2 Stand & Event, an agency specializing in the creation and layout of exhibition stands, is here to help!