Trade fair venues are usually huge halls in which a large number of exhibitors vie for the attention of the public. Therefore, the position of your own stand can be an important success factor that you should take advantage of. Now you can find out what to consider when choosing the right stand location and how to get the most out of the situation even with suboptimal placement.
Factors of a good stand at trade fairs
One thing in advance: the agony of choice is unfortunately not always given. Attractive stands at the fairgrounds are highly sought after and accordingly have their price. How sensible it is to invest in such a pole position should be thoroughly weighed up in advance, especially as a small and medium-sized enterprise or first-time exhibitor.
But even apart from the top spots, there are better and worse locations on a fairground and the factors that play an important role in the ideal choice of stand location are numerous.
Studies have now shown that around 80 per cent of visitors primarily follow the main routes of the exhibition site and pay more attention to the right-hand side. The area around catering offers, toilets and lecture stages is also particularly busy and therefore offers itself as an attractive location.
A place near the entrance is also well frequented, although you should be careful not to position yourself directly next to the door, as the first stand is often overlooked by the incoming public or left behind due to the many people passing by.
Depending on the type of stand, the requirements for the stand location also vary. While some constructions may be built on the walls of the exhibition hall, formats that are open on all sides come into their own particularly well at intersections, so that interested parties from any direction end up directly at your door.
One point for debate is whether it is worth strategically positioning one’s own stand close to the industry leader or other big brands, which experience shows often attract similar visitor flows. The idea behind this is to benefit from the attention generated as a free rider, so to speak, and to attract some of the interested parties to your own stand. While this tactic can work, especially for smaller businesses with little budget or opportunity, it is certainly not for everyone.
To get the most out of your site
Whether you were able to get hold of your preferred stand location or perhaps had no choice at all when it came to placement – once the decision has been made, it’s a matter of making the most of the circumstances to shine at the fair. So here are some helpful tips on how to get the most out of your stand space:
- Know your neighbourhood: Knowing which companies will be represented in the immediate vicinity of your own stand can give you a significant advantage. This allows you to coordinate your strategy and structural design in advance.
- Use an attention-grabbing trade fair stand design: Regardless of your location, the right design can arouse the curiosity of the audience. This can look very different depending on the event and the focus of your company – an experienced stand builder can advise you here and work with you to develop the optimum concept. An example: At EuroShop 2023, SYMA’s stand was relatively compact, but exceeded the competition in height all round and was thus able to literally stand out.
- Make yourself irresistible: Attract visitors:inside with offers that people definitely don’t want to miss. This can be attractive give-aways, an exciting lecture or a gamification element that is particularly fun and gets around.
Very important in general: Inform the public away from your stand about your offer and where you are positioned so that they find their way to you. This can happen via your social media coverage live from the fair, via an event newsletter in advance or also via dedicated fair personnel who generate attention at the entrance or at strategic points and direct interested parties to your stand.
Conclusion: The right choice of stand location for trade fair success
It should be clear by now how important a good location on the event site is for your trade fair stand. To help you choose the perfect stand, here is a summary of the most important points as practical questions that you should clarify in advance:
- What framework conditions does my trade fair stand need?
- How far away is important infrastructure?
- Where is the entrance?
- What is the direction of travel for visitors in the hall?
- How conspicuous is my stand in the hall?
- What is the cost-benefit ratio?
- How does my target group behave?
- How are the competitors positioned?
Are there any questions left unanswered or would you like help in making your stand stand out in your chosen stand location? Use our contact form and arrange a consultation with our experienced team of stand construction experts right away.
