Trade Show Success: Planning for Venue Set Up
Trade show organizers want to deliver value to exhibitors, attendees and sponsors. From networking to gathering leads, trade shows give organizations and businesses the opportunity to showcase their products and services to new and existing audiences. In fact, according to research, trade shows can help increase brand recognition by 76%. If you’re looking to host a trade show, here’s our key insights for getting started with trade show planning and venue setup.
Choose the right location for your trade show
Your venue sets the tone for your trade show and the event space can significantly impact both vendor and attendee experience. Based on the size of your event, you’ll want to select a location that can comfortably host your trade show without leaving your guests feeling crowded. You will want to select a location with plenty of parking or readily available transportation to and from hotels and the right capabilities, such as AV setups and connections for vendors or keynote speakers. A good event center will be well-versed in helping you with planning the design of your trade show floor and help you key into the best location that matches your capacity requirements.
We recommend outreach to a few event spaces to properly vet your options. Plan a site visit to tour potential venue space and get a feel of the atmosphere, and if it’s suited to your needs. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and inquire about prior trade shows hosted. Here’s a list of questions to get you started:
1. What are your room capacities?
2. What on-site amenities do you offer?
3. Do you offer setup, cleaning or staffing assistance?
4. Can we use an outside caterer for our event?
5. What is close to the venue, such as hotels, lodging, and restaurants?
6. Are there other events happening during our event?
Trade show venue setup guidelines
One of the biggest hurdles in trade show planning is floor planning and layout design. Trade show floor planning needs to seem effortless, but really, it is strategically designed for your event in order for the objective of your trade show to take center stage. If exhibitors are showcasing new products, they’ll need more space for demonstrations and displays, which could limit the number of exhibitors. If a core element of your trade show includes networking, you’ll want to account for spaces for attendees to meet and interact with one another. Think a coffee lounge or refreshments.
Another element to answer with a trade show floor design is how attendees will enter and move through your trade show exhibits and booths. At The KBC Houston, we recommend creating clear pathways for navigation and optimizing high-traffic zones to limit congestion. Avoiding clustered booths and obstructions not only lends to better accessibility and guest safety but also creates a space more open and inviting.
An additional element trade show organizers must rely on is audiovisual (AV) technology. AV solutions can transform trade shows into immersive, multi-sensory experiences with audio, video and lighting. Common areas can be elevated with background music and digital signage. For example, digital signage can be used to showcase sponsorships ads, wayfinding or schedules for breakout sessions, keynote/guest speakers and seminars.
An exhibition floor often incorporates zone audio for live demos without disturbing other booths, along with additional sound systems and lighting. Breakout rooms can feature an AV system complete with microphones, projectors, screens and even live streaming capabilities to enhance seminars and workshops.
Need help getting organized or planning for the upcoming year? The KBC Houston team can help you plan your trade show from start to execution as your on-the-floor team for vendor setup, AV capabilities and more. Start with a virtual tour of The KBC Houston or contact our team today.