From a date palm festival to an international wood show, thousands of businesses are competing for attention this year at dozens of exhibitions, fairs, expos and summits in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Natalie Crampton, the managing director at The Event Company, which started in 2008 to design and build exhibition stands, shares tips for vendors who want to stand out from the competition.
Is it enough for a company to book an exhibition stand?
No, not at all. You spent the money already on having a stand there - why not go the extra mile and do something with your sponsorship? When you book your stand, make sure you try and negotiate having a speaker into the price you're paying, and get your CEO or someone key from your organisation into the conference.
What else can companies do?
A lot of clients are looking to host cocktail receptions and dinners in the evening, or even golf tournaments. They have their key people in town. They're trying to network with clients while they've got their attention. [Some have] hired cars, and they have extra visibility. On their car they wrap … whatever their logo and brand is exhibiting. They can then use those cars to pick up clients and bring them to the exhibition or meetings. A lot of people are put off at coming to the [Dubai] trade centre or Adnec [Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre], and it's another way to break down any excuses.
What kind of strategy should companies take with their exhibition stands when trying to entice new clients?
Make it relevant but eye-catching and interesting. More and more people are doing entertainment at their exhibition stand that pulls in a bit of a crowd and gives you an excuse to talk to people. At Cityscape a couple of years ago, there was a stand where they were doing an African tribal dance. They were actually selling property in Africa. There was a strong link between what they were promoting. Don't have something random with no link to what you're trying to convert on your stand. Another thing that always pulls people in - and it's a bit of an old trick - is food and beverage. People always come to talk to you if they think they'll get a drink and something free.
At some stands, hosts or hostesses do not seem to know about the company they are representing. They just hand out brochures.
I completely agree, and it's one of my pet hates. BlackBerry, for example, we've worked with for three years. We have about 20 girls and boys who work with us, and whenever there's new software or products, we get them together and give them a half-day training, some lunch and make sure they're well informed. I've heard of clients saying "we'll just train this staff an hour before the show opens". You can't expect them to understand your entire organisation [in that time].
* Neil Parmar
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