Choosing the right plot to meet your congress goals

Jo Share • 4 min read

Choosing the right plot to meet your congress goals

When it comes to choosing the optimum plot for your exhibition booths, it’s all about location, location, location!

Granted, sometimes it’s first come, first served in terms of selecting your plot. It can also be the case that you have no choice but to wait your turn until after key sponsors — or those with more attendance points or congress credits — have had their pick.

But, whatever your situation, having sight of the hall floorplan is vital to help you assess which plot will work best to ensure you make the biggest possible splash at the exhibition.

When clients come to us without any fixed idea about what they need to display in terms of content and engagement activities and we’re helping them make a selection solely based on having maximum impact for the budget they have to spend on square meterage, there are a number of things we take into account when analysing the floorplan.

1. Delegate traffic flow

We will look at entrance and exit points in the hall, access to other halls or key meeting spaces, positioning of the delegate registration desk and so on. Will delegates be routinely passing right past your prospective plot and therefore be getting a constant eyeful of your stand and your branding? Ultimately, attendance at expos and exhibitions is all about exposure.

2. Proximity to other key features in the hall

Are there any plots that are close to areas or features that will be attracting large numbers of delegates for lengthy periods throughout the exhibition e.g. close to catering areas, break out seating, or maybe the congress organiser’s own stand? Will your plot be in fairly constant line of sight from a captive audience who might be lingering in that area during breaks from seminars, workshops and symposia?

3. Type of booth

It’s not always a case of bigger equals better in the world of exhibition booths! We’ve produced some monster, double storey stands in our time but we’ve also designed and installed some smaller-scale booths that have created just as much of a stir in the hall. We once built a 24sqm giant pelvis complete with artificial hip at an orthopaedic congress. Nicknamed ‘The Hiposaurus’, this won our client a commendation in the Best Booth Award category!

So size doesn’t always matter; it’s more about the orientation of your plot. Is it a row stand (open on one side only), a corner stand (open on two sides), a peninsula stand (open on three sides), or an island stand (fully accessible on all sides)? Each type of plot comes with pros and cons.

Island stands provide plenty of scope for carving up your space into distinct zones but the floorspace for these tend to come with a hefty price tag. Plus, there are a number of visibility rules that you will be expected to comply with — meaning you can’t incorporate long stretches of walling on which to display messaging.

Peninsula stands generate exposure from three sides which is a plus and they provide a large back wall for messaging, but you need to use freestanding elements to separate your space and then carefully map out the delegate journey on this type of booth.

Row stands tend to be the most budget friendly in terms of cost per square metre but they can feel a bit cramped — and can sometimes feel lost amongst their neighbours unless the branding is very impactful.

Corner stands are effective because they have two entry points so offer brand exposure from all angles and they also tend to be positioned on a junction in the aisles, often at a busy intersection in the flow of delegate traffic which is always a win.

So it’s all about thinking strategically when it comes to selecting your plot. Some of our clients also consider plots close to their competitors or very well-known names in their industry — capitalising on the likely interest in these neighbouring stands. That can be a ballsy move (and really only undertaken by those companies who don’t mind a bit of healthy competition!) but we’ve certainly seen it pay off.

Typically though, the decision over which plot to take will ultimately come down to budget. But whatever plot you take — and even if you end up with a location that might not be your first or even your second choice — it’s all about making sure what you do on that stand creates a real presence in the hall and ensures you engage with as many delegates as possible.

Check out our dedicated exhibitions website www.osp-exhibitions.com for more info on how we can help you make an impact in the exhibition hall.