Top Tips To Planning A Successful Exhibition

With the success that #TeamCarden had at Square Meal Venues & Events Live this year, it got us thinking of what it takes to plan a fantastic exhibition and make that everlasting impression to persuade exhibitors to come back time and time again.

Here’s our top tips to planning that excellent exhibition.

Location

It’s very important that you pick a picturesque place to house all of the exhibitors that you’ve handpicked for your event. Choose a unique location with a great reputation that not only provides your guests with ample room space but also with thrill-seeking or relaxing activities nearby that you can enjoy pre or post event.

At Carden Park, we are proud of not just our 18 meeting rooms, but also our two championship golf courses, award winning spa facilities and onsite Events Station, all of which provide our guests with that perfect all round hotel experience.

Good Planning & Organisation

Spontaneity just won’t cut it when planing such an important event. You need strong teamwork as well as lots of preparation and careful consideration. Take your time in what you want the feel of the venue to be and what your guests are expecting from you. Remember to do your research into other similar events that have worked well in the past and build on their firm foundations.

Fancy a corporate golf day? You will be assigned a designated event coordinator who will meticulously guide you every step of the way as you enjoy your day with us in the heart of the Cheshire countryside.

Food & Drink

Refresh your guests with canapes and beverages throughout the day. It’s the kind of personal touch that they will love and it won’t need too much planning on your behalf. Make your food simple yet stylish, dainty but delicious.

Reasonable Timescales

It’s vitally important that you are realistic with your timescales when organising your exhibition. Don’t make too bold a claim if you’re not sure that you can stick to your guns. A successful exhibition needs time and careful planning, not rushed spontaneous decisions! Give your exhibitors early and repeated warnings of key dates and times and make sure your own dedicated team behind the scenes are fully prepared for any hiccups that could occur.

Spreading The Word

Social media is such an important tool in modern business and should be incorporated at every given opportunity. Use all online platforms to advertise your exhibition with brief yet catchy text and vibrant images. Remember this is all free… Print is also still a valid medium. Why not phone up or email any local newspapers and magazines to highlight your event to the area?  You should also think about radio and television channels. Just make sure that you don’t spend over your allotted budget!

Health & Safety

You can never be too careful, especially with laws changing frequently. Make sure that any possible hazards like the setting up or dismantling of stands have risk free solutions and that your staff are fully equipped and trained to deal with these kind of situations if they go awry. If not, your reputation could be tarnished and your negligence could lead to further repercussions. Definitely something your business could do without!

Sticking To Your Budget

Be responsible with your outgoings. Don’t spend unwisely and too lavishly. Yes, you need to make your event look good but you can do this for a reasonable sum. Do some snooping around for local businesses who can improve your set up for the day or use family contacts. There’s lots to think about when planning a big event like this, so it’s vital that you draft up a budgeting plan and separate the different costs into their specific fields. Your venue may even have preferred suppliers who are highly experienced with the set up requirements. It may take time but it will definitely be worth it for you…and your wallet!

Transportation

Bringing stands and props to the event is no easy ride. Create ample parking space for vehicles and make sure there’s enough room in the entrance for guests to bring in and out their belongings. Putting up signs to direct people to their stands or other areas is essential and should be clear and concise. People won’t want to be waiting around confused. It’s important that you provide them with fantastic first impressions and a need to come back again to your event as soon as possible.

Introducing Special Guests

Everybody loves meeting a famous face. Somebody to draw in the crowds and provide many fantastic memories…and autographs. It might be worth trying to contact agents of local celebrities as guests will undoubtedly take pictures and may even tag your event in on their social media posts, thus spreading the word of your exhibition.

Talking of special guests, did you manage to catch our Executive Head Chef Graham Tinsley MBE at Nantwich Food Festival performing a culinary masterpiece this year? If not, you can still catch many of his creative dishes at AA Rosette awarded Redmond’s Restaurant.

Leaving Your Legacy

It’s important that your day tries to run as smoothly as can be. During the event, keep checking up on your guests and exhibitors to ensure that they are OK and how you could make the day better for them. Make sure that your last impressions are as important as your first impressions. Welcome in and thank everyone profusely for their time and remember to invite constructive feedback, so that you can strive to be bigger and better next year!

At Carden Park, we’ve ran many successful exhibitions in our 20 years! Why not come and join us for our Autumn Wedding Fayre this weekend and see for yourself?