Choosing an ideal exhibition contractor - from single booths to large booths, from design to operation

For companies exhibiting at trade shows, I think choosing an exhibition contractor is a major concern.

The vendor we have worked with for a long time is easy because they require little explanation, but they lack proposal power and freshness...
But at the same time, I don't know how to choose a new vendor...
Also, my company has ordered cost reductions, effectiveness measurement, and DX (Digital Transformation), but I have no idea where to start...

Since the progression of an exhibition booth is a difficult process even for those in charge who have been entrusted with the work for many years, those who have suddenly become in charge of an exhibition may have deep worries about where to start.

In this article, we will introduce points to keep in mind regarding what kind of vendors to approach when you want new proposals for the planning, construction, and operation of exhibition booths.

Exhibiting at a trade show is an important endeavor that requires budget and labor for the company.
You must achieve business results such as attracting prospective customers and acquiring leads, but before that, safety considerations are required in planning, construction, and operation.

First, you need to judge and select whether it is a company you can leave to with peace of mind.

In such cases, you can view the company's exhibition planning and construction cases by looking at their website.

If there are examples close to your intended exhibition content, or if there is a company that looks interesting, I think it's a good idea to make an inquiry.

It is also important to know what kind of companies request them and what scale of exhibitions they are good at from their case studies.
You can expect a certain level of reliability from a company that handles exhibition booths for famous companies, and if there are also examples of 1-booth or 2-booth displays, you know they can respond regardless of the scale.

There are many details that must be decided for an exhibition exhibit.

Flow of exhibition promotion (example)

Deciding each of these by the deadline, making revisions...

Since the person in charge also needs to report to their superiors and coordinate internally, exhibition preparation used to be a frantic and time-consuming process right up until the last minute.

This is not what work style reform should be.

When selecting an exhibition contractor, in addition to the basics such as design, drawing production, construction, and operation associated with booth building, check how widely they can correspond.

From the latest visitor attraction strategies and stylish invitation designs, to fun event planning, production of display panels, arrangements and health management of companions, arrangements for visitor souvenirs, and even preparing internal report documents or just being someone to listen to your complaints when you're in trouble, if there's a company that can handle and consult on everything, that would be ideal.

If you can entrust a wide range of exhibition operations to a single company, not only will the number of meetings and time spent decrease, but leaks in information sharing will also be eliminated. And as the number of contractors involved increases, you may be able to put a stop to the tendency for both money and time to increase.

Companies that claim to be all-in-one and can handle anything as mentioned above are often advertising agencies or planning/strategy firms, and it was said that the quoted prices of such exhibition "agencies" become expensive because they are outsourced.

It was difficult to approach them with small booth plans like single or double booths.

However, depending on the company, through various corporate efforts, there are cases where getting a quote turns out to be cheaper than an existing contractor, the price is about the same but the content is much better, or the response speed is faster.

If you see an exhibition vendor that interests you on their website, it is a good strategy to at least get a quote.

▼ If you are worried about choosing an exhibition vendor, please consult BEEATS first! (Consultation is OK even for quotes only)

If a company is in the business of exhibitions, it is natural for them to listen to the client company's requests and make proposals for design and operation.

But isn't the challenge "wanting to change"?

No matter how cheaply a vendor handles it, it is disappointing if there are no proposals or the exhibition booth is uninspired, isn't it?

An important element in selecting an exhibition contractor is that it is a company with the skill and mindset to think from zero-base. You should choose a company that responds to your "want to change" thoughts even for a single or double booth.

Exhibitions change with the times.
Now that DX is required in various scenes of business, the need for digitalization and DX in exhibitions is increasing.

By changing display panels to digital signage, you can propose company products and services more expressively, and now, with various measuring equipment such as AI cameras, you can quantify interest and attention for each corner, or optimize booth layout.

In addition, the use of digital technology is spreading rapidly, such as connecting exhibition venues like Big Sight or Makuhari Messe with bases and production areas across the country remotely for customer service and business negotiations.

In addition to improving proposal capabilities, the use of digital technology has aspects that lead to cost-cutting such as reducing travel expenses, and reducing work burden through optimization of staff placement. If there is a company well-versed in digital technology, let's proactively make inquiries.

Collaborating with a contractor whose work tempo does not match yours is very painful.
Even though your boss is asking for a report, waiting for proposals and drawings to be uploaded can make you frustrated and seem to affect other work.

Vendors who can quickly provide everything from quotes and design proposals to arrangements for the next meeting are reliable. With such a company, you can confidently rely on them even for short-turnaround exhibitions.

Exhibition preparation is a very difficult task with many man-hours.
 
There will be times when you have to make unreasonable requests to exhibition contractors.
You might have to completely change the content that was almost decided just before construction... there might be such times.
You might have to decide everything from zero in 1 week!
Also, even if sudden corrections or additions are needed on-site, if it is an instruction from a boss, you have to do something about it.

At such times, I think a company with enthusiasm that thinks together about how to make it happen, no matter how unreasonable the request, is the company that should ultimately be selected. 

So far, I have written about the ideal company to entrust an exhibition to.

Having a track record, being able to do anything, being inexpensive, being able to handle short turnaround times, being strong in the latest digital technology, and having enthusiasm.

Some people in charge may wonder if such a company exists.

Yes, it does!

That is us, BEEATS CO.,LTD.

Whether it's a short-notice project, a trade show to be held a bit later, or a single-booth exhibit.
Please feel free to contact us.

From here, I would like to briefly convey the features of BEEATS.

■ With BEEATS, proposals and estimates for exhibitions of any size are free!
At BEEATS, we listen to your exhibition challenges and provide consultations, proposals, and estimates completely free of charge. Please contact us via the link below for details.

■ Plenty of ideas from customer attraction to product demonstrations and DX!
With BEEATS, you can leave not only booth construction to us, but also customer attraction strategies, unmanned reception using digital technology, and games. We can also propose product demonstration ideas based on our knowledge of in-store promotion.

■ Measure exhibition effectiveness! Full of know-how for booth planning, improvement, and reporting!
Using heat map measurement, we can visualize customer flow lines, improve staff placement, and carry out effectiveness verification, reporting, and booth optimization for the next time.

■ Full-contracting of detailed exhibition preparations!
Because BEEATS is an advertising production company, you can entrust everything from planning to operation of the exhibition, as well as videos, brochures, human resources, and novelty items. We will solve the troubles of the person in charge all at once.

■ "Low budget" and "short delivery time" support, consulting with quotes is OK!
Do you think it will be expensive and slow to proceed if you ask an advertising production company? With the experience and network of BEEATS, we will propose an exhibition at a reasonable price.

There are a wide variety of companies that undertake exhibition planning and construction, such as specialized construction companies, advertising agencies, design offices, and marketing companies. Each has its own tendencies, so I will briefly explain them.

[1] Specialized Construction Company
These are companies that specialize in exhibition construction.
With plenty of experience and achievements, you can leave it to them with peace of mind. Also, because they sometimes hold booth materials in-house, a merit is that costs can be kept down. The tendency is that cost benefits are often achieved in small-scale, small-booth productions.

【2】 Advertising Agency
They partner with a variety of vendors, making their wide range of response capabilities a key strength.
On the flip side, because everything is outsourced, high-quality proposals come at a corresponding cost, and cases with small budgets may not be accepted, which are points to consider.

[3] Design Office
If you want to set yourself apart with booth designs that incorporate trends, there is a benefit to requesting a design office. Selection requires a proven track record in exhibition booth design, which makes checking the company website essential. In the case of a design office, you will have to request construction, operation, and other preparations from other companies, which is a disadvantage as it increases your workload.

【4】 Planning/Strategy Firm
A company with a business in sales promotion and marketing that not only designs, draws, constructs, and operates exhibition booths, but also walks with you from the goal-setting and challenge-verification stages, planning exhibition booths from a marketing perspective.

Since planning ability is a benefit, design and construction are outsourced, and costs tend to be higher. Also, if there are many items to prepare, such as arranging companions and producing invitation cards, it is a benefit that everything can be entrusted to them.

When considering an exhibition booth as part of marketing, a company that specializes in planning is a partner you can consult about anything.

It is natural that every business form has its pros and cons, but today, even the same construction company or advertising agency has various personalities. After clarifying your purpose—such as whether you want a new booth design, low price, or short delivery time—searching on the homepage and making inquiries to companies that seem to match your thoughts is the shortcut to exhibition success.

▼ A manual on the fundamentals of exhibiting at trade shows to ensure your event is a success.

BEEATS, with its extensive experience in supporting exhibitions, will introduce eight essential preparations you should keep in mind!
Successful first-time exhibitors! A manual for the basics of exhibiting at trade shows. Please check it out!

Q1. How should I choose an exhibition contractor?

A1. When choosing an exhibition construction contractor, it is important to check 7 points. Specifically, look for a rich track record, wide-ranging response capabilities from planning to operation, cost response capabilities, zero-based proposal capabilities, response to digital (DX), speed of response, and enthusiasm to think together even in difficult situations.

Q2. What types of exhibition contractors are there?

A2. There are mainly four types of exhibition vendors. There are "Construction Specialists" that make it easy to keep costs down, "Advertising Agencies" with a wide range of response capabilities, "Design Firms" that specialize in trend-setting booths, and "Planning/Strategy Firms" that plan and support you from a marketing perspective. Choose the best vendor according to your objectives.

Q3. What are the benefits of centralizing exhibition work to one company?

A3. The advantage of entrusting tasks to a single company is that it significantly reduces the effort and time for the person in charge. By entrusting everything including design, construction, operation, attraction strategies, and arrangements for booth attendants and novelties, you can reduce the number of meetings and prevent information sharing omissions. As a result, it leads to cost and labor savings.

Q4. What are some methods for digital transformation (DX) in exhibitions?

A4. As a digitalization method for exhibitions, one approach is to replace display panels with digital signage to improve expressive power. It is also possible to introduce measuring instruments such as AI cameras to quantify visitor traffic and interest, and optimize booth layout and staff placement. This allows for effectiveness measurement and cost reduction.