If you have not made it to one of Skyline Metro Chicago’s free seminars yet you are missing out on a ton of valuable information and tips for improving your Tradeshow ROI. One of the many topics covered recently was Space Selection. There are a few places in the hall that work better than others, and some misconceptions about where to place your exhibit when given the choice of space.

A couple of questions you should ask yourself or the show before selecting a space:

What is the typical traffic pattern?
As the attendees walk in the entrance about 70% of them turn right and head to the end of the hall to begin walking the aisles. This is a typical traffic pattern for a one entrance show.

How much time do exhibitors normally spend on the floor?
This is a great question to ask the association and given the fact that 70% of attendees turn right you should be able to figure out the timeline to reach your exhibit.

Do we want to be in the front of the hall, the middle or the back?
The first thing people think of is that they want to be right in front at the entrance. This is what is know as the Walk Fast Past Zone. Too close to the main entrance and people will walk right by you and get to you as they canvas the show floor. Statistics show that the best place to be is in the middle toward the back. Take your floor plan and draw a triangle from the entrance to the back corners, and try to get into the triangle or as close as possible.

Do we want to be near the necessities - restaurant, telephones, restrooms?
The answer is no. When you are hungry, have to use the restroom, or in need of a telephone, you have something on your mind and it is not business. These areas create traffic patterns, but not the kind that encourage people to stop and do business.

Some other questions to ask…

What kind of lighting is available in the hall are there windows of any kind?

Are there height restrictions in various areas of the hall, such as lower around the periphery? - This is necessary if your exhibit is tall, or has a hanging sign.

Are hanging signs allowed?

Are there obstructions on the floor plan (columns, stairs, dock entrances)? Are they to scale?

What kind of storage is available?

Do you want to be near your competition?

Does the show offer a Pavilion or grouping for the services my company offers?

Get answers to these questions and you can give your company an advantage, and keep the answers for the next time the show is in that venue, and you can get your company a better space when you book it, or ask while you are at the show to book for the next year in a better space!

Remember its all about the details……..