Standing out at an exhibition doesn’t have to be expensive, there are plenty of ways to stand out even on a small budget. From stand design and banners to leaflets and branded merchandise, there are so many marketing options available, therefore it’s important that the money you do spend secures the right level of return. Read our top tips below for making your school standout at exhibitions.
The event stand
The centre piece of your presence at any exhibition will be your stand. While large stands get priority on positioning and more footfall, there are still plenty of ways to make the most of even the most compact of exhibition stands.
To capture people’s attention roll-up banners are a great way to catch the eye of passers-by. Even if they don’t stop to chat, ensure you have website and contact details included in the graphics as they may reach out at a later date. Well-printed banners across the width and length of the stand with clear branding will showcase your organisations name and ensure you remain recognisable.
If paying for the infrastructure to build an actual stand is too costly, you can always consider investing in a pop-up stand that can be constructed and collapsed quickly, before being stored away back on school premises for future use. These usually have a lower price range than traditional stands and offer just as much branding opportunities.
Printed literature
Another great way to make your school standout at exhibitions is to have a broad selection of printed literature available. Whether it’s the school prospectus, specially printed brochures, leaflets, flyers or posters, ideally you want interested parties to have information about your school so they can read about it when they return home.
The important thing to remember with printed literature is to avoid overcomplicating the material so it is easy for readers to take in and understand. Remember, they will be walking away with a stack of material from other schools and won’t engage with an overload of information. Clean, simple designs with straightforward messaging tends to do the trick.
Branded merchandise
A fun and cost effective way to get the school branding out into the hands of lots of people is by investing in branded merchandise. It works because most people enjoy a freebie. From pens, pencils and stickers, to badges, bags and mugs, there’s a whole array of high quality and relatively cost-efficient items you can brand and hand out.
It also helps to break the ice and start up conversations at the exhibition. This gives you the opportunity to find out what other people are looking to get out of the exhibition and your school may be exactly what they are looking for. Alternatively, you can tempt in visitors to register for more information about the school in return for a free giveaway. You can also spend time walking round the exhibition with free branded merchandise engaging with attendees who may not have otherwise walked past or visited your stand.
Promote your presence
To give yourself the best chance of success at any exhibition, it pays to tell as many people as possible where you will be and how long you will be there for. Make the most of your social media channels to promote your presence and highlight some of the printed materials that will be available on the day.
Digital and print do not have to exist separately, and by cross-promoting you can quickly drum up interest before you’ve even arrived. You can keep live posting and tweeting throughout the event to drive visitor’s engagement with the school and hopefully more sign-ups.
At Printech Express, we specialise in educational printing for schools and colleges across the United Kingdom. We can provide a variety of printed materials for exhibitions including school prospectuses’, roller banners, posters, pop-up counters and more. Our friendly team can talk you through all the printing options via Live Chat or over the phone on 01245 506066.