2020/08/28 21:16:15
What You Need To Know When Planning A Furniture Fair: A Full Checklist
Intro
Interior decoration has been emerging as a dominant industry with a growing market for furniture. Planning a furniture fair will certainly highlight your work and make you stand out amongst your fellow competitors.
A furniture exhibition is a great way to make money. A well-arranged furniture expo connects business owners and fosters partnerships. If your exhibition turns out to be a success it means better business and networking opportunities. However, It is not easy to pull off a successful furniture show. Several factors, if not taken care of, can completely destroy your event.
If you are looking to organize a furniture fair, the following is everything you need to do.
Pre-Event Planning
Planning an exhibition can cause great stress. The pressure of finding high-quality furniture manufacturers, getting things done in an allocated budget and approaching reliable exhibitors for the event are the common tasks that one considers during the process of pre-planning. In order to not let the stress get the best of you, it is important to plan ahead. Write down everything that you consider important and keep referring back to your list as you make progress.
Set a Reasonable Budget
The first and foremost task that comes with planning a grand exhibition is the budget. It is important to plan a budget and stick with it in order to avoid any unpleasant consequences. The areas that need to be considered while planning a budget include:
- The booth pricing and the setup cost.
- Logistics and the transport cost if you need to get some heavy furniture transferred to the venue.
- Rental cost. This includes the rate for the venue and everything that was rented out, for example, the stalls, tables, and chairs.
- Consider external suppliers such as electricity or internet providers.
- Another thing to consider while budgeting is tax money. You will have to pay for it after your event.
- Consider the cost needed for decoration, recreation, and interesting activities like games. Investing in this domain will certainly fetch you more attendees.
- The travel expenditures for international brand ambassadors. You may want to invite brand ambassadors and if you do, you will have to cover for their accommodation, travel, and personal expenses.
Select a Suitable Venue
Selecting the venue for your event has to be the most important task. It is because the venue selection depends on the kind of exhibits you want to display. For instance, if you are planning to conduct a furniture fair you will have to keep the space in mind. Furniture is not a small item and can take ample space. Make sure the venue is accommodating towards your exhibits. Lighting and HVAC System should also be checked before signing on to a venue. If you want the biggest names of the international furniture market to come to your expo, you must arrange a suitable venue.
Finalize the Theme of Your Fair
It is important to choose and maintain a theme for your exhibition. Choosing a theme will give you a niche to work with and it will also help you in attracting the major furniture manufacturers. Going by a theme will also make the whole event appear more organized. For a furniture fair, you will have a variety of themes such as bohemian, mid-century modern, art deco, renaissance or minimalist.
Prepare a Marketing Strategy
Preparing for marketing strategies is another important area that you will have to consider. The brochures, samples, booklets, and promotional merchandise are the main aspects. You will have to plan your marketing strategies earlier so that you can get the word out in due time. Your marketing campaign should consist of advertising, sponsors, PR and paying the agencies. Social media marketing is another way to attract more attendees. Social media marketing requires hashtags, digital sponsors and a team of reliable influencers.
Set the Date, Time, and Duration of the Furniture Fair
Now that you have done your budgeting, chosen the venue and prepared your marketing strategies, it is time to select the date and timings for the event. Important information including the furniture fair hours should also be decided along with the dates. Ideally, choose the dates that fall on a weekend or during the holiday season. This will fetch more attendees to your exhibition.
Preparing for the Furniture Fair
Now that the homework is done and you feel confident to take on the venture, you can start preparing for the tangible tasks.
Design and Send-Out A Prospectus for Exhibitors
It is important to print a prospectus and share it with your potential exhibitors. The prospectus will give them an idea of what you are planning to do. It will also help them decide if your expo is the right place for their business. A prospectus should include:
- An introductory letter from the convener of the event
- The main objective for the event
- An overview of what you plan to do
- A glimpse into the past exhibitions that you have conducted
- Pictures and testimonials from the past exhibitions
- Important information about the upcoming exhibition including the dates, timings, venue, furniture fair location, expected attendees, furniture fair pricing and floor plan
- Amenities and utilities that you will be provided to the exhibitors
- The incentives that you will be allowing your exhibitors
- A contract for the exhibitors
Finalize the List of Exhibitors
Now that you have your prospectus prepared, you should start looking out for your potential exhibitors. Get the attention of the industries similar to yours i.e. the ones dealing in furniture, and this way you will be able to grab their attention.
There is a wide variety of companies that you can ask to be an exhibitor, from china chair manufacturers to imported furniture manufacturers. You just have to learn how to make your exhibition look like something that is worth their time. Your expo’s website is a good place to start.
Add the logos of your incumbent exhibitors to your website; this will help you find similar new exhibitors. Also, add testimonials and reviews from your past attendees to make your website more catchy. By taking these steps you will be able to attract reputable and reliable exhibitors who would want to work with you. It is important to find genuine exhibitors; this will instantly take your credibility up a notch. Finding reliable exhibitors will not only elevate the quality of your event but it is also guaranteed to fetch you, diverse attendees.
Lastly, select and finalize the list of your exhibitors. Adding their logos to your website will also make your exhibitors feel valued and appreciated.
Design the Floor Layout
When it comes to designing your floor plan or floor layout for the exhibition, consider doing the following:
- The floor space should be ample enough to cater to a maximum amount of attendees at one time.
- The exhibitors should be allotted enough room so that they can display their stands and booths easily.
- Furniture takes a substantial space in a room. Make sure you are assigning the required area to each piece.
- Assign specific areas for specific tasks such as a registration booth, lounging area, charging stations, eating and drinking areas.
- Find out if your venue has any restrictions. For example, you want to add different lights than the ones your venue already has or you may want to hang some items on the wall. Some venues do not allow it so it is best to check beforehand.
- Make sure the utilities such as power, internet, and charging stations do not have any glitches.
- If you want your exhibitors to return to you next year, make sure you provide them with amenities such as lead retrieval vendors
- Share your floor layout with your hired vendors and service providers to get a professional outlook.
Hire the Right Personnel for Decor, Security, and Event Management
The event managers and decoration vendors play an important role in any event. They can make or break the day. So, selecting reliable vendors is a given. Make sure you do your research before taking on a company to avoid any unfortunate instances.
When making design decisions ask yourself ‘how are other furniture fairs near me decorating their venues?’ This is important because your decor should be in line with the current trends.
Decorating companies can be intimidating to select. If you are able to find the right one, your exhibition will instantly become appealing to the visitors.
Making the right kind of security arrangements will give your exhibitors and your attendees a sense of safety. Installing security personnel will also provide you relief and confidence. You can also prepare another team for security that can look after the exhibits during the lunch hours or when exhibitors are not around.
Create a Seamless Registration Experience
The registration desk will be the first glimpse that your exhibitors or attendees will get of your fair. It is necessary that they experience a smooth process and do not come across anything that can put them off. Make sure you are making a pleasant impression.
Taking online registrations is another way to avoid any unpleasantness and making the process as convenient as possible.
Conclusion
Considering the fact that you are hosting a furniture fair, extra patience may be required of you. Furniture is usually heavy and delicate. It requires time and energy to be transferred. Do not let it make your exhibitors cross with you.
Consider hosting an appreciation event or a dinner for your exhibitors the day your exhibition ends. This will help you build a network and you will be able to interact with your exhibitors. Hosting an appreciation dinner for the exhibitors is also a great way to inspire positive furniture fair reviews and hype up for the next venture and get them excited for your future furniture fair in the coming year.
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2023/08/17 17:25