Exhibition Stand Types: A Complete Guide

If you’re completely new to exhibiting, as exhibition stand contractors, our team has put together this guide to help you understand the various types of exhibition stands, together with our suggestions on which option would work best for your business.

What are exhibition stands?

Chances are you’ve probably attended a trade show – or at least seen one on TV or social media. They are always extremely busy environments, full of all sorts of brands and businesses promoting their products or services at their own trade stalls. 

A lot of thought will have gone into each and every one of these stalls. To make sure they appeal to their target audience, each one will have been carefully planned and designed in order to achieve maximum impact. Once installed, the businesses are ready to promote their brand at the show. 

But who does all this work before the show?

In some cases, the businesses will have designed and built these stands themselves. But often, they prefer to bring in external help by using an exhibition stand specialist to carry out the design and build. 

How the intended use will affect your choice

As we’ve said, a lot of consideration needs to go into your exhibition stand. You won’t necessarily know which type of set-up will best suit your requirements until you’ve thought about how you intend to use your stand.

For instance, are you planning to exhibit multiple times a year? If so, choosing to purchase an exhibition stand means you own it outright and can use it as often as you need.

On the other hand, if you exhibit infrequently, hiring an exhibition stand may be a better option. 

And have you thought about where your event is taking place? Do you know much about the venue? What is given to you as standard with your allocated space? If the event is taking place indoors, are you aware of the restrictions? And if your plot is outside, have you thought about how your stand will fare if the weather is bad?

Once your stand is ready to go, what is your plan to attract visitors? Why should attendees choose your stand over your competitors’? 

One way to draw the crowd is by carrying out a demonstration at your stand. For this, you need to make sure you have enough space, and an island booth is a great way to engage with more attendees. This is just an example, as there are pros and cons to all spaces.

As you can see, there are so many factors to consider before thinking which stand will suit your requirements. But once you’ve outlined your plan of action, it’s time to move on to the next step – choosing your exhibition stand.

Different types of exhibition stands

There are six main types of exhibition stands; modular, custom, outdoor, sustainable, portable and shell scheme. Here is an explanation of each set-up to help you decide which option would work best for your business.

1. Modular exhibition stands

An extremely popular choice, modular exhibition stands consist of a set of standard sized panels that can be reconfigured to produce different effects.

These are a great option for those looking to reuse their stands at multiple events. They can produce a completely different look with just a few small tweaks, they are extremely versatile, and because you don’t need to buy a new stand for each event you attend, they are friendly on both the environment, and the company budget.

But if you’re after something completely customised and unique to your brand, you may want to consider…

2. Custom exhibition stands

For businesses wishing to become the talk of the event, custom exhibition stands are the ideal solution. Every element of these is purpose-built and made to your particular specifications. 

This means you can guarantee that you won’t see the same set-up anywhere else. They are your opportunity to turn a quirky idea into a reality, and they promise to deliver the wow factor. When it comes to the design, you have complete flexibility in what you’re looking to achieve and, because the display is uniquely tailored to your brand, it can be more engaging for people that are interested in your product or service.

It does, however, mean that once your stand is built, you may not have as much flexibility to make changes to suit different events or messages. So it’s important to think carefully about what you want to achieve with a custom exhibition stand.

3. Outdoor exhibition stands

In spring, summer and early autumn, many events take place outside which can be a great opportunity to reach a wider audience. But with temperamental weather, you need complete confidence that your set-up will withstand whatever is thrown at it.

A high quality outdoor exhibition stand will do just that. These are designed with the elements in mind, so they remain attractive and durable throughout the event. 

And because of the extra space that comes with exhibiting outdoors, you have more flexibility in how you want to stand out from the crowd. For instance, you could have designated spaces to suit different requirements; such as a seating area, a storage room or even a space for catering. You can also take advantage of the extra height on offer to you – you’re competing in a much larger space, so why not make sure you can be seen by adding customised banners, accessories and flags?

4. Sustainable exhibition stands

Considering our impact on the environment has never been more important. Choosing a sustainable exhibition stand is a great way of contributing to a greener future.

These stands are specifically designed to be reusable. With small changes to the reconfigurable panels, you can create a different look each time you exhibit – you can even create different messages if your marketing angle changes in between trade shows.

The versatility and flexibility of these stands is second to none, and because you don’t need to purchase a new set-up for every event, you can save money whilst helping to save the environment.

5. Portable display stands

Looking for something that’s easy to transport and build somewhere else? Portable display stands are a great option. 

As these stands are designed to be transported regularly, they are quick to assemble and lightweight. Whether it’s a pop-up or a banner stand, these are a quick and effective way of conveying your brand message and standing out amongst a busy room of competitors.

6. Shell scheme exhibition stands

Shell scheme exhibition stands are a panel system with lightweight or heavyweight options.

The lightweight panel system offers much more flexibility when it comes to design, and is quicker to build. The heavyweight option adds a more prestigious feel to the event.

With either option, graphics or product information can be attached to the panels to capture attention, and finishes can be customised to achieve the biggest impact.

Shell schemes can be used for different purposes. For instance, they can be supplied to an organiser that is looking to create smaller booths for their exhibitors. Or they can be customised to suit specific requirements for a client who has already booked for a show.

How to choose the right type of exhibition stand for you

Now you know what options are available, it’s time to think about which would work best for your brand. As we’ve already mentioned, the key is to consider how you intend to use your stand once it’s been built. 

Ensuring you choose the right exhibition stand for your purpose is imperative to your success at a show. So here are a few things to think about:

• How many team members will be working on your stand at the show? You don’t want a tiny stand that tries to cram in too many people, but you also want to make sure it’s not so big that one person looks isolated in amongst all the space. Your team will perform better with potential customers if they have confidence in their set-up
• What kind of plot are you renting? Is it part of a row? In a corner? An island?
• Inside or outside – outdoor exhibiting can provide you with more flexibility, but you need to think about the space available to you. And the weather, of course
• Type of event – for example, do you know the type of audience that will be attending? What is the show’s main focus?
• Why are you attending in the first place, and what are your business goals? Are you more interested in leads, sales or brand awareness, for example?

Our advice for renting a small trade show plot

When renting space at your trade show, areas less than 20 square metres are seen as smaller plots. Anything above this is considered large.

With a small exhibition area, most stands are part of a row, i.e. stands that are lined up next to one another. 

Remember, good things come in small packages, and you can still create a big impact with a row set-up. With a well thought out stand design and high quality graphics, it is very possible to create something outstanding and memorable.

If you have the option, you could ask to rent a corner plot rather than a row stand. The nature of a corner plot means your visitors have access to a second open side. With better accessibility, visibility and customer exposure, your stand is much more noticeable and attractive to visitors. Maintaining a constant flow of visitors is key to success at any event – not only are you more likely to generate more leads or purchases, but a larger crowd will intrigue other attendees and encourage them to discover why you are so popular. A corner plot will allow them to investigate and access your stand with ease. A word of warning – because of this, corner stands are extremely popular. The layout of any indoor show means there are always fewer corner stands, and these are often the first to sell out.

On the downside, choosing a corner plot means you lose a wall for graphics – so it’s important to consider your priorities.

We strongly recommend securing your plot as soon as possible. Sign up as soon as you can and request a floor plan of the show at the same time. 

Our advice for renting a large trade show plot

For larger exhibition areas, you have a bit more flexibility – the trick here is how you intend to accommodate a bigger crowd and make sure they remain engaged when visiting your stand.

If you opt for an island exhibition stand, for instance, you are providing visitors with more accessibility to see your stand in full. Increased visibility means they can view and access all sides, providing your products or service with maximum customer exposure. 

A downside to this is that four open sides means less space to display your products or important graphics and brand messaging. It also means your stand becomes harder to oversee. You want to make sure your team is constantly able to engage with visitors, but if the number of sides – and therefore, attendees – outweighs the number of team members, you may be at risk of people walking away. One way to combat this is by ensuring each side of the stand is manned by a team member at all times.

Outlining your business goals before choosing your exhibition stand will enable you to prioritise what you want to focus on, and therefore what’s important to you when considering the type of large plot you wish to hire. 

Here are some of the UK exhibition venues we work with

We have been working in the exhibition industry for over 40 years, and in that time we have worked all over the country – and even overseas. Based in Shropshire, we are in the perfect central location to assist with your exhibition requirements at various UK venues. 

Exhibition conference centres we work at in the Midlands

Within this area, we provide exhibition stand solutions in Birmingham, Cambridge, Chester, Coventry, Derby, Hereford, Leicester, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Stoke and Wolverhampton. Some of the venues we’ve worked at include:

• Cheltenham 
• Coventry Building Society Arena
• NEC Birmingham 
• Staffordshire County Showground 
• Telford International

Exhibition conference centres we work at in the North

In the north of the UK, we have worked in Bolton, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and York, at venues such as:

• Exhibition Centre Liverpool
• Manchester Central

Exhibition conference centres we work at in the South

In the south, we have worked at locations such as Bath, Bournemouth, Brighton and Bristol, and the venues include:

• Bournemouth International Centre
• Brighton Centre
• Brighton Dome

Exhibition conference centres we work at in London

Some of the venues we have worked at in London include:

• Alexandra Palace
• ExCeL London
• Olympia London
• The O2

Exhibition conference centres we work at in Wales

We have also worked at many venues and locations across Wales, such as Cardiff.

Conclusion

To create the biggest impact at a trade show, and to get the most return on your investment, it is essential that you consider multiple factors before choosing an exhibition stand type.

We understand how important it is to get these right, so please feel free to contact our exhibition stand specialists who will work with you to design and build your dream stand.