Great, you are going to write a pitch and accommodate a totally new concept. All new things to eXplore, how wonderful is that! In this blog I want to go deeper where a good pitch has to meet. A good briefing is crucial to receive a creatively strong, within budget but above all working design. The more time you put in in advance the greater the chance of a great design!
Objective
Make sure you have internal alignment with the decision-making stakeholder (s) regarding the target of the fair participation. This can of course be anything from generating leads to presentations of innovations. This is crucial for the design of a booth. Also discuss how much attention you want to give to certain products/services, innovations or hospitality.
Message
May sound very strange but when I sit at the table and ask what the message is for the fair then it often falls very quiet. Very strange because actually you go to the fair to finally reach your goal. When you speak to a visitor, this is in most cases the first thing you want to tell him. This in such a clear and simple way. A message or statement that is interwoven throughout the design often does not have to be called one-off. It is also the message that everyone must believe in to carry it out well.
Budget
This sometimes undiscussed topic is important to give a design agency or booth builder a direction in the creative process around a design. Nothing as annoying as a design that is very nice but budget is technically inadequate. A good design agency or booth builder will not stop the design if the budget is reached. No they will surprise you creatively which they believe is best suited to your brief. In an explanatory statement off the pitch I would advise to start with this. There can be no misunderstanding about this.
Make preferences known
Please indicate what you do or do not want as a company. This can be use of materials or colors but also think of forms (open/closed) or concepts that have not worked sufficiently in the past. A small paper with a number of images is often sufficient to give a good picture. Something else may be that you know where the competitor stands and that you want to communicate to it or exactly whether or not to show certain products or services towards the competitor.
Branding
Super important subject because ultimately this contributes to achieving the goal. In order to receive a design with the right branding in it, the sharing of company logo, possibly image material and or campaigns is essential. When the selected partners are all sent the same info then it is up to them to fit this creatively into the design.
How do I select a partner
This is not very different from that, for example, you want to buy a new car. You will first delve into a brand and what they offer to models. This is exactly the same at a design agency or booth builder. The mission they have or the conviction with which they are acting should suit you. Look at the website what they are doing for projects and see if there are reviews. In case of a lasting good feeling, contact is a next step to determine if you are inviting the partner for the pitch or not.
Invite number of partners
In order to get a good idea of the possibilities I recommend in most cases to select 3 Max 4 Partners to participate in the pitch. I would like to see a fee for the participating partners. This shows that you are a serious candidate who is participating in the fair. This investment is going to bring you a lot more. Companies that invite more than 4 partners do not give me a real chance of a well thought out design. With so many different designs you can see the forest no longer sees through the trees. The best result is to go for quality, at all times.
Practical matters
These are organizational issues that are required to comply, for example, with the guidelines imposed by the organization or local authorities. This may include a hall map, stand plan with technical facilities (Hall columns, service gutters, fire reels) technical guidelines from the Organization (for this you often need to login, print it out or mail them later).
Booth requirements
Use of displays for presenting an innovation, yes/no offices, hospitality area, bar, low tables to sit longer or standing tables that are higher and which gives you a higher throughput speed. And if desired, possible presentation means.
Planning
If you want to have a good selection policy with enough time for creativity, you will need an average of half a year from briefing to exhibition participation. Of course, everything can be faster or not, but on average you are good. There is ample room for possible refinements of the chosen design. Ask the selected companies also to schedule, so you know when you get something from them but also when they need something from you. In a later blog I’ll go deeper into the planning from briefing to realization.
Hope that above notes will help you in writing a possible new pitch or briefing for a next event. Then be convinced that you are well prepared to start. If you have a question? Or see a point highlighted, let me know then I will respond to it or write a next blog.
Wish you a lot of success and pleasure.