Exhibiting in critical industries such as emergency services, healthcare, and transportation requires an approach that prioritises professionalism, brand integrity, and a clear demonstration of expertise. Here is our advice for exhibitors in these sectors.
Proving Brand Integrity
In critical industries brand integrity is paramount. For buyers, choosing the wrong supplier could have massive repercussions so trust between the buyer and supplier is more crucial in this industry than in any other. Unlike novelty gift shows, where the buyer’s decision might affect the stock for the next season, a decision in critical industries could be the difference between life and death.
Because of the high stakes, the value of meeting face-to-face is much greater. It allows brands to foster meaningful connections and personally explain what they do and why it is important, in a way that’s just not possible online.
Professionalism
As well as providing a chance to prove brand integrity, in-person events offer a platform to demonstrate professionalism.
Critical industries are serious, and your stand needs to demonstrate your expertise and show you mean business. The stand should be well-designed and should align with the rest of your branding for consistency and professionalism across all platforms. We’ll go more into the exhibition stand below.
Alongside the exhibition stand design, your team must be knowledgeable and professional. Make sure your exhibiting team are trustworthy. They need to be dressed professionally and on best behaviour for the duration of the show. The team also need to know the products and services inside and out. Exhibiting face-to-face is an opportunity to put a face to your brand, and it’s really important to make sure this is positive.
A Stand-Out Design
In critical industries, buyers are naturally going to be drawn to heritage brands with a proven track record. If you want to stand out from competitors, you’re going to need a great stand.
Clear and concise messaging should be a priority. Position your brand name high up on the stand and include a concise statement about your business as well as a call to action to boost engagement.
Use large-format graphics and high-resolution images to draw attention. Large-format graphics are highly effective at communicating marketing messages, branding and logos. With the right exhibition stand designer, high-resolution photography can be faithfully produced on large format print to convey a message. The perfect stand has a combination of “show don’t tell”, using imagery to showcase values, and a clear and concise message and call to action. An
example of “show don’t tell” could be a trustworthy firefighter, using a fire safety product in action. Some exhibition stand contractors can even extend these graphics to the floor!
Include eye-catching features in your exhibition stand design to draw in eyes. Some contractors offer rotating headers to add movement in an otherwise static hall. Lighting features like backlit graphics can also be used to highlight key features, value propositions or products!
Additionally, many industry players in critical sectors provide services instead of products. This commands an even more compelling design as exhibitors can somewhat rely on the products to speak for themselves. However, with services, the exhibition stand needs to be much more engaging to attract visitors.
Communicate Sustainability
In critical industries, you are reliant and beholden to government contracts or support and as such it’s important to comply with ESG standards. Therefore, it is crucial to exhibit under a sustainable exhibition stand. Too often, you see brands exhibiting sustainability under a banner that is literally unsustainable. Critical industries cannot afford to slip up on this front, they must exhibit sustainably on all fronts and a recyclable stand is not enough, when there are reusable solutions on the market.
Quadrant2Design, a UK-based exhibition stand design and build contractor, pioneered custom-modular exhibition stands over 20 years ago. These stands are the most versatile sustainable exhibiting solution on the market. They are modular, reusable, reconfigurable and can host custom and bespoke features. All stand images shown in this blog are designed and manufactured by Quadrant2Design.
Regulations
When exhibiting in critical industries, make sure your marketing resources and stand comply with regulations. To maintain a great reputation, the claims on your stands should be accurate and backed up by the right certifications.
Summing Up
Exhibiting in critical industries requires a strategic and thoughtful approach. Focus on brand integrity, professionalism, standout design, and sustainability. By prioritising these key elements, exhibitors can effectively showcase their expertise and form meaningful connections in these high-stake sectors.
