Stanley Tan, digital marketing manager at Selby’s, runs down the benefits of using modular exhibition stands.
Exhibition stands are expensive. The most affordable exhibition stand option is to combine a few portable displays such as a few pull up banners, a pop up display as your wall and a printed tablecloth to go over your trestle table. If you need something a bit fancier than that, you would need to get it custom built.
That is where the modular exhibition stands come in.
Modular systems have been growing in popularity over the years because they look as professional as a custom built option without the custom price tag.
Modular exhibition stands are essentially made up of a number of interconnected parts that can be joined together to form an exhibition stand. Exhibitors can also add or remove parts to fit their booth space. For example, you might have a 3m by 3m booth in this month's show and a 6m by 3m in the next one. The advantages of modular exhibition stands are:
Fast and simple to set up
Modular exhibition stands are fast and simple to set up compared to a custom exhibition stand. Depending on how complex your custom exhibition stand design is, you need to hire professional installers which include carpenters, painters and electricians.
No tools required to set up
You don't need tools to set up. That means you don't have to bring your toolbox to the show. There is no hammering or welding involved. Each modular exhibition system has its own unique method of connecting the parts together. For example, the TRIGA system is connected via screwing the parts together.
Because the parts can be packed down into portable carry bags, you are able to transport the stand to the show yourself which saves you on transportation cost and they are also easy to store.
Secondly, you don't have to pay for storage and logistics. Unlike custom stands, you may need to pay for storage and logistics costs. You won't be able to store those large wall panels and structure in your office unless you have a really big office.
One stand to rule them all
Lastly, the stand can be customised to suit any booth size. This feature is especially important if you have a calendar of shows to exhibit at. A modular exhibition stand gives you the flexibility to exhibit at multiple shows with different booth sizes.
All you need is to bring the right amount of parts to the show to build the stand to fit your booth size. If you don't have enough parts for a larger booth space, you can purchase them from your supplier without having to buy a brand new stand.
Lower costs = Higher ROI
The ROI of a modular exhibition stand is also much higher from a cost point of view.
One of the reasons why modular exhibition stands are much more affordable than a custom is because the parts of the modular stand are manufactured in bulk. Compared to a custom stand where each part of the stand has to be manufactured individually depending on the design.
Disadvantages of a modular stand
- Limited design - Even though a modular stand can be configured to your liking, there is a limit to your creativity. For example, if you are SpaceX and want your stand to be spaced like a rocket ship then you would need to go down the custom route.
- Not all modular stand systems are created equal - Some modular systems have very large parts which make them difficult to transport and store. Check with the supplier how big and heavy their parts are.
In what situation should you choose a modular system?
Here are a few situations when you should choose to go for a modular system over a custom stand or a pop up.
- You need something for the long term that can be reused for years to come.
- You need something that looks professional like a custom stand and without the price tag of a custom stand.
- You want to save on installation and shipping costs.
- You need something that can adapt to different booth sizes.
