For the past 15 years, we’ve been helping our clients think outside the box and work within their brand activation budgets. Here are three tips that are tried and true to help companies save money (and time)!
1. Set clear goals and priorities and have them approved cross-functionally
Your organization’s business goals, marketing objectives and specific goals for your brand activation programs are extremely important – maybe the most important item to share with your agency partner. Whether your agency is helping you with a trade show, retail pop-up shop, VIP demo or experience, or any type brand immersion, this written document (yes, we said written) can help agencies always keep your goals top-of-mind and woven throughout the experience.
We want you to succeed and success looks different for each client, and often each team within our client’s organization, so routing the goals and priorities cross-functionally is always a win-win. We want to deliver a recommendation and solution that drives your organization towards success and if we understand your goals and priorities, we can get to your solution quicker and more efficiently, saving both time and money.
2. Focus on the entire customer experience, versus physical exhibit space
Often, our clients come to us with very specific exhibit space elements in mind such as wanting a certain number of displays, conference rooms, tables, chairs, signage, entrances, etc. We recommend starting with the experience, instead of these details. Before kicking off a new exhibit design, align as a team and answer this question, “what is the experience we want our customers to walk away with," versus "what elements do we want in our exhibit." Starting here – after aligning on your goals, of course— helps us to get to the quickest exhibit solution by starting with the end in mind.
3. Ask your exhibit agency to manage your show services
At nParallel, our account team manages thousands of show services for clients each year. This is an area that companies often think they should manage versus asking their agency to do so on their behalf. The benefit to having your exhibit partner manage these elements for you is that agencies have ongoing relationships with exhibit halls and vendors that makes it easier for us to find the best pricing for clients.
We love helping companies problem-solve and stretch their company’s dollars to work harder for them, no matter the brand activation experience.
Want to maximize your budget? Give us a call.