Stand and deliver

With just four weeks to go until the B2B Marketing Expo, Smart Display is preparing to unveil its first ever live realisation of its stand-building prowess. Despite having designed and built hundreds of stands on behalf of brands across the full spectrum of industry sectors, Smart Display has never built a stand of its own.. until now.

The exhibition stand installer will make its exhibition debut at the ExCeL on 29 and 30 November this month, promoting its expertise in the design of bespoke exhibition stands. The focus is on creativity, impact branding and re-used elements, demonstrating how Smart Display can create inspiring brand environments with sustainability at their core.

“Our work is very visual, so we find that potential customers see what we can do at exhibitions and approach us directly,” says Smart Display’s managing director Chris Stewart. “That type of organic growth has worked well for us but, with the B2B Marketing Expo, we have identified an opportunity to connect with a wider audience by doing what we do best – building an exhibition stand.”

The B2B Marketing Expo has evolved into a must-attend event since its inception in 2016. Having weathered the pandemic storm with a virtual expo in 2020, the annual show resumed in 2021 and enjoyed its busiest ever edition last year. This month is set to see over 6000 visitors attend over the two-day event to see 150 exhibitors and a programme of 100 speakers lined up to give targeted industry advice.

“I think it’s vital for marketeers to know about this expo,” says Jason Miller, head of content and social media marketing at LinkedIn. “You can walk around and get a sense of direction on where B2B Marketing is heading, and find out what the coolest, newest thing is.”

For now, the exact design of the Smart Display stand is being kept underwraps. However, visitors are invited to stop by and see how bespoke exhibition stand design can elevate a brand presence, giving exhibitors an edge over their competitors. As well as seeing Smart Display’s own creation, visitors will be able to gain an insight into the creative potential of stand building with Smart Display’s extensive portfolio of previous structures. The team will also be on-hand to guide potential customers through the process, from the initial CAD design stage to the practicalities of liaising with the exhibition organiser, installation and breakdown.

With around 75 per cent of business originating from repeat custom and a five-star rating on Google, Smart Display is confident that its stands deliver. And new customers are equally delighted with what they can achieve with a bespoke stand build designed to stop traffic.

Civil engineering contractor MJ Church went from shell scheme to a bespoke stand design at Highways last month, and those at the helm of the brand have been delighted with the results.

“The stand paid for itself with the increased footfall that we saw,” says Aidan Boyle, head of civil engineering at MJ Church. “Our stand was the first thing people saw when walking towards this area, and it created a real impact. We will definitely be re-using it again.”

Fellow first-timer Jamie Shaw agrees that investing into a bespoke stand design has been one of the best business decisions he has ever made.

“We went from a shell scheme to a bespoke stand built by Smart Display at this year’s Interplas, and we attracted one million per cent more people that we have at previous shows,” says the director and founder of Yorkshire-based oil specialist OMS Lubritek. “Interplas is a vibrant show with machines running and interactive robots taking centre stage, but I really felt that we had a presence. If I was in a competitor’s shoes looking at our stand, I would have felt envious.”

As well as targeting end-users across the full spectrum of industry sectors, Smart Display is also looking to network with full-service B2B agencies. As the industry leader in bespoke stand design, Smart Display is perfectly placed to assist agencies looking to introduce this element of marketing into their stable.

If you would like to make an appointment ahead of the exhibition, contact christina@smart-display.co.uk. Visitors are also welcome to visit throughout the two-day event at stand B2B-K32.