Your Guide to the Fabrication Process For Exhibition Booths

First impressions count–not just for people but also for enterprises. 

If your company is participating in a trade show, it’s essential to portray a polished and professional image to win over potential customers. You’ll need a stunning booth to present your company and services in the best light and attract more visitors. 

Booth fabrication can be tricky, so choosing the right fabrication company and knowing how they work can make the process less stressful. 

Here’s everything you need to know about getting the right booth design for that stellar first impression.

Planning and Design Conceptualization

Before you work with a fabrication company, list everything you need for your booth- both in terms of design and what you hope to achieve. Some examples of goals are: generating leads, increasing sales, announcing a new product or offering, or raising brand awareness.

Next, you must determine what you want people to do at your booth, your non-negotiables, where your company logos should be placed, and any other requirements.

Answering these questions will make your discussion with the fabrication company much smoother and faster since you already know what you want. It also helps if you have some ideas or inspiration that would work for your company.

The exhibit house will then take note of all your requirements, budget, and ideas and brainstorm. A good company will look for ways to make your brand stand out, incorporate your needs and add in other ideas while working within your budget.

The fabrication company should supply you with some preliminary design concepts. Remember that this isn’t set in stone and can be revised and discussed further. If any of the suggestions made so far don’t meet your standards, you may need to restate them and briefly explain what you liked and didn’t like about your show exhibit. 

Design Proposal

Once you approve a design concept, the fabrication company will render it into a 3D digital model. This way, you’ll better appreciate the design and the range of possible modifications and structural considerations before the construction of the booth begins. 

At this stage, the company should ideally provide a copy of the rest of the artwork or graphics that will be used in the design, for your approval.

Before giving the fabrication company the green light for production, it is imperative that you review all of the details at least five times, provide honest feedback, and have them make any necessary changes. Review it again if any modifications were made.

The company should also provide you with a timeline and a quote, breaking down all the costs involved. Be sure to ask questions if you need clarification about what is or is not included in the quote. For instance, will they provide installation, shipping, and storage apart from fabrication?

A company that offers only fabrication (i.e., not turnkey) may be less expensive, but the added costs of coordinating with and managing various suppliers could quickly add up.

Fabrication

Once you have your final and approved 3D design, the fabrication company will work to create the physical model. They must ensure that the materials used are durable and in line with the approved design.

The fabrication company may employ different fabrication methods, from custom carpentry and woodworking to printing on fabric.

Depending on the complexity of your design, fabrication can take anywhere from a month to a year to complete. Your fabrication company should constantly provide updates during the different production phases.

Once fabricated, your exhibition booth or event area decor will be installed offsite. You can ask for mock-up photos to check out how it looks. 

Logistics and Pre-event Installation

The company should assist you with transporting the constructed booth and setting it on-site before your event and exhibition. Your booth should be durable enough to endure transport. After being delivered to the venue, the company will set up your booth with other required electronic components, such as monitors, iPads, and lighting.

Everything in the booth should be tested to ensure it is properly and safely structured. Equipment and features should also be checked to ensure they are functioning properly. 

These activities should all be completed at least one day before the event, giving you enough time to personally examine the exhibit and make any necessary pre-event preparations.

When successfully installed, you should have a first-class, beautifully constructed exhibit booth that attracts and impresses the event attendees.

What Can a Fabrication Company Do?

The right fabrication company will be able to bring your booth design ideas to life, whether that’s a giant milkshake or a few chairs shaped like fruits; the possibilities are endless. On the surface, fabricating a booth may seem simple enough, but there are many moving parts. There’s the design process, the logistics, ensuring its safety, and installation.

A full-service exhibit house should be able to serve you by:

• Conceptualizing and Providing Design Options
  You can rely on its years of experience, insight into design and industry trends, and expertise on what materials will help you construct a booth that fits your needs and your budget.
• Providing Project Management
  Typically, a fabrication company will assign you a project or account manager who will work to ensure that the team sticks to your requirements, follows your vision, and stays on track in terms of your budget and deadline. This account/project manager will also be your point of contact within the company.
• Fabricating the Booth and its Parts
  The company will do its best to realize your ideas through various cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, such as construction, woodworking, 3D printing, CNC machining, and more. It will handle everything required for your booth’s construction, including finishing and assembly.
• Installing the Booth and Conducting Necessary Checks
  It is the responsibility of your fabrication company to work with you to ensure that your booth and all of its components arrive at the exhibition venue on time and in good condition. This could involve supervising additional helpers as they set up your booth and ensure everything functions correctly.

When the Show is Over 

After the show, your exhibit team will also dismantle your show exhibit and either return it for storage (if you purchased it) or return your rental.  

In either case, there will be nothing left for you to do except debrief the show with your team, reach out to the contacts you made at the trade show, and plan for the next trade show!