Choose the furniture for stands suitable to your needs
Spending 9 hours a day sitting on non-ergonomic furniture can affect your health. And if this is multiplied by 5 days of the fair... you will probably have to visit a traumatologist when you return from the fair. And the worst thing is that this is also noticed by your customers.
Seating a client at the trade show for a meeting is a victory that can be marred by a poor experience in terms of comfort. That is why it is very important that you carefully review the type of furniture that you are going to place in your stand. A stand with outdated furniture will poorly reflect the image of your brand. On the other hand, if you are going to participate in a fair, you have to be clear about the dynamics with your clients in order to choose the best type of furniture that suits what you need. In some stands it is more important to sit down with visitors or potential customers to explain your product to them, while in others it is more important to have more informal contact such as sitting on a stool at a bar, or at a table high. With that being said, you should keep the following factors in mind:
chairs
The choice of chairs will determine your comfort and that of your customers during the fair. That is why it is important that you think about the work dynamics that you are going to have so as not to make a mistake in the choice.
Do you need armrests? If you do not indicate it, it is most likely that the supplier provides you with a model that does not have them. Do you want a padded base? Long hours at a fair sitting on a hard surface will not make you want to come back next time. Do you need chairs for a meeting room? maybe with wheels? This is something to think about, as by default you will have the same type of chair throughout the booth.
Some of the most used chair models in 2023
stools
The stools are the best way to have a more informal contact with your customers. In some cases, the dynamics of the entire stand is carried out only with stools, so there are points to take into account in terms of comfort. For example, they may or may not have a backrest: a backless stool is more informal, for quicker dealings, while one with a backrest allows for larger meetings. It also influences that they are adjustable in height. If many hours are going to be spent on them, some people may prefer to adjust the height to work with a laptop, for example.
Some of the most used stool models
Armchairs
Do you need a VIP area? The armchairs are a third case, even more private and make your clients feel more taken into account. Its downside is that it's hard to end a meeting when your guest is too comfortable. Among the armchairs there are several ranges, those that are a little harder and those in which you can sink and take a nap. It is important to know because sometimes the client is not interested in staying at the stand, or you are not interested in staying too long 🙂
Some of the most used armchair models in 2023
Informal areas: Poufs
The pouffes are perfect to reduce the importance of contact and usually make the visitor go further into the stand. They also help organize space and can be joined together to form a larger item. There are square, cylindrical, more or less hard. For a fair it is important that they have a minimum of rigidity because even if it is informal we do not want a client to fall backwards while we are having a meeting.
Refrigerators / Refrigerated chests
This piece of furniture will be hidden in the warehouse, or behind the bar counter. Its size depends on the use, if you are only going to put drinks or if you need to store a catering. Refrigerated chests are perfect for drinks. Although they are usually used more in Spain than in the rest of Europe.
All kinds of tables for stands
The tables are not very mysterious, although if you want to highlight an executive meeting room you have to look at the available models, since there are some made of glass, with power and USB sockets in the center.
Some of the most used table models in 2023
How much does it cost to rent furniture for a stand?
Here is a summary of the cost of the basic furniture for a stand. The prices are for reference only and correspond to the agency cost (furniture companies make a professional discount for their suppliers). These prices are for 2023 and are for reference only and do not constitute a commercial offer.
| Furniture | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Chairs (x4) + table | 290 euro |  |
| Stools(x4) + high table | 211 euro |  |
| 2-seater armchairs (x2) + low table | 603 euro |  |
| Meeting room chairs (x6) + large table | 603 euro |  |
| cabinet with sink | 105 euro |  |
| Small fridge | 81 euro |  |
| nespresso | 130 euro |  |
| brochure holder | 70 euro |  |
Furniture rental providers for fairs in Europe
Here is a list of furniture suppliers that work with the main European fairs. In many cases they have offices in several countries, so if you call the office in your country they will refer you to the one in the country where the fair is held.
Don't miss the next chapter of this exciting adventure!
I hope you find this post about trade fair stand signage useful. In the next post we will talk about what for some is one of the most tedious topics of the fairs: Fair Services.
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