A Guide to Floor Planning
Posted by Ryan Klemm on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 @ 02:58 PM
How to Put Together a 1,000 Piece Puzzle Without Using the Picture on the Box Cover as a Guide
As many US and Canadian companies know, trade shows held within North America often offer exhibitors the opportunity to select booths from a pre-drawn floor plans. Those at the front of the line are usually members of the trade association that sponsors the event, those who were at the last show, how much space was rented, and other priority considerations such as the number of staff members manning the booth divided by their collective age and multiplied by the number of years employed by the company – you know, elaborate actuarial tables of some kind.
All joking aside, it’s a fair and relatively easy system to be sure, but one that is not used for our trade shows.
In Düsseldorf, application forms can be submitted up until a designated deadline. Registered companies indicate on the application form the desired dimensions of the space, usually within a range, as well as the type of preferred configuration (row stand, corner, end of block, island). Then the process of creating tailor made floor plans begins in earnest.
It’s a bit like putting a 1000 piece puzzle together without using the picture on the box cover as a guide!
Working with an empty hall, the floor plans are started by drafting in the main aisles, creating several large blocks of space that can then be subdivided into individual booths and secondary aisles. The space requests are then carefully reviewed and floor plans gradually come into focus as each exhibiting company is provided with a booth space that matches its preferences as closely as possible. Sometimes you might get a little bit more than you requested sometimes a little bit less. But often you get pretty close to what you’re looking for. (And by the way, show management will also study how the floor plan was prepared for the previous staging of the show, and often times returning exhibitors can more or less expect to get their same booth back if they want!)
This process is viewed as a win-win. Companies get an assignment based upon a size and dimensions they actually would like, and show management gets to make the most efficient use of space to fill as much of the hall as possible.
In the end, the puzzle is complete and the picture is clear…until next time!