Mastering international trade fair projects the right way

Update: 17.04.2022

International trade fair projects are strategically important marketing measures for many companies. The aim of trade fairs is often to present their own products on the international market or to meet important customers and partners from the industry. However, anyone who has ever organized such an international trade fair knows the challenges associated with planning and implementation. Read here where the pitfalls are hidden on the way to an international trade fair and how you can master the organization together with reliable partners.

What do exhibitors abroad need to be aware of?

Even if the largest and most trade fairs worldwide take place in Germany's exhibition halls: There are trade fair spots abroad where German exhibitors need to present themselves in order to remain competitive. German SMEs in particular have to face up to global changes and requirements: Germany is the world export champion, and SMEs think internationally. Many foreign trade fair visitors save themselves the trip abroad, because there are also trade fairs near them: Trade fair spots such as Dubai, Las Vegas, Beijing, Guangzhou and Barcelona have gained in importance, and so “the German prophet has to come to the mountain”. Along the new Chinese Silk Road to the west alone, new trade fair locations are emerging that Chinese organizers are promoting in order to accelerate the Silk Road networks.

Which trade fair abroad is important?

Only you can determine and decide which trade fair is the most suitable for your company. Only you know the target group you want to reach. However, the expertise of trade associations or chambers can be very helpful, e.g. the IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce), FAMAB (Trade Association of the German Trade Fair Industry) or  AUMA (Association of the German Trade Fair Industry). Use the databases and the experience of the staff to implement your trade fair projects abroad.

There are many trade fairs that are supported by the state: Be it food, construction or pharmaceuticals; the “German Pavilion” is known worldwide in a wide variety of business sectors. Participation in trade fairs is usually organized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy or at state level, and stands are provided in addition to a joint stand area. A very pleasant side effect of the joint stands can be that business relationships are also established between the exhibitors, in line with the motto: a trade fair presence abroad forges bonds, people get to know each other and trust each other. Many a new business idea and start-up has been created in this way.

What must be ensured for international trade fair projects?

1. The quality standards must be met.

Customers from Germany who operate on the international market place the same high demands on the quality of the execution of their trade fair appearance abroad as they do on a trade fair project in Germany. However, there are completely different requirements abroad in terms of production and available resources and materials - in the worst case, this can lead to significant deviations from the expected result.

2. Cost security must be guaranteed.

Depending on the country in which you want to exhibit, the business environment there is completely different from that in Germany. The agreed costs for trade fair projects are quickly exceeded. And this often only becomes noticeable in subsequent claims, which are invoiced for additional expenses.

3. There must be flawless communication between all those involved in the project.

As a marketing manager, you often plan several international trade fair projects per year. Cultural differences are noticeable in every project, depending on the respective trade fair location. Communication difficulties quickly arise - even if everyone involved speaks English. And if small details get lost in communication while everyone involved assumes they are on the same page, this can quickly become a risk factor for the trade fair project.

In many cases, it can be helpful to involve a German trade fair construction partner to ensure that the above-mentioned requirements for a trade fair project are met. This partner manages the project from the German location and is always the first point of contact for the exhibiting companies.

As a German company, you basically have two options if you want to exhibit internationally:

Stand builder at the respective location

The first option involves more risk. If you look for a new partner for each trade fair location, you have to reckon with a very high workload and coordination effort. Just think of issues such as customs duties, time differences, legal regulations abroad and language barriers.

Stand builders in Germany

With a German partner, you are at least starting from a level playing field and a better understanding. You can contractually regulate things that give you planning security and cost certainty. This usually saves you a lot of work - which justifies the additional costs for the specialist.

Your partner should of course have very good international contacts and know reliable suppliers at the trade fair venues. This guarantees that the processes are fast and efficient because a well-coordinated team is at work. You will also be able to obtain important information quickly if, for example, decisions have to be made at short notice. Your partner can only achieve all this with a network that is based on good business relationships that have matured over many years.

International stand construction with a German stand builder varies from project to project, as the project manager always makes individual decisions. For example, he decides where production should take place, because he is familiar with the local conditions and can weigh up which production location makes the most sense.

Depending on the trade fair location and stand concept, the project manager decides which items are easier and more cost-effective to produce at the trade fair location - because the sea route or customs duties are often not an insignificant cost factor. However, not all resources and materials are easy to obtain in every country in the world - or at least not in the quality you expect. That is why it is often unavoidable to prefabricate things here in Germany.

How do you find the right partner for your trade fair project?

• If you would like to work with a stand builder at the trade fair venue on your own initiative, it is advisable to send many inquiries to different stand builders in advance and then compare the responses..

• The first inquiry should not go into too much detail or delve too deeply into the specific project. Get to know them first and see if the chemistry is right. Do you have the feeling that you are understood? How much effort is the partner making to respond to you? If you have the feeling that the chemistry is right, then subsequent communication will be much easier.

• Once you have made your decision and are in the more concrete briefing phase, you should give your local partner a certain amount of leeway in the design and execution of the project. However, be sure to show your partner reference images to show what level of quality is required.

• Important: Make it clear in advance that the agreed prices are fixed and binding. Additional costs for subsequent claims are one of the most common traps that German customers fall into when it comes to international trade fair projects. Often, a trade fair project only exceeds the planned budget at a late stage due to additional demands that the customer did not expect.

If you want to play it safe and involve a German partner, you should pay attention to the following when choosing a partner:

Your partner or agency should have expertise with international trade fair projects and, above all, in the respective trade fair country.

• It is important that you have a fixed contact person for your project. Their international expertise - and not that of the company - is important to you.

• Your partner should have a very good, tried-and-tested, established network of local suppliers and partners. Ask who these partners are and ask questions about them. During the conversation, you will find out how well the person you are talking to is connected to their network.

• Find out how familiar your partner is with the country-specific formalities, from customs duties to specific country regulations and laws. Problems may arise during the project phase that require a quick response. It is therefore very helpful if your project manager (or his network) is familiar with the local legalities, e.g. with regard to catering or specific labor laws, etc.

Valuable tips for trade fair participations abroad 

• Create a simple CD style book that only describes the important CD elements. Color values, proportions, graphic basics. Ask how the stand constructor plans to build the stand. However, leave your briefing as open as possible so that the supplier can suggest in-house options. Of course, information about your requirements should not be missing. Number of seats, displays, meeting room yes/no, storage/cabin requirements, etc.

• Exhibition stand construction companies abroad also have rental furniture on stock. Ask explicitly about their rental furniture and display pool. Ask them to show you a selection. You can save a lot of money here.

• There are stand construction systems that allow for a very individual design. If these systems are installed worldwide, then it makes sense to cooperate with such a stand builder: Due to the globally adapted construction method, the construction quality is also usually comparable. Ask your stand builder about this.

Conclusion

The chance of something going wrong with international projects is extremely high. This can result in unwanted costs if you do not react quickly enough. And you cannot monitor every step due to the physical distance. That's why it's often easier to outsource responsibility for the project, because it takes a lot of time to keep track of everything yourself - and as the person responsible for marketing, you also have other tasks.