Race 2 – Donington Park

Race 2 took place at Donington Park on 21^st April, and was a historic day for Honda’s Matt Neal who contested his 500^th BTCC race. The day as a whole was hugely successful for Team Honda who finished on the podium in every race of the day.

Race one was won by last years’ victor, Gordon Shedden, with Honda team-mate Matt Neal finishing 4 seconds behind and bagging third pace. The second race of the day saw Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan on poll, with Jason Plato in second and Gordon Shedden taking the final podium spot. The final race saw eBay Motors’ Colin Turkington bag first place, with Team Honda’s Shedden taking second place and Neal coming in third.

Matt Neal said of his 500^th race milestone: “It has been a special day for me. Of course you always want race wins but I’ve been around long enough to know that you can’t have it all your own way all the time. We scored some good points and to compete in my 500th race at my home circuit was fantastic.”

Race 3 – Thruxton

Racing at Thurxton on 5^th May was a clean sweep for Team Honda; with Matt Neal securing his 50^th BTCC career victory in the opening race of the day. Neal also took poll in the day’s second race, with team-mate Shedden finishing in third. Race three saw Shedden secure the win, with Matt Neal in second, and Pirkek Racing’s Andrew Jordan coming third.

Matt Neal said of his 50^th career victory: “You can’t get much better than this! The 50th win feels as sweet as the first one all those years ago. It’s hard to explain just how stoked I am – it’s absolutely awesome! I didn’t expect one win to be honest, never mind two.”

How things stand now

After three weeks of racing, the driver standings are as follows:

The next day of racing takes place at Oulton Park on 9^th June, which should provide some equally as exciting racing. RB Design & Display would like to wish Team Honda all the luck for their up-coming races; we’re cheering you on every step of the way!

Samsung

We have been working with Samsung for many years, and their latest stand for the 02 Conference at Billingsgate, London, was our biggest challenge to date.

We constructed a stand called “Connected House”. As the name suggests, the stand was designed to look like a house and featured a number of rooms. This stand was used to promote how Samsung products can be used across the home and connected to one another – without the need for wires.

This eye catching stand included a kitchen – complete with utensils – a lounge and an office. This stand certainly attracted a great deal of attention, and is something we’re hugely proud to have designed.

Continental Tyres

Continental Tyres were exhibiting at the Kwik Fit Conference in Birmingham back at the beginning of April, and commissioned us to create their stand. As the company already has a well known and recognised brand, it was important we kept this consistent throughout the whole project.

The stand recreated the feeling of being at a football stadium; complete with goal and Geodesic ceilings. Visitors to the stand could try and score a goal through the specially designed goal, helping keep the stand interactive and eye-catching.

Conoco Phillips

Another recent project has seen us create a custom exhibition stand and signage for Conoco Phillips. They were exhibiting at FPS 2013 in Harrogate – one of the largest exhibitions and conferences for the oil distribution industry – and required an inviting, open-plan display where they could speak with clients.

We took inspiration from their ‘American diner’ style branding, to construct a stand complete with leather bar stools and ‘mood’ lighting. The interactive stand also had a number of television screens built in, to attract customers to the stand.

BAE Systems Detica

Infosec 2013, held at London’s Earls Court, is Europe’s Number 1 Information Security event. This year – with over 350 exhibitors already registered – BAE Systems Detica required a robust stand that would showcase their products, and help the company stand out from the crowd.

We designed and built a clean and attractive stand; making sure it was open-plan so customers could move around freely and see what was on offer. The eye-catching design of this exhibit really helped it stand out at the event, and the simple colour scheme complimented the company and product branding.

Beyond Trust

We also designed and build a display for another Infosec exhibitor; Beyond Trust. Again, we focused on creating an interactive stand, with plenty of space for customers to sit and chat to a representative or make an enquiry.

The company has a strong colour scheme which we followed through into the design of this stand. This was to help people instantly pick Beyond Trust out from the rest of the exhibitors, and make their enquiries.

As you can see then, we’ve been really busy over the last month or so and have designed a whole host of completely unique stands. Whatever your business, whatever your exhibition; we can help you stand out from the crowd.

Contact us today with your requirements, and we’ll wow you with our innovative designs.

Exhibitions, trade shows, and other large scale events are great locations to promote your business, products, and services. But more goes into choosing the right exhibition stand for your requirements than you might think.

At RB Design & Display’s, we specialise in a variety of trade show booths for all locations, brands, and products. We like to think then, that we’re the best people to ask when it comes to choosing a stand.

We’re often asked by our customers what the best stand would be, so we have decided to share our top tips. Here, we’re going to look at three of our most popular products and how you can get these stands working for your business:

1. Experiential stands

Experiential marketing is all about offering your customers an experience. Whether that is a tasting session, product demonstration, or something else; experiential display stands can help you stand out from the crowd and create a real impact.

These creative and eye catching displays are designed to increase interactivity with your brand.

Customers love marketing and promotion that is tangible – especially in an Internet age – and these booths provide this element. This is a really powerful way to boost your enquiries and drive sales, as consumers can see exactly what they’re buying.

If you’re planning big, summer promotions with an event display stand; check out this blog post for some more in depth advice.

2. Portable stands

If you’re going to be attending a number of shows, or have a touring promotion, a portable exhibition stand is your best choice.

These robust and durable stands can quickly and easily be erected and taken down, and transported from venue to venue. These lightweight stands are just as powerful as more solid stands, but are much more customer-friendly.

We offer a range of portable stands for every budget and requirement which include:

• Shell Clad Systems
• Stealth Modular Banners
• Tension Fabric Systems
• Modular Exhibition Stands

3. Custom displays

Our third and final exhibition stand idea for your business is our ever-popular custom exhibition stand.

These stands are – as the name suggests – completely bespoke and are designed and built to meet your specific requirements. We can help you make the most of limited space at an event, or really go to town with a display that has the ‘wow’ factor.

You can see one such custom exhibition stand, build for Samsung, here.

The only limit with a custom display is budget and imagination, making these a really popular choice amongst our customers.

If you have an event coming up and are looking to create an impact, contact us today with your requirements and we’ll design and build a display that really stands out from the crowd.

The 2013 British Touring Car Championship is well underway once more and, with RB Design & Display continuing our sponsorship of Team Honda, we’re looking forward to watching the exciting season unfold once more.

Brands Hatch Review

The new season got off to a flying start at Brands Hatch over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend (30^th-31^st March), and has already become a gripping season.

The first two races of the day were won by Jason Plato for MG6; with Team Honda securing second, third and fourth place in the second race. The final race of the day resulted in a Team Honda one-two, with Matt Neal finishing on pole and 2012 Champion, Gordon Shedden coming in second place.

This is a great start for the team, and sees Matt and Gordon in positions 5 and 9 respectively in the drivers’ standings. As any followers of the BTCC know; slow and steady won the race last year for Team Honda, so things are certainly heading in the right direction.

This is what the drivers’ standings look like after the first day of racing:

Matt Neal makes 500

The race at Donnington Park on 21^st April is set to be a doubly exciting time for Team Honda.

Not only could the secure a one-two victory on the day; but the race marks Matt Neal’s 500^th BTCC race. With nearly 500 races, 49 career wins, and 3 Drivers’ titles under his belt, Matt is certainly one of the figureheads of the sport.

RB Design & Display will be cheering Matt on all the way, and is hoping he can mark his 500^th race with a first place finish or two.

It might not feel like it outside, but summer is on its way and it’s time to begin planning for your summer promotions.

With longer days, warmer weather, and a spring in your step, marketing your business in the summer months opens up a wealth of opportunities. For example, the better weather means you can exhibit outdoors and there are a whole host of different events you can attend.

With this in mind then, here are our top tips for planning your summer promotion and marketing efforts:

Different requirements for indoor and outdoor promotions

As you would expect, indoor and outdoor promotions have different requirements.

Obviously when you attend an indoor event the weather is not an issue. If you’re attending something outside, you need to be prepared for all weather eventualities. After all, we all know how unreliable the Great British summer can be!

If exhibiting outside, your display will need to be lightweight, transportable, durable, and easy to assemble. It also needs to be waterproof (to some degree) and protect the bulk of your products and exhibition.

You also need to consider the ground underfoot at outside events:

• Will your stand be on grass or something sturdier?
• Do you need to provide a seating and standing area for stand visitors?
• What precautions have you taken if the weather lets you down?
• Have you got any refreshments if the weather is really warm?

Outdoor promotions are a great way to connect with your customers on a personal level, in a much more relaxed environment. Just be sure you have prepared for every eventuality, and can cope with whatever the weather throws at you.

Summer events to attend

There are a whole host of great indoor and outdoor events your business could attend this summer including:

• Commercial Vehicle Show, 9.4.13, NEC Birmingham
• Optrafair, 13.4.13, NEC Birmingham
• Infosecurity Europe, 23.4.13, Earls Court

You can check out a full list of UK exhibitions here.

Summer events are a great way to promote seasonal products, but you should also be aware that events often work a season ahead. That means that you might be exhibiting in the glorious sunshine, but showcasing the latest autumn/winter products your company has to offer.

Appropriate stands for summer promotions

There are a whole host of exhibition stands that would work wonders for an outdoors, summer promotion.

We would suggest a stand such as the Modulbox, shown here. As you can see, there is a seating area, shelter from rain or sun, and plenty of space to meet with prospects. The modular exhibition stand is also portable, durable, and easily transported – perfect for all summer promotions.

If you’re attending an event this summer, be sure to get in touch with us today with your exhibition stand requirements.

RB Design & Display is delighted to have agreed a new deal to continue our sponsorship of Team Honda for the 2013 season of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).

Back in October, we were delighted when Team Honda’s Gordon Shedden was crowned BTCC Champion 2012. This year, we’re hoping the Gordon Shedden, team mate Matt Neal, and the rest of Team Honda can repeat this success when racing kicks off again later this month.

As part of our sponsorship of the reigning champions, we have created a stunning pit lining for the Honda team. This large, eye-catching custom stand features all the names of the sponsors, and some great imagery. If you look closely, you will also spot our logo on the teams’ cars and the drivers’ overalls. You can see more pictures of these on our Facebook.

The teams

There are 22 drivers taking part in the BTCC this year, and are racing for 11 teams including:

• Ciceley Racing
• Dynojet
• eBay Motors
• Honda Yuasa Racing
• IP Tech Race
• MG KX Momentum Racing
• Motorbase
• Pirtek Racing
• Speedworks
• Team HARD
• WIX Racing

Predictions for the season

Call us biased, but we think things are looking great for Team Honda Yuasa.

Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden are in great form, and we’re pinning our hopes on one of the boys taking the lead at Brands Hatch on 31^st March. To keep up to date with the BTCC 2013 season, be sure to check back to our blog.

You can also check out our Facebook page to keep on top of the action as it happens.

Last month, we shared with you some insider tips on increasing your trade show leads. This month, we’re going to advise you on the best ways you can follow up these leads, can convert them into sales.

This is obviously the main goal of your trade show experience, but is the one part of the day that so many people get wrong.

Converting your leads to sales is often more powerful than any marketing you do on the day. Here, are five top tips for following up like a pro:

1. Know your prospect

Before you jump straight in and try to bag the sale, you need to know who you’re calling.

On the day, you should have made adequate notes about each prospect. What do they want from you? What’s their budget? What promises have you made them? Prospects will have spoken to plenty of people on the day, and you need to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into.

By remembering the conversation you had at your exhibition stand, you come across as caring and professional. More than this, it saves you having to start the selling process all over again. Work on the relationship you established; it is this face-to-face element that makes trade show marketing so popular.

Not sure you can remember? Why not use QR Codes to capture all the relevant data quickly and easily?

2. Make it personal

When you spoke to the prospect on the day, you will have found out their name, job title, and much more. You connected to them on a personal level. When following up on this lead, make sure you contact the right person.

Address them by name, talk about how nice it was to meet them, even remember more personal elements of the conversation. This helps re-establish your rapport, and increases your response rate.

You should personalise your methods of contact too. Sending out a standard mail shot to 100 prospects will take out the ‘human’ element. It will take more time, but keeping everything personal will help you convert leads to sales much more effectively.

3. Multi-channel approach to connecting

A ‘multi-channel’ approach to contacting your leads is simpler than it sounds.

In brief, this means contacting your leads in a whole host of different ways; all relating back to keeping things personal. For example, some contacts will have expressed their interest and asked you to call them. Make sure you do. If you have no luck, a quick email, tweet, or LinkedIn message is a good way to integrate your outreach.

By obtaining as many different avenues for connecting as possible, you give yourself the best chance of bagging a conversion.

4. Deliver on your promises

What promises did you make at the event? Whatever they were, you need to make sure your follow up delivers on these promises. Nothing will spoil a conversion like going back on your word.

Sticking to a promise shows you put your customers first, and have a great attitude to service. Every customer likes to get something for nothing – or at least think they are – and this is your best chance to do just that.

Customers will buy from companies that give back, and will recommend them to peers and friends. Nothing can be more powerful for you.

5. Be persistent, not a pest

Finally, it can be tempting to chase up your leads repeatedly; leaving them voice mails, and tweeting them constantly. But that is no way to secure a sale. On occasions like this, less is most definitely more.

You need to show that you’re keen, and show a little persistent. But you mustn’t be a pest. This is a fine line that is so easy to cross, but you need to make a conscious effort to step back when you know a lead is lost.

The best way to finish off a hugely successful trade show experience, is by successfully following up on all your leads. Why not put some of these tips to the test after your next exhibition, and see how you can boost your conversion rate?

Tension Fabric Systems are a unique and innovative way to pack a punch at your next exhibition.

Portable, durable, and fully customisable; they’re the perfect banner display for any size trade show, conference, or any other location where an eye-catching display is required. Whatever your requirements and space limitations, Tension Fabric Systems are a cost-effective choice.

We recently built a series of these systems for our client, technology giant Samsung.

Here are some of the benefits of using a Tension Fabric System, and why you should consider one for your next event:

1. Customisable

Available in a whole host of designs including:

• Freestanding flat panels
• Curved panels
• Wall mounted
• Privacy pods
• Micro-single sided (using multiple panels to showcase one large image)
• And more

These systems really are the ideal solution for any trade show requirement. Due to the flexible nature of the stands, they can be used to fill any floor space – no matter how limited. As well as the shape and size, we can also customise the design.

That means we can print anything you like on your system, providing you with the perfect way to get your marketing message across. This makes this type of system a great alternative to custom exhibition stands for people on a reduced budget.

The integral system channel allows the easy attachment of accessories, meaning you can purchase one display and customise it for various purposes and events. The freestanding panels are available in double or single sided varieties.

2. Portable

A Tension Fabric System from RB Design & Display comes folded in a lightweight, wheeled bag. Everything fits in perfectly, and the lightweight display stand doesn’t weigh a tonne. In fact, the lightweight system is portable, and easy to transport to any event.

These durable bags also ensure you can store your stand safely. Whether you exhibit regularly, or every once in a while, you can store your stand securely so it is perfect for use next time. This saves you from paying for storage, or finding out your stand is damaged in the future.

3. Easy to install

It is easier than you might expect to install one of these systems.

Simply push the silicone strip around the edge of your fabric display into the solid frame, and away you go. This makes it extremely easy to change the fabric display as and when you need to; ensuring your display is always up to daye.

Framed varieties then screw straight into the wall, or can be mounted using the brackets provided. Larger and freestanding varies come equipped with robust stands to keep your exhibition booth standing all day.

As you can see, Tension Fabric Systems are a robust and eye catching alternative to larger exhibition stands. Their versatility means they can be used in a whole host of locations, and will always get your marketing message across.

To find out more, you can download our brochure or contact us today.

Whether you sell to businesses or consumers, boosting your profile – and of course your sales – are the ultimate goal. Building a database of returning customers, boosting your sales, and getting a maximum ROI can be a challenge, especially given the economic climate.

Here, we’re going to show you how you can increase your trade show leads and boost your profits:

1. Exhibit at the right shows

With so many trade shows – both here and internationally – the best way to maximise your leads is to make sure you’re at the right show.

For the best results, you need to be exhibiting where your customers are. Start with the smaller, niche events to find your exhibiting feet. As you build up an audience and make a name for yourself, you can start working the bigger, better known events.

Just make sure that you are always exhibiting for your prospects in order to increase your leads, and boost your sales.

2. Make the most of your marketing

If you want to boost your trade show leads, you need an engaged audience at the event. The easiest way to secure these leads is by implementing a solid pre-event marketing plan, you can attract prospects to your event.

Send out direct mail and eshots, flyers, and even online marketing efforts. Start a social media campaign, film promotional videos, and really push the boundaries. If people know you’re exhibiting, they are much more likely to attend themselves and buy from you.

3. Eye-catching exhibition stands

Trade shows are busy places. If you want to increase your leads, and ultimately your sales, you need an eye catching exhibition stand. That’s where we can help.

Our custom built exhibition stands are perfect for making a bold statement at any event. We use creative graphics and expert designs to help you utilise the space, and stand out from the crowd. Your stand needs to draw people in. It is then up to you to secure the leads, and turn them into sales.

4. Properly manned exhibition stands

One of the best ways to increase your trade show leads, is by having a properly manned exhibition stand. By having the right staff, in the right place, at the right time, you can dramatically amplify your lead generation. We’ve previously written our top tips for working your exhibition stand. You can read them here.

5. Offer an incentive

Our final tip for increasing your leads at an exhibition is to offer an incentive.

Whether you’re capturing leads for a newsletter sign up, interest in purchasing a particular product, or something else; giving people a reason to do so will boost your lead generation. Why not enter everyone who signs up into a giveaway to win a product, for example?

Giving people a reason to hand over their details will help boost your overall leads. Just remember; to make the most of these leads you need to follow up post exhibition.

These QR (or quick response) codes are experiencing a popularity boom right now and it’s all thanks to the rise of the smart phone. But what exactly are they, and how can you utilise them in your 2013 exhibition marketing mix?

A quick overview of the quick response code

QR codes are a two-dimensional barcode invented by the Japanese in 1994. Using a smart-phone, people scan the code and receive a free download, see a specific advert, or get directed to a web page.

In terms of marketing, this is hugely powerful. But as an event marketer, you need to think outside the box. You need to be integrating QR codes into your exhibition marketing. And here’s how:

1. On your name badge and business card

Capturing leads is one of the main goals of your exhibition marketing. Even so, it can be tricky when working at a busy event.

To make this easier – for both your prospective clients and people who may be interested in working with you –include QR codes on your name badge and business cards. A scanable code on a name badge can capture and securely store peoples’ information.

Use the code to display your contact information, website addresses, and even an image. This will help keep you memorable, and keep your captured information secure.

2. On your exhibition stand

Integrating QR codes into your exhibition stand is one of the best ways to pack a punch with your display. By including them where you can, you show prospects that you’re tech-savvy and extremely on top of your marketing game.

QR codes in exhibition marketing are nothing new. However, the way we use them and the content they display, can change. Why not use them as a competition entry for a giveaway? Or to bag a sale, quickly and securely?

There are a whole host of things QR codes can be used for. Think outside the box, and incorporate them into your display to really stand out from the competition.

3. On your printed business literature

You should never underestimate the power of printed marketing. Especially at a trade show.

Including QR codes on flyers, product brochures, and business cards is one of the easiest ways to give your customers the extra information they need. Whether they show a product demonstration, open up your website, or help you bag a sale; integrating QR codes in this way is simple but highly effective.

If you want to modernise your exhibition marketing, there is no easier way to do so than with QR codes. They can help your marketing pack a punch, and help your trade show display stand out from the crowd.