Are You Addressing Your Exhibition Visitor’s Generation?
We live in an unusual time where our exhibition visitors could be made up of several different generations. With this in mind we need to be thoughtful of how and what we communicate and how this will effect our exhibition stand designs.
Let me explain in more detail.
If your typical customer was born in the 1940’s or 1950’s then it is likely that they would have certain morals and values. This is a generation that was brought up at a time where money was tight and resources scarce. This generation values customer service, loyalty and professionalism so they might prefer to be sold to and communicated to in a traditional way and probably face to face.
They might prefer a handshake to an email, and to speak to a person not a voicemail.
In a generation where you get what you pay for and give as good as you get, gadgets and technology could be viewed with caution.
This generation is frugal and works in a matter of fact way. Brought up in a time when waste not want not was the order of the day, they might not want to see complicated or over designed exhibition stands with expensive giveaways and technological mumbo jumbo.
Customers that were born in the 1960’s would have a different perspective on things. This is the generation of prosperity, enterprise and achievement. After all they won the world cup and put a man on the moon so anything is possible!
Known as the baby boomers they were the first generation to take advantage of package holidays. They invented Tupperware parties, experienced Beetlemania and watched Opportunity Knocks on the very first colour TV’s.
This generation is open to ideas and challenges and is used to coping and experiencing change through technology.
Born in the 1980’s generation X was the first to fully engage and interact with modern technology.
From the release of pac-man video, mobile phones and faxes this generation’s world became smaller and easier through technology. It has more concerns over environmental issues and sustainability by discovering a hole in the Ozone layer.
Capable of solving the Rubik’s cube puzzle this generation is used to interacting on exhibition stands through simulators and graphical user interfaces.
Generation Y or “I want it now”, live and expect a completely different visitor experience.
This generation’s mobile phones have always had cameras. Members belong to groups that have followers and virtual friends that like them! They would sooner tweet than speak in person and have found out more about your company and its products or services before your exhibition than any other generation. They can SHOUT about you or castigate you to thousands of others in a moment. They look for referrals and gather information in forums and chat rooms where they share ideas. They expect an interaction between the real and virtual world and can live comfortably in both. They don’t know what a record is and have never heard of the Berlin Wall. If they want something they can download it or order it online. If they want to try something before they buy, they can watch it on YouTube or discuss it on Skype.
This generation expects to be interactive and entertained through technology. It thinks that augmented reality is yesterday’s news and that everybody has a 3D TV in their home.
Taking the time to analyse and appreciate the demographics of your exhibition visitors will help you with its design and layout. It will assist you on how and what you communicate to your audience, pre and post exhibition, to ensure that you realise a better return on your investment.
Peter Bowen C.E.O. of Access Displays Ltd has been involved in Sales and Marketing for over 30 years