You’ve hired the venue, lined up the speakers, promoted the event, sold tickets and even arranged the catering, but is there something you have forgotten?
Event signage and printed collateral are sometimes an afterthought, but they are vital to event design.
For your attendees, exhibitors and speakers, it lets them know where they need to go and what is happening on the day.
To help get you started, here are some top tips from The Ridgeway Centre.
Don’t leave event signage to the last minute
In a world of digital first, organising event signage is sometimes left to the last minute. Unlike digital ticketing and promotion, physical print collateral has a lead time.
Although you can get rapid turnaround on print work and same-day delivery, you’ll want your signage to be good quality and sometimes that takes a little longer. Planning time for idea generation, design, and print delivery can help ensure you’re not caught out.
Plan where to put your event signage
Once you have sold your stands to exhibitors and decided on rooms for workshops and talks, it might be time to think about signage.
Knowing how your attendees will move through the conference centre or venue will tell you where signage is most needed.
Signposting for breakout areas, directional arrows, and schedules for auditoriums and meeting rooms are all options to consider.
Include a map for your event
If your event has multiple meeting rooms or takes over an entire conference facility, it is worth considering providing a map. Research on interior wayfinding suggests that a combination of maps and signs works best.
The bigger the event, the more valuable a map can be, whether printed in an event guide or on a board or poster.
Nobody wants their attendees to get lost, confused or miss out on a keynote speaker. Maps can also help if you have brands exhibiting their products at the event, giving them an additional opportunity for promotion at little extra cost to you.
Welcome your visitors to the event
Announce your brand before your attendees even step into the building. Flags and directional signs outside can signal your brand messaging and draw visitors to the correct place.
Additional pull-up banners or flags can be used in foyers and entrances. Well-framed photos next to well-designed welcome signage can go a long way on social media.
You can even include a selfie wall and props for that very purpose!
On-stage signage for conferences and talks
If you are organising a conference or an event with several speakers, you’ll want your company brand front and centre for photos.
A single speaker at a pedestal is not the most visually appealing. A well-designed backdrop for a stage can enliven a hybrid event or video recording and can increase brand awareness.
Make your event more accessible
Communicating effectively through your signage requires it to be accessible to as many people as possible.
The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) has recommendations for diversity, equity and inclusion to ensure fair representation and equal opportunities for workers in the events industry and those attending events.
It is important to consider the impact of disabilities, neurodiversity and other conditions such as dyslexia on your signage design and placement. It is thought that at least 10% of the UK’s population has dyslexia, impacting how they read and process text.
The AEO has produced guidance on how you can make your event more accessible, including reasonable adjustments for attendees, staff and participants.
Well-designed signage will shape how your participants and visitors experience the event. More importantly, it will impact how they remember the event and whether they will return next time.
