Showroom concept: From idea to opening in 7 steps

We have broken down the process of designing a showroom into seven steps to give you an idea of the major and minor milestones along the way.

7 steps to the perfect showroom concept

1. Analysis of objectives and requirements

• Which target audience(s) is the showroom supposed to address/appeal to?
• Which occasions are conceivable? For what group sizes? How long are the tours/events/visits supposed to last?
• Do you want to provide guided tours, encourage visitors’ free exploration, or both?
• What business segments, product, or subject matter do you want to be in focus?
• Which way of the showroom’s integration into your business is possible/desirable?
• Which quantifiable/measurable objectives for your showroom do you want to define?

2. Budget setting

• Which of your business units, products segments etc. do you want to involve (funding, planning, and usage)?
• Which funds are available to finance the installation?
• Who takes charge of operation, maintenance, and future expansion?
• Create a business case including costs, visitor numbers, conversion rates, etc.!

3. Inspirational phase

• What would an outstanding presentation of your business look like?
• What is to be the showroom’s general creative guiding principle?
• Which are the benchmarks set by competitors?
• What trends, best-case scenarios, and best practice rules exist in other business sectors industries outside of your own?

4. Conception

• interior concept and structural design
• definition of interactive stations, processes, and content
• conception regarding modes/forms of presentation and content per target group
• consultation of external experts
• requests for cost estimates, onboarding of partners
• internal presentation, approval and green-lighting

5. Detailed planning and preparation

• the technical specification of stations and exhibits
• technical infrastructural planning (power supply, network, lighting, sound, etc.)
• IT admin
• management of content (digital content, curation, preparation of content, updates)
• exhibition control (simple and convenient booting and shutdown, activation of target-group specific presets)

6. Realization and Testing

• project management
• coordination of different service providers
• roll-out and implementation
• training of staff and presenters
• practical testing

7. Opening ceremony and continual optimization

• internal and external communication regarding the opening event
• opening event with attendance of important business contacts, (local) political representatives etc. in order to attract media attention
• meaningful embedding of showroom into daily internal procedures and documentation
• integration into business communications, marketing and sales activities
• internal and external evaluation and subsequent adjustment
• assessment of performance/success and optimization

Timing and Schedule – How Long From Initial Idea to Its Realization?

The duration of a project depends largely on its scope and the funds available. To give you a rough idea, if you can allow 6 to 12 months between your initial idea for a showroom and its opening, you’re on the right track. However, a large and/or elaborate showroom may take longer.

Showroom concept as a success factor

The first step is always the hardest – especially when it comes to creative projects with many people involved and little certainty about the outcome. Until a few key points are known and agreed, there is a lot of uncertainty and risk in such a project. We can say from experience that it is always wise to start with a solid concept – in writing, with 3D visualisations and with internal multilateral approval. It’s best to develop this concept with an experienced expert. Even if you decide to use a different service provider for the implementation phase of the project, you’ll still have a solid foundation and decision-making basis to fall back on later in the process (e.g. when selecting a suitable agency). This blog entry is an excerpt from our comprehensive whitepaper “Successful Planning and Realization of Corporate Showrooms – A guide from HOW to WOW”. If you would like to receive the whitepaper free of charge, please write an email with the subject “Whitepaper Showroom” to info@garamantis.com.