5 Elements You Need for Your Next Trade Show or Exhibition

Exhibiting in a trade show can be a lot of planning and hard work setting up your booth for success. However, it is well worth the effort and can be one of the best returns on investment for companies because it gives you access to the buyers and decision makers in your industry. A design and set up that attracts attention is a key factor in success. Studies conducted by the Centre for Exhibition Industry Research have found that trade show attendees will spend only about 3 to 5 seconds looking at the display before making the decision to stay or keep going. (source) Here are 5 design elements that are vital for trade show booth success to help you stand out from the other booths and exhibitors and make them decide to stay and talk to you:

1. Graphics:Full size and brightly coloured graphics are a must. Bright and bold or warm and inviting are design aspects to consider depending on your brand. Whatever colour concept you choose, be sure that the font and display is clear and visible. Beyond that, get to the point. Consider asking outside consultants or even a test group of consumers to make sure that your point is coming across very clearly.
2. Branding and Logo: Your business name and logo should be prominent and easy to read; but also easy to understand. Does your name describe what you do? If not, make sure to add a tag line so that passers-by will immediately know what you do and what makes your company different from all the competing booths.
3. Lighting: Many trade show exhibitors miss out on this important element because you assume that the convention centre or hall’s lighting will be sufficient. This is not always the case and their lighting is definitely not geared to highlight your booth and blend well with your colours, graphics, and design. Bring your own lighting so that you can properly accent the things you want to highlight and ensure that your display is clear and legible to everyone that passes by.
4. Technology and Interactivity: This is an area that is constantly evolving month to month instead of year over year. Keep evolving and even remain on the cutting edge of technology as it applies to trade show booth engagement. This can include tablets for attendees to sign up for more information, digital scanners to capture the information of the scan code on their badge, or video and interactive digital displays that are engaging and not only explain about your company and your brand, but get people excited about it.
5. Promotional Collateral:More than half of trade show attendees (52%) are attracted to a booth by enticing promotional items. (source) This is where we come in, helping you to find the perfect promotional gift or trade show takeaway. We take into consideration your brand, your target audience, and other factors to find and develop a branded gift to give to trade show attendees that they will keep for a long time and help them remember your company.