Preparing for a trade show, especially for small companies, can be a daunting task. Deciding what you should include and ways to arrange a tradeshow display is among the most important decisions you’ll have to make. The first thing to do is to contact the show managers and learn the dimensions of the booth you’ll have, whether there is a wall space for your company sign, whether there are electrical outlets available, and any other small items which you could be in charge of supplying.
Here are a few other suggestions to bear in mind when designing your trade show display:
Don’t overcomplicate it.
Product managers might want to display things which represent every brand or product your company offers. Key stakeholders might want their logo all over your booth. Keep in mind that sometimes “simpler is better”. Exhibition booths overcrowded with pull up banner displays, products, merchandising stands, etc., turn off prospective attendees and prevent you from quickly communicating why they should visit you.
Simplify your message.
Many exhibitors make the mistake of bombarding their exhibition booth visitors with marketing slogans. Select the one core message you would like to impart to potential prospects and stick with it in relation to graphic presentations. Displaying fewer, but larger visual elements within your exhibit will reduce clutter and better garner an attendee’s attention and create a lasting impression.
Concentrate on the best you have to offer.
Instead of hauling your whole product line to the tradeshow booth and again cluttering your display, overwhelming visitors, and diluting your marketing message, showcase only your latest and top-selling products.
Don’t rely on static displays.
Any form of motion captures people’s attention instead of static displays. You’ll be able to take advantage of this by playing a looping DVD on a widescreen TV or make use of a rotating display.
Maintain a small, private area.
If your trade show booth is big enough, it’s nice to have a quiet, private area with a table and a few chairs to take attendees or promising leads that might want to sit down and discuss your organisation and its product and services in more detail.