Trade Show Emporium

High-achieving businesses brand their delivery, whether it’s a product or service they’re selling. It builds recognition heads above the competition, sets the business/service apart as both knowing what they do best and appealing to that niche audience.

The same practice applied to a trade show presence can net measurable ROI. Brand your trade show booth with a theme that carries through every layer and you’ll build name recognition, one that outlasts the final day of the show—a brand that is memorable for its clarity of purpose.

Take a cue from the windows of the world’s finest brick-and-mortar retailers: simple is profoundly more eye catching. Avoid the Cirque de Soleil atmosphere that overwhelms but doesn’t stick. Instead, opt for a thematic statement that is definitive and precise. Build “window displays” using three podiums per 10 x 10 space to feature your best product/service. People don’t come to trade shows to find average anything; they come to trade shows to be wowed by what’s new, fresh and never been done before.

Lights attract attention. Use lighting to effectively highlight the products/services you want passersby to notice. That doesn’t mean light up the entire venue. Adjudicate carefully where lighting can work to your advantage.

Welcome attendees into your booth vs. blocking them from entering your space with a table barrier Position a banner stand at the front of your booth promoting your latest release. And be sure to display only the most innovative product.

Avoid graphic design overkill. Proven billboard studies confirm that a passerby only can absorb up to five message points on a billboard. Your booth is, after all, your billboard at a trade show. Collages confuse and distract readers. Go for simple easy-to-read design and lettering on your trade show booth. A brand like Target only needs to raise their red and white concentric circles to be recognized. Does your brand own that kind of clarity? It can if you focus show attendees’ attention.

Streamline the contents of your booth. If you’re selling ski equipment, you may want to give away hand warmer packets vs. deep discounts on new skis. Hang an oversized silver snowflake above your booth vs. importing a snow-making machine.

Get the drift?