The key to creating compelling trade show booths is just plain and simple common sense. Creating compelling effective designs for trade show booths should not require a PhD, or even a fancy college degree. Rather, it just means using common sense. However, that doesn’t mean effective trade show booths are actually very common at trade shows. It seems that many trade show exhibitors miss the boat with their trade show design. But by reading this article and following these basic steps, you'll know how to create and design an unique and effective trade show booth that will drawing prospects walking by booth into your booth, where you can convert them into customers (and isn't that the reason you're at the trade show to begin with?). If you create a design that does the following three things, it will do its job and be effective, and that means it will also be COMPELLING.
First, your booth has catch people's attention when they are passing by your booth space. Your booth is just one of many that people will walk by - it is the proverbial needle in a haystack. Your design must distinguish your booth from all the other trade show booths. When people walk by your booth, you've got to have a something to grab their attention. One time-tested way of “getting noticed" is to have a catchy tagline with a captivating background image.
Second, you must make sure that the next thing people see is WHO you are and WHAT you do. Your design must include your company name in big bold letters. Under your company name, explain what your company does in one or two short sentences. If someone looks at your display and can't answer who you are and what you do, you need to start over.
Third, you need to explain WWIFM (what's in it for me, “me" being your potential customer). Your design won't be effective if it doesn't answer this question. People are interested in how you can help them - that is why they will stop and talk. For example, if you are a marketing firm, you might say how many new customers you can get them. Your design, not matter what, must include how you can help or benefit your customer.
In the end, it comes down to this. Creating compelling trade show booths means creating a design that does the three things above. Your design needs to stand out and grab attention. Your booth design should have your company name at the top and what your company does. And most important, you need to list the benefits your offer (how you can help people). You can easily improve your trade show marketing efforts by just creating a trade show booth design that does these three simple things. Here's wishing you good luck at your next trade show!
Steve Booth writes for (and works for) Pinnacle Displays, a leading internet provider of portable trade show booths. They offer free ground shipping and easy online ordering for all of their trade show booths.
