Trade Show Display Designs That Do More Than Look Cool

The Perfect Trade Show Display Experience

Nail Down What You Need

We know it’s tempting to start whipping out sketches of what your future trade show exhibit might look like. Before you do, spend some time evaluating what you want to accomplish with that custom exhibit and turn those wants and needs into specific, achievable objectives. There will also be broader objectives, which are harder to quantify, such as brand recognition, for example. Once you’ve identified your hard objectives and more generalized goals, consider what else your exhibit might be used to accomplish. Maybe your goals involve specific sales and lead generation numbers, but your generalized goal is to increase brand awareness in a specific market. If you plan your exhibit correctly, you can stimulate social media presence and sharing, which boosts your Return on Investment (ROI).

Identify The People You Need To Reach

Once you’ve identified what you need to accomplish with your trade show booth, the next step is determining who you need in order to achieve those goals. Who is the target audience? You may discover that you have different targets for different goals. For example, those most likely to share on social media may not be the same people who are your most likely buyers. The likely buyers are the ones you should most precisely aim for, but those social media sharers can also help your efforts, so don’t miss an opportunity to dangle a shiny bit of encouragement in front of them too.

What Will Attract (Or Repel) Those People?

Combine your knowledge of your target audience with your own objectives to figure out what you can do to attract the people you need, avoid turning those prospects off, and put them in a receptive frame of mind for what you want to achieve. For example, if you’re retailing and your target market is broad, you want a trade show exhibit that invites people to interact with your products and team, and leads them along a sales funnel path. Selling service contracts or wholesale merchandise is a longer sales process, so an exhibit that feels more secluded may help keep prospects in your range of influence longer.

Now Comes The Fun Part – Trade Show Display Design!

Once you’ve made a plan and determined whom you most need to reach, it’s time to start designing a trade show display. Building a trade show exhibit experience that is effective for your specific objectives starts with choosing the right floor plan. Be sure to use every cubic inch of space, from front to back, floor to ceiling. Broadcast your brand message from the highest point, and work your way down to eye-level call-outs of your Unique Selling Points (USP), product features and benefits. Ensure your exhibit offers a reason to enter, then leads them along a sales path: from awareness to interest, through to a buying decision and finally a purchase action.