Trade Show Booth Graphic

Increase the Impact of Display Elements

Your trade show booth graphic elements must powerfully reflect who you are and draw visitors to your booth in the midst of a loud, crowded exhibit hall filled with distractions and competitors. While trained exhibit staff, pre-show marketing and at-show promotions serve to attract potential prospects, the appeal and image of a trade show booth graphic can make or break sales results.

You have three seconds to make an impression on those walking past your exhibit. Booth graphics for trade show displays must be large, arresting and clearly communicate – in as few words as possible – the benefits of your offering.

According to trade show expert and author Steve Miller, there are five key elements that make exhibit displays and banner stands visually gripping to make an impact on the exhibition floor. These elements are color, lighting, motion, sound and smell.

Color: The color and tones you choose for your display can help you stand out, as well as convey your message. Cool colors like blue, green and white appear slick and professional, yet may not be strong interest grabbers. Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow attract more attention, yet need to be used selectively because they can be seen as too strong or carry other connotations.

Lighting: Creative use of lighting can help draw focus to your booth. You can choose to spotlight a new product or creative a warm, inviting atmosphere that beckons attendees. Also consider utilizing bright, colorful LED walls in your exhibit to draw traffic and attention to your brand.

Motion: Few exhibitors use motion techniques to draw visitors to their display area or a specific trade show booth graphic. Yet, incorporating trigger AV, projecting a video onto a large screen, having product demonstrations, using colorful streamers, or other moving objects can be highly effective.

Sound: Having nice music, playing nature sounds (if appropriate to your product), featuring live entertainers or other sounds that appeal to auditory senses may help entice people to your booth. Yet, be careful that sound levels are appropriately set so they can be heard in your area, yet don’t disturb other exhibitors around you.

Smell: Like the alluring scent of cinnamon buns found in shopping mall stores, having cookies or another tantalizing smell emanate from your booth will attract visitors. Many exhibitors use popcorn as an enticement. Yet, this approach is overused and will not make your booth seem unique or different (plus constantly making and serving popcorn will distract your booth workers from the task you hired them to do – create new sales revenue).

Bringing all of these components together typically requires professional expertise and counsel to ensure a high-impact exhibit display. Robert B. Konikow, in his book Exhibit Design, details the following attributes to look for in a good trade show booth graphic designer:

Excellent Display Designers Have An…

Open, creative mind
Understanding of materials and how they are best used
Ability to communicate ideas clearly and precisely
Understanding of structure
Understanding of the limitations of his or her company
Understanding of graphic styles and techniques, including typography, photography, and production.
Awareness of all media and interactive methods of product presentation
Awareness of cost factors in order to keep within budget limitations
Understanding of the special characteristics of specific shows, so he or she can design within those limits
Awareness of marketing trends and their relations to the client’s objectives