Tips for Creating Powerful
Trade Show Graphics

How your trade show graphics look can make a significant difference in your ability to attract large numbers of booth visitors in a bustling conference hall. Company information, brand image and key sales messages must be portrayed with power and appeal to get the most out of trade show participation.

Good Use Of White Space

Balance the amount of graphics and text you use in your design relative to the amount of empty "white space" or background color.

Using white space thoughtfully will help draw attention to the important design and message elements you want to delivery. The effective use of white space also gives your displays a quality, professional look.

Balancing and Complement Color

While there are near endless color palettes and choices you can use in your exhibit design, it is important to keep the element of balance in mind. For example, should you choose light rather than dark colors or cool tones versus warm tints?

Consider your company and logo colors in your design. Also, choose colors that contrast each other enough so that everything is easy to read and identify.

Selecting Materials for Graphic Elements

How often you attend trade shows dictates the type of materials that need to be used to create your graphics. If your banners, signs and other graphic elements will be used repeatedly for a number of shows, select a highly durable fabric or material. Tattered signage can compromise an exhibit's effectiveness, along with your brand image.

For quick image changes and displays that will be updated frequently, inexpensive paper will be more cost-effective. For outdoor displays, select laminated materials. And regardless of the material chosen, graphics should always appear clean, crisp, and clear.

Selecting The Right Type Style

While some serif cursive and decorative fonts might look great on the design mock-up, they are not always the easiest or quickest to read.

Exhibitors only have a matter of seconds to attract an attendee's attention, so if displays are going to work, the text must be able to be read instantly.

Font size also plays an important factor. Make the words large enough that they can be read from an acceptable distance away, but not so large that they overpower the images.

It's acceptable to mix fonts together, but be careful when deciding which ones go together. Using too many fonts together can look messy and poorly planned, which can cast a poor light on the company and its offerings.

Trade show display graphics are such an important element of any exhibit that even a seemingly simple mistake can have significant ramifications on trade show goal achievement.

Take time to plan graphics carefully. Consider testing the appearance of your trade show graphics and gathering opinions from prospects and customers before finalizing design plans.

These tips for developing display graphics are provided by Chris Harmen of Skyline Displays.