How to Adapt your Tradeshow Exhibit
Booth for International Shows

Scenario: You have a beautiful tradeshow exhibit booth that took significant time, effort and dollars to produce . The configuration and graphics deliver your message and serve as the ideal backdrop for booth representatives to generate leads and close deals.

You’ve taken your exhibit to a number of shows and results have exceeded expectations. Additionally, your planning, trained staff, and marketing efforts played a role in your success. At this point, you’ve landed on the right strategy and have finely tuned your approach to reach your goals.

A New Chapter Begins: You now learn that your next business assignment will be to exhibit internationally at a major industry trade show.

Here’s where your "finely tuned approach" begins to crumble. What may work well in one country doesn’t necessarily play the same way in another.

For starters, you may need to modify or significantly change your tradeshow display to ensure it appropriately and effectively delivers your message in a different country.

Translations can be tricky and you need to engage an expert interpreter (preferably a native from the country in which you are exhibiting) to help craft your display verbiage and communication materials.

Work with a design expert who understands how the colors, design, symbols (even your logo) and overall look of your exhibit display will appeal to event attendees.

For example, the association of a given color in one country can be very strong, positive and lucky. While the same color in a different country may be connected with sad circumstances such as a funeral or tragedy.

Interpretation variances also occur with certain numbers, based on the country in which you are doing business.

When exhibiting overseas, you need to make sure you have researched and adapted your power, lighting and other requirements, as well as have essential services lined up well before you arrive.

As with any business conducted internationally, be sensitive to how things are done and decisions are made in the host country.

Do you homework on proper business etiquette, how the sales process works, and nuances of relationship building.

Bottom Line: When exhibiting internationally, plan far in advance, do your research, adapt your exhibit display accordingly, and learn proper protocol on how to conduct business with your new international customers.