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Trade shows are a great way to get your brand in front of potential customers, but they can be really expensive. If you don’t have the budget for a professional trade show exhibit, don’t worry! We’ve got some creative ideas to make your next trade show experience memorable without breaking the bank.
Work With a Clean and Open Design
Designing your booth with an open and airy layout will make it seem inviting. Aligning the furniture in a way that makes it easy for people to navigate around your booth is not only a good design but also encourages them to linger in your space.
This is especially important if you want to avoid making your trade show exhibit feel too crowded – you’ll want to ensure there’s plenty of room for attendees to move about freely without bumping into things or other people. If you have a lot of tables, chairs, and displays that can make this difficult, try breaking them up so they’re spread out instead of clumped together.
If you are sharing the space with another business, consider creating some kind of boundary between the two companies by using an open shelf or chair rail design on one side while leaving another free from obstructions (think white picket fences). It will give visitors more freedom while keeping both organizations separate, so they aren’t confused about who’s responsible for what product offerings.”
Incorporate Fun Interactive Content
Interactive content is all the rage in trade show displays and exhibits. Not only is it more engaging and likely to keep people at your booth, but it can also be a great way to collect visitor data and information.
Touchscreens are probably the most common form of interactive content at trade shows. They allow visitors to access images and videos, learn more about your products, or even play games while they wait for a rep to talk with them.
Use Large Graphics and Clear Messaging
Trade shows are a great opportunity to get your company’s name and products out there, but it can be difficult to ensure you’re doing as much as possible with the amount of space you’re given. Luckily, most exhibit companies are willing to design a custom solution to help you get recognized with quality trade show signage. To make sure that your booth is as effective and eye-catching as possible, follow these guidelines:
- Use large graphics and clear messaging. It may be tempting to pack in all of the information about your company and its products into a tiny space, but remember that less is often more when it comes to effective communication. Large, attention-catching graphics will help draw in potential customers from afar. A concise copy will ensure that they walk away with a clear understanding of what makes your company unique.
- Avoid clutter. A few well-chosen pieces will have more impact than an overstuffed exhibit. Focus on only including relevant information so people aren’t distracted by extra material; this principle applies to the physical objects within your booth (such as informational pamphlets or business contact cards) and visual elements such as visuals or color schemes.
Try Suspended Signage
Suspended signage is an awesome way to make your booth feel bigger and create a more comfortable space for attendees. You can use suspended signs in a variety of ways. Maybe you want to separate sections of your exhibit with something eye-catching, or perhaps you want to display graphics, text, or videos in an unexpected place.
If you’re looking for a way to make your booth feel more intimate, consider hanging a sign from the ceiling directly over one of your dialogue chairs that asks attendees questions like: “What is the most pressing challenge your business faces?” Or “What is your favorite ice cream flavor?” Attendees can read the question and answer it while waiting for someone to talk with them.
Work With a Smaller Space
Utilizing every inch of space is important if you’re using a smaller booth. Focus on the essentials: what will get your message across and generate leads. You want to keep things simple, but you don’t want to be boring or forgettable.
You’ll need to use the space you have in a creative way. Modular displays allow for flexibility in design and can help make the most of a small trade show space.
One of the best ways to maximize your marketing budget is by selecting modular displays that can be used at multiple locations with little or no adjustment between trade show opportunities.
Go Vertical
Designing your trade show exhibit to pull the eye upward has a number of benefits. If you’ve got the budget, consider making use of vertical screens that display videos or slideshows of your products. They’ll give you a huge visual impact. Ceiling-mounted lights will also help draw attention to your booth and can be used in conjunction with banners or other vertical structures to create different spaces within your display.
If you have limited space at the event, use vertical areas to direct traffic through and around your exhibit. Signs can do the trick here, as can floor markers or posts (if they’re allowed by the venue).
Finally, think about using vertical elements as a way of creating focal points in your booth—whether it’s an attention-grabbing centerpiece or a tall shelf displaying some of your best products. The idea is to make sure visitors know what you want them to look at first!
Use Modular Displays to Your Advantage
Modular displays are great for trade show novices who want to put together a respectable display without investing too much time, effort or money. Modular displays are easy to assemble, with most components plugging into one another after they’re removed from the crate.
They can also be set up very quickly, so even if you happen to arrive late or have your shipment delayed, you can still get ready in time for the opening day of the show.
Since modular displays are designed for easy shipping, it’s not difficult to take them with you on a plane or ship them using a common carrier service like UPS or FedEx. You can also modify them by reconfiguring their design or by adding additional components. Finally, once you’ve invested in a modular display, you don’t have to replace it for each new event: just change out the graphics, and you’ll be good to go!
You can use these tips and tricks to help you build a perfect exhibit that’s both informative and impressive. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or new to the trade show floor, these ideas are bound to inspire you, no matter what your budget is.
You may also like: 5 Reasons Trade Shows Are Great for Business
Image source: Shutterstock.com
