Tradeshows are important to participate in, but the booths are the most important part of the process. Your booth is representing your entire business and brand. A poorly designed one makes a lasting negative impression, or no impression at all. Here are a few tips about how to make a great and memorable tradeshow booth.
1. Work with an Experienced Designer
If there’s one place where you want to invest good money, it’s with a designer. A booth designer can make or break your tradeshow experience. In NYC, there are many designers that specialize in trade show booths, but don’t settle for just anyone. Research track records, client testimonials, and the firm’s portfolio.
2. Fast Flash First Impressions
Huffington Post points out that our first impressions of people are made in a tenth of a second, and trade show booths are the same way, especially in NYC. Think of your booth makes an impression. Try walking down the street or through a tradeshow floor, and consider what catches your eye and why. The core principle is that your booth has to make an impression the moment someone’s eye hits it, so be prepared to pop.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Unique
At your next tradeshow, have a look around to see what your competitors are doing, and then reinvent the wheel. One of the most important ways to stand out is to do something different, but with style. Innovation requires a careful balance between practicality and originality, but if you can create a booth that’s different, people will be attracted to it. If every booth you see is using large logos front and center, find a way to do something a little different while also keeping the core value of putting your brand identity prominently. It’s all about thinking outside the box.
Creating a fantastic tradeshow booth is all about approaching the design and execution as a creative task. You’re dealing with what is essentially a marketing tool, so throw you best creatives at the job and see what they come up with. The worst thing you can do at a tradeshow is fade into the background.
