Custom Trade Show Displays in Michigan
Trade show season has just started. If you’re new to trade shows, or trying to reinvent your image after a hiatus, now is the time to seriously think about your trade show displays.
The effectiveness of your exhibit is the key to success. No matter what type of show you attend this year, you’re bound to have a lot of competition on the floor, all vying for attention. The secret is to build an attention-grabbing display that creates excitement and interest in your brand.
If you don’t know how to create a good trade show booth design, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll show you how you can be a star at your next show.
Best Design Practices
The first thing to remember when designing trade show displays is that you only have a few seconds to catch a viewer’s attention. That means that your signage needs to be easy to read with eye-catching branding.
Bright colors and moving elements can turn heads, but be careful not to overdo it and visually overwhelm prospects. Consider how people will move in and out of your exhibit, and remember that people are still concerned about social distancing.
Other design tips include the following:
Focus On Your Brand
Repetition is essential to making your brand memorable. You should have your business logo and your slogan on all of your signage and trade show displays and on your brochures and handouts.
You should also consider investing in some free merchandise to hand out, like pens, notepads, and keychains. This merchandise should also include your logo and contact information. Another important thing to remember is that your brand imaging should be consistent on every element, whether it’s your trade show display or your merchandise.
Readability
Trade shows are normally held in large, open spaces, so it’s important that your signage be readable from a distance. To achieve this, you have to do more than just use large lettering and graphics. You also need to think about the font and how it contrasts with the background, and the height of your signage off the ground. Again, bright colors and moving elements in your trade show booth design can be effective if you use them tastefully and sparingly.
Leverage Negative Space
Another way to overwhelm a potential customer is by having a cluttered trade. If the information isn’t helpful, resist the impulse to fill in any remaining empty space. When you have some empty space, it allows prospects to focus on what matters most. Tell your audience what they need to know the most, which brings us to our next point.
Clear Messaging
Unless your business is a household name, you must assume that people don’t know what you do. Your messaging needs to clearly state who you are and what type of product or service you offer. And it has to do that in a short amount of time and space.
Keep the wording on your signage straightforward, and complement text with simple graphics. You can provide more details in your conversations, handouts, and video presentations.
Graphics
Next, experienced trade show booth designers will tell you that all effective trade show displays will have visual elements.
Images can communicate your message quickly and understandably. Think about how graphics on road signs provide information and instructions without using text.
Lastly, keep your displays at eye level inside your booth to make it easier to see and read. If you’re using pictures, make sure they are high-quality and properly formatted.
Why Your Display Is Important
Having a successful presence at a trade show is a lot more than just setting up some tables and handing out brochures. Here are some reasons why you invest in a trade show display.
Advantages of Displays
Trade show displays alert people to your presence, even from a distance, and generate interest and curiosity. They tell people who you are and what your business does. It also imprints your brand, logo, and slogan into their memory. These displays lead prospective customers through your funnel, introducing them step-by-step to your products or services. A professionally planned trade show booth design can make all the difference between success or failure.
Budget
Like any design project, you need to plan, and before you start planning, you need to create a budget.
When budgeting for a trade show, there are many costs to consider:
- Materials: How big will your display be? What types of materials do you want to use?
- Merchandise & Hand-Outs: What will you be bringing with you to the trade show?
- Transportation: Where is the venue? How much transportation to the venue cost you?
- Venue Fees: Double check the venue you’re going to for any additional fees that you’ll need to pay.
- Dining & Lodging: If your trade show is out of town or state, consider the number of days you’ll need lodging and food.
- Insurance: You may want to consider exhibitor insurance as a security blanket. Trade show insurance is a type of liability coverage that can protect you against third-party injuries and property damage.
- Drayage: This is possibly the most important and unexpected budgeting factor. When the venue receives your trade show materials, they will need to unload them and transport them to your designated booth space. The cost of doing this is what’s known as drayage, or materials handling. The drayage cost may also cover temporary storage of your items. The “unexpected” factor of drayage is that the fee is pre-set by the venue and never negotiable.
Working With a Designer
Your display is important to your success, which is why you should seriously consider hiring a professional trade show booth designer. A display designer will work directly with you to help refine your message, conceptualize your ideas, and turn them into a reality. They’ll also help you set realistic expectations, especially when it comes to creating a budget. Lastly, they can help you understand what types of technology you can use in your display to make it effective for your target audience.
Interested in a Custom Trade Show Display? Call Graphicolor Today!
Our team at GraphiColor Exhibits has over four decades of combined industry experience. Whether you’re new to trade shows or a seasoned exhibitor, we’re ready to help. We design and construct custom trade show displays, portable displays, pop-up displays, booths, and so much more. If you’re interested in learning more about what we do, schedule a free consultation today.
