The Impact of Trade Show
Booth Graphic Elements

Your trade show booth graphic elements must powerfully reflect who you are and draw visitors to your booth in the midst of a loud, crowded exhibit hall filled with distractions and competitors.

While your well-trained exhibit staff, pre-show marketing, trade show giveaways and at-show promotions serve to attract potential prospects, the appeal and image of a trade show booth graphic can make or break sales results.

Your visuals and graphics must be large and bright, while simply and clearly communicating in as few words as possible the benefits of your product.

According to trade show expert and author Steve Miller, there are five key components that make an exhibit visually gripping. They are color, lighting, motion, sound and smell:

• Color: The color and tones you choose for your display can help you stand out, as well as convey your message. Cool colors like blue, green and white appear slick and professional, yet may not be strong interest grabbers.

  Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow attract more attention, yet need to be used selectively because they can be seen as too strong or carry other connotations.
  

• Lighting: Creative use of lighting can help draw focus to your booth. You can choose to spotlight a new product or creative a warm, inviting atmosphere that beckons attendees.

• Motion: Few exhibitors use motion technique to draw visitors to their display area or a specific trade show booth graphic.

  Yet, projecting a DVD onto a large screen, having product demonstrations, using colorful streamers, or other moving objects can be highly effective.
  

• Sound: Having nice music, playing nature sounds (if appropriate to your product), featuring live entertainers or other sounds that appeal to auditory senses may help entice people to your booth.

  Yet, be careful that sound levels are appropriately set so they can be heard in your area, yet don’t disturb other exhibitors around you.
  

• Smell: Like the alluring scent of cinnamon buns found in shopping mall stores, having cookies or another tantalizing smell emanate from your booth will attract visitors. Many exhibitors use popcorn as an enticement.

  This approach is overused and will not make your booth seem unique or different (plus constantly making and serving popcorn will distract your booth workers from the task you hired them to do – create new sales revenue).
  

Robert B. Konikow, in his book, Exhibit Design, details the following attributes to look for in a good trade show booth graphic designer:

Every Good Display Booth Designer Must Have An…

1. Open, creative mind
2. Understanding of materials and how they are best used
3. Aability to communicate ideas clearly and precisely
4. Understanding of structure
5. Understanding of the limitations of his or her company
6. Understanding of graphic techniques, including typography, photography, etc.
7. Awareness of all media and interactive methods of product presentation
8. Awareness of cost factors in order to keep within budget limitations
9. Understanding of the special characteristics of specific shows, so he or she can design within those limits
10. Awareness of marketing trends and their relations to the client’s objectives

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