Months of planning and organizing go into exhibiting at an industry event. The excitement and anticipation leading up to the event motivates the exhibiting team, who will represent your company at the show. With everyone doing their best to make your exhibit shine, the last thing you want is a less-than-stellar trade show booth that repels rather than attracts attendees. Having the best design for your booth will not only cause other attendees to stop, but they will also be more likely to stay and see what you are offering. Entice Show Attendees to Stop and Chat Get Started With Your Trade Show Booth Design Layout A trade show booth or a convention booth should stand out to draw in visitors so that your employees can work their magic, network with others, and generate leads. Some booths do a much better job of garnering foot traffic because they utilize several key design tips which entice people to stop and say hello. You want your trade show booth to be welcoming and functional so that visitors will want to learn more about what you do. The old saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” And that’s the truth! Creative visuals, especially your images, graphics, and color scheme, speak to trade show attendees before you even introduce yourself. Eye-catching imagery with bold colors invites prospective customers to take a look. Designing the flooring can also be an innovative way to display graphics that will spark attendees’ interest. When you are designing your booth, do research as to what is trending in your industry. Decide what your visuals will say about your business and how you want to make it happen. RELATED: MAKING CREATIVE USE OF TRADE SHOW FLOORING Your branding is your legacy. When consumers decide what product to buy, it’s usually because a certain brand has stuck in their minds. The logo, the colors, and even the emotional response that a brand evokes are all critical to brand awareness and brand loyalty. You want your brand to remain consistent on all forums; advertising, social media, your website, and, of course, your booth. If your branding makes an impact on those that meet you at a convention or trade show, prospective clients and customers will be more likely to remember your company later when it's time to make a sales decision. Speaking logistically, many trade shows have limitations on what you can place inside your trade show booth, specifically the height of furniture, cabinets, or signage. You want to ensure you are following the show's requirements but are still making the biggest impact with the space you have. By placing taller items toward the back of your booth, attendees will be able to see the front of your booth and make their way to you. Once people stop to check out your booth, you want them to be able to come in and look around. Having large pieces of furniture or signage that block the entrance can cause visitors to move on quickly. Ensure that the entrance area to your booth is clear and open, which invites them to step inside while helping your booth to appear larger. Choose your furniture items with space in mind. While having a chair or small table may be prudent, bulky items will make your booth feel stuffy while appearing disorganized. The interior layout of your booth should feel spacious, with room for show attendees to look around and room for your employees to network with them. The goal of exhibiting at a trade show is to network, inform attendees about your business, and gain a return on your investment – which will not be possible if it is too crowded for anyone to step inside your trade show booth. RELATED: THE ROI GUIDE: EXHIBITING AT TRADE SHOWS Everyone loves a good piece of company swag. If you’d like to give away promo items at your booth, make sure you are choosing high-quality items that attendees will actually use. Clearly displaying your promo items in a way that is visible and minimalistic will impress anyone who visits your booth and allows them to take home a branded item to remember your business by. Although one caveat to these displays is making sure they remain organized and clutter-free throughout the show. Swag, brochures, flyers, pamphlets, signage, large displays, pens, paper forms; all of these items might be found in trade show booths, and for a good reason. They are all leveraged for driving awareness, to generate leads, or to attract and engage visitors. Depending on how you are giving and receiving information, there could be multiple items floating around. The key to keeping your booth functional and organized is to remain clutter-free. Clutter everywhere is unprofessional and creates a distraction when trying to network with attendees. If you have any extra boxes or gear, make use of storage space under tables or behind backdrops to remove these items from view.Entice Show Attendees to Stop and Chat
Bring Out the Creative Visuals
Maintain Brand Consistency
Understand Your Height Limitations
Allow Attendees to Easily Access Your Booth
Leave Room for People to Move Around
Display High-Quality Promo Items
Keep Your Space Clutter-Free
Get Started With Your Trade Show Booth Design
If you want more help with designing your trade show booth layout, give us a call. Ironmark’s expert teams can help with design, promotional products, large format displays, marketing collateral, and so much more. We have the knowledge, skills, and resources you need to create a booth that will be sure to wow anyone that sees it.
Written by Janice Tippett
Janice has been making waves in the marketing industry for over 30 years. Janice became Vice President of Strategic Development in 2022, and draws on her vast experience in integrated marketing and business development to help lead, guide, and inspire Ironmark employees and customers. Since starting her own business at 22 years old to joining the Ironmark Executive Team, Janice has been recognized for the Maryland’s Top 100 Women Award, Enterprising Women of the Year, and Property Management Association Visionary Award. She is known for her compassion and encouragement to others and is excited to utilize her experiences and skills as a caregiver, entrepreneur, and marketing leader to make meaningful impacts in the community.
