The early years of the pandemic put a pause on in-person trade shows, but recent trade show trends point to a full comeback by 2024. Should you dust off your old trade show materials or use this opportunity to start fresh?
Trade show attendees have evolving expectations and it's up to trade show exhibitors to deliver. These days, people often expect a blend of print and digital marketing for a more immersive experience.
How can you incorporate memorable design elements into your trade show booth design in 2023 and 2024? We're here to tell you.
Read on for our top tips on crafting branded and memorable design elements that will bring your trade show booth to life.
Pull Inspo From Your Branding
Trade shows can help increase brand recognition and trust through exposure and event networking. However, you're less likely to achieve these goals if your trade show is inconsistent with your branding.
Business branding includes:
- Company name
- Company slogan
- Logo
- Color scheme
- Font
- Tone of language
- Additional graphics
While you don't necessarily want to reuse old event show materials, you should create materials that reflect your established brand. How businesses and consumers experience your brand in other contexts (e.g., online) should not differ from how they experience your brand at a trade show.
Consider Your Audience
Your brand isn't just shaped by graphic design. It's also shaped by your target audience and how your products or services can improve their lives.
What kind of lifestyle does your target audience live? What experiences make them feel valued, excited, or fulfilled? How can your trade show booth reflect your audience so they not only remember your business but understand the benefit of becoming your customer?
For example, a hiking gear company could use signage and lighting to create the illusion of wilderness. A high-end cooking equipment company could use signage and lighting to recreate a luxury kitchen for their product demonstrations. These immersive design elements are much more memorable than generic tables and blank walls.
Create an Eye-Catching Backdrop
The typical trade show booth is anywhere from 10 x 10 feet to 40 x 40 feet of blank space. If all you show up with is a tablecloth and some tabletop signs, your booth (even a small one) is going to look lackluster.
The best way to set the stage for smaller design elements is to start with large backdrops and exhibit displays. If your event budgeting is tight, the right backdrop can do a lot of the work for you so that you and your employees can attract a crowd and put on an entertaining show.
A well-designed backdrop will make you appear more prepared. When you show up with a cohesive and eye-catching display, it instills trust that you bring a level of professionalism to all aspects of your work.
Give Them Something to Take Home
Event technology is a must these days, particularly if you want to take advantage of experiential marketing. Things like smart tablets, virtual reality, and gaming are becoming popular staples of the modern trade show.
However, you can't underestimate the value of print media. Not only do we tend to remember what we read in print better than what we see on a screen, but print materials are something that attendees can take with them. Yes, you should use technology to build your email list and grow your social media following at the trade show, but you should also provide promotional or educational handouts.
There are several different print materials that you can incorporate into your trade show booth design for attendees to take, including:
Use print materials to advertise your products or provide attendees with valuable information related to your industry. You can also use print materials to remind attendees to send you event evaluation and feedback or otherwise get in touch at a later date.
Engage the Senses
Trade shows are naturally stimulating environments and you can take advantage of that sensory experience to create a memorable booth. Consider backlit graphics that stand out from the other visuals attendees encounter. Custom lighting creates a three-dimensional experience so stepping into your booth feels like stepping into another universe.
Quiet, ambient music and calming scents can also engage the senses without tipping into the territory of overstimulation. Studies show that smell, in particular, can enhance memory. Spritzing a pleasant scent in your trade show booth might just enhance your brand recognition.
Good trade show etiquette entails drawing attention to your booth without aggressively overshadowing surrounding booths. Consider sticking to design elements like lights and bold graphics and leaving disruptive features like loud sound systems at home.
Plan Event Promotion Around Booth Design
Trade show hosts and sponsors will provide some degree of event marketing but don't expect them to carry all the weight. While the event show host may market the event show at large (e.g., the location, date, and event registration information), it's up to you to market your presence to your specific audience.
Good event planning sets the tone before the event begins. Planning your booth in advance gives you time to craft your own marketing materials that reflect the design elements attendees will encounter when visiting your booth.
Both digital and print marketing should incorporate the color scheme, font, and graphics that will show up in your booth. By planning your booth first, you can highlight what your booth will offer, such as new product demonstrations or immersive technology experiences.
Work With AlphaGraphics for Trade Show Booth Design
At AlphaGraphics, we're in the business of creating event success stories. Our sign and printing services make it easy to create a cohesive and eye-catching trade show booth design that attendees will remember well after the event.
Whether you're a business owner preparing for a trade show or you work in event management, consider AlphaGraphics your design partner. Begin placing your order online or contact us to let us know about any questions you may have about our services.