Trade shows can be amazing… or they can feel like you stood on concrete for eight hours and collected a bowl of business cards from people who will never email you back.
The difference usually isn’t “bigger booth” or “more swag.”
It’s this: a booth that’s built to do one clear job (get calls, book meetings, capture leads, or drive foot traffic) — and has the right print pieces to support that job.
This guide is a practical, no-fluff checklist you can use whether you’re exhibiting in Brentwood, Franklin, Nashville, or anywhere you travel for events.
Free download: Grab our printable “Trade Show Booth Checklist” at the end of this post.
Step 1: Choose your one goal (or your booth becomes a billboard)
Before you design anything, decide your primary outcome:
If you don’t choose, your booth will try to do everything… and do nothing well.
The 5-second test
From 10–15 feet away, can someone answer:
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Who are you?
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What do you do?
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What should I do next?
If not, simplify.
Step 2: Build your booth like a “3-layer message”
A booth that converts has three layers of communication:
Layer 1: The “Stop” layer (seen from the aisle)
This is your back wall and/or retractable banner — it should communicate your core message fast.
Best options:
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Backwall / backdrop (fabric wall, pop-up, or SEG-style)
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Retractable banner (aisle-facing “stop sign” that’s easy to move)
What to say on Layer 1:
Design tip: If your backwall contains your full service list, it’s doing the wrong job.
Example 1: 10ft SEG Backlit Popup Display Example 2: Retractable Banner
Layer 2: The “Understand” layer (seen when they’re at the booth)
This is your table area — it should make you look credible and organized.
Must-have:
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Table throw (fits your table size; choose open-back if you need storage access)
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Tabletop sign (your CTA + QR)
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Literature rack (optional but powerful — keeps the table clean)
Example 3: Easy View Literature Display Example 4: Table Top Banner Stand
Example 5: Stretch Table Cover
Layer 3: The “Take-home” layer (what they keep after they walk away)
This is where leads are won or lost.
Better than a brochure most of the time:
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One-sheet (what you do, who it’s for, 3 proof points, CTA)
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Case study sheet (one page, one result)
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Offer card (limited slots / event-only incentive)
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Business card (still matters — but shouldn’t be your only takeaway)
Rule: People don’t want a “company overview.” They want something that helps them decide.
Step 3: The core trade show kit (what to print)
Here’s the reliable baseline kit for most 10×10 booths:
Booth visuals
Print collateral
Lead capture (don’t skip this)
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QR code that goes to an event landing page
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Short form (name, email, and one qualifying question)
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Backup paper lead sheet (Wi-Fi fails more than people admit)
Step 4: Track your results like digital marketing
This is where most booths waste money: everything points to the homepage.
Instead:
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Create one landing page for the event
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Put a QR code on your tabletop sign and handouts
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Add UTM tracking to the QR link so you can see results in GA4
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If calls are important, use a call tracking number (or at least track click-to-call)
When you do this, you stop guessing and start improving each event.
Step 5: How many handouts should you print?
A simple starting point:
Handouts to bring = (meaningful conversations per day) × (show days) × 1.25 buffer
If you’re not sure, a safe range for a typical 10×10 booth is:
Then you adjust based on what you actually used.
Step 6: 3 budget-based booth setups (so you can start smart)
Starter kit (best for first-time exhibitors)
Step-up kit (best for repeat exhibitors who want leads)
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Backwall + retractable banner
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Table throw
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Literature rack
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One-sheet + brochure + case study sheet
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QR landing page + short lead form
Premium kit (best for crowded floors and bigger venues)
Example 6: 10ft SEG Backlit Fabric Display
Step 7: What to avoid (common trade show mistakes)
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Tiny text on backwalls (if it can’t be read from the aisle, it’s decoration)
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Too many messages (choose one)
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No clear CTA (people will “just look” and walk)
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A cluttered table (use a literature rack or keep only 1–2 stacks out)
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No tracking (you can’t improve what you can’t measure)
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Waiting for people to come to you (stand at the aisle edge, not behind the table)
Free download: Trade Show Booth Checklist
Want the printable version you can hand to your team (and use for every event)?
Download here: AG_Brentwood_Trade_Show_Checklist.pdf