Do you have an upcoming trade show, conference, or training event?

These occasions present a brilliant opportunity to exhibit your business, attract new customers, & generate revenue!

However, in a sea of competition, how can you distinguish yourself & your brand? An expertly crafted custom trade booth can captivate your audience & generate a buzz for your business.

So, Let’s Get Into It! Here’s 10 Tips That Will Elevate Your Exhibit Booth & Distinguish You From Competitors!

1. Make Your Booth Eye-Catching

We’ve all seen them– the lonely booth that no one really wants to visit with a bored-looking person sitting in a chair scrolling on their phone… while all the possible business walks by. This is a massively missed oppurtunity, in time, energy, & lost future business.

Use pops of bright color, different levels/heights of signage, & products to create texture & interest. Use a custom branded backdrop or tall sign that isn’t completely blocked when your team stands in front of it.
Display your logo prominently so it can be viewed from 50+ feet away. Use a solid background that contrasts with your logo colors to make it pop!
Ditch words for pictures – the human brain processes images faster than text. Don’t use a lot of text or writing, think more like a billboard… just enough to convey your message. Consider 8-12 critical words people need to read in order to catch their interest (you can then tell them more when you talk at the booth).
Use a thin rug or carpet to gently draw people towards your booth. Most aisle carpets are darker colors at an indoor trade show. Create a seamless transition between the aisle & your booth area by using a rug/carpet that is complementary to the aisle (rather than contrasting) to eliminate any invisible barriers.

Did You Know?

74% of attendees believe engaging with the exhibitors makes them more likely to buy the products/services on display.

2. Make Your Booth Approachable

Ensure there is always someone manning the booth. There is nothing worse than walking up to a business you’re interested in & no one is there to answer questions. It can leave a negative taste in their mouth about your business.

Never put chairs directly in front of your booth – it creates a subconscious barrier for attendees. Comfortable chairs are an enticing feature but be sure their placement is inviting for visitors.

Have someone working as a greeter. Their role is to give warm welcomes & direct visitors to the person, or area, of the booth to obtain the information they’re most interested in.

3. Define the Emotions You Want to Evoke in Visitors

How do you want attendees to feel when they walk away — excited, relaxed, confident, trusting? What ‘vibe’ matches your brand? Start there & build around that.

For example, if you want visitors to feel your company is ‘modern’ & ‘innovative’, you’ll want to have cool technology to interact with, a clean & modern design, as well as, typically, brighter color paletts.
Bring cookies/snacks, coffee, or cold drinks if that matches the emotions you’re working to evoke!
Use soft music & aromas to amplify the emotions. A well-placed diffuser can draw people with their noses, while music draws their ears.

4. Provide Clear Instructions

Amidst the hustle & bustle of the trade show environment, with countless exhibits vying for attention, attendees frequently feel overwhelmed where to begin. Don’t have them aimlessly meander through the chaos— be their guiding light! Invite attendees to enter & experience your entire booth & your products by providing clear instructions.

This doesn’t mean you need to hand out a step-by-step guidebook to every single person who enters your booth. Instead, you could use graphics & signage to write out easy-to-read instructions for attendees. This will allow you to educate & engage – even if your team is interacting with another visitor!

5. Make It Fun!

Do your target customers love golf? Have a mini putting green. Are you in the health & wellness field? Provide a mini massage or relaxation take-away item.

Consider an interactive game visitors can play, especially if they can win something that aligns with your brand.

Here are some awesome & engaging trade show booth games to try out!

6. Create Social Proof & Buzz

Amidst the hustle & bustle of the trade show environment, with countless exhibits vying for attention, attendees frequently feel overwhelmed where to begin. Don’t have them aimlessly meander through the chaos— be their guiding light! Invite attendees to enter & experience your entire booth & your products by providing clear instructions.

PRO TIP: Get your employees to surround the booth dressed as attendees or stand to the sides interacting & playing the games!

7. Samples! Samples! Samples!

If you’re a product-based business, offer mini samples for customers to toss in a branded bag – we ALL love samples!

Did You Know?

52% of attendees are more likely to enter an exhibit if they’re offering some kind of giveaway or freebie.

8. Extend Your Reach With Swag

Prominently displayed promotional giveaways are a great way to extend your booths’ reach.

Hand out big stickers, a good bag, wearables, light-up trinkets, etc… that people will carry around visibly.

You can even turn it into a game: those who wear your promo items have a chance to win something big at the end of the show. These are great because the more people you get to wear them, the more others will want one!

When planning giveaways / swag for your booth, aim for practicality – something that attendees will appreciate during their time at the event, something that people will use & hang on to (or pass to someone else).

It’s better to go a little more expensive & have less than waste hundreds on gadgets that end up getting tossed.

PRO TIP: Ensure any giveaway or swag has your contact information included.

9. Follow-Up With Leads ASAP

The longer you wait after the show, the more quickly your new potential clients will forget who you are & what you said.

People have many interactions at trade shows. As much as you want to believe yours were unique, it can be tough to remember everyone’s’ names & products/services after the show.

Don’t be afraid of reaching out too quickly. Typically, wait (1) day after the show to follow up with potential prospects. Waiting too long will dilute the connection.