Exhibit Design Tips

Below are some of the "tips" we advise our clients to keep in mind when we work with them to design their trade show displays.

Visual Concepts

• Try to design a booth that is memorable and evokes emotion from the event attendees. Give a full experience, not a passive sales pitch.
• Focus on your target audience and design your booth to appeal to them. Make it clear what product or service you are offering.
• Take advantage of the backwalls of trade show displays to wash your booth in a color that sets the mood.
• Limit the main colors to three or less; the same applies to textures used in your booth such as brushed metal, matte vinyl, and clear acrylic.
• Even if your booth is small, be sure to light it adequately especially for a large trade show. Without light, exhibits suffer in an expo hall.
• Use multimedia (animation, video, audio and interactive kiosks) for attention grabbing impact.

Graphic Design

• Use graphics from your products or marketing literature for your trade show booth design. It will help create a consistent branding image.
• For smaller displays, emphasize one strong point. Use a larger display if you need to convey more information.

Text Layout

• Make sure your text is large enough to be read from a distance.
• Place text in the upper half of your display design, so people standing in front of the booth won’t block it.
• Don’t place text over textured backgrounds that make it difficult to read.

Promotional Items

• Giveaway gifts should pertain to your business and appeal to the target market, imprint them with your company's logo and contact information.
• If possible hand out useful, high quality gifts—they’re more memorable and more likely to be used after the show.
• Choose a trade show gift that you can keep giving after the event, in case you have some left over.
• Make sure you have plenty of business cards. More are handed out at a tradeshow than any other item.

Last but not least, remember that Blackberry Press can help you with all aspects of your tradeshow exhibit!

Helpful Links

Tradeshow Week - The weekly magazine for tradeshow executives offering news, insight, in-depth analysis, trends and information that affect your business. Editorial highlights include geographic analysis, major meetings and events coverage, Quarterly Statistical Reports, The Annual Survey of Labor Rates, Corporate Exhibitor Survey, and more.

Center for Exhibition Industry Research - CEIR has been highlighting the importance of exhibitions in today's business world since 1978. Our goal is to promote the image, value and growth of exhibitions. If you are associated with the exhibition industry, CEIR can help!

Convention Industry Council - The Convention Industry Council's 30 member organizations represent more than 100,000 individuals, as well as, 15,000 firms and properties involved in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industries. Formed in 1949 to provide a forum for member organizations seeking to enhance the industry, the CIC facilitates the exchange of information and develops programs to promote professionalism with the industry and educates the public on its profound economic impact.