Think of your Exhibit as a Gigantic Billboard
You have three to seven seconds to catch the eye of a tradeshow attendee. How do you get your exhibit booth to communicate who you are, what you do, and what your product or service is in that amount of time? Sounds unachievable, but it really is not. Consider your tradeshow floor as streets and highways that bisect at every corner and the attendees as all the cars that fly by as fast as they can go. On the highway you see billboards – how do they grab your attention? They must tell you who the company is and what it’s selling as you zoom past. Some work and some do not. Let’s talk about why this happens.
Good graphics communicate a mass of impressions at a single glance. They must be quick and to the point. A well-done billboard accomplishes the same thing – a large image, a few words, and the appetite is whetted. The best news at a tradeshow is that you can accomplish this and lead the attendees right into your web. There are a few hard and fast rules that will make you stand out on the tradeshow floor. The hardest thing to do is self-edit. We suggest that after you commit to your graphic communication, you gather 2-3 unbiased, non-connected friends to review your message – and tell them not to hold back.
Essential Tips for Graphic Success
Some ideas to always keep in mind:
- The focal point of your billboard should be the benefit that your company provides. Remember there might be 20 companies at your show that sell what you sell – why is yours the best?
- People do not read. If your message contains more than seven words you are in trouble! Got Milk?
- Integrate your name into the design so that your company comes to mind easily. On the other hand do not make your company name the most prominent part of your message … unless you are Coca Cola, Ford, or Kleenex.
- Think large, oversized visuals – if you sell hammers – one 8 foot tall, larger than life hammer sets the tone and gets you noticed – rather than your complete catalogue of hammers in 8”x10” photos all over your backwall.
- Thing big, make a statement, get attention.
