Through history, top booths and displays have helped to promote companies very effectively and make them well-known names in their industries.

Interesting Fact: When the Las Vegas Convention Center opened in 1959, its inaugural show was the World Congress of Flight, the first international air expo in U.S. history.

Source: ExhibitorOnline.com

Before you can create booths and displays that are incredibly successful, you need to understand what is needed for the best booth design, and the common mistakes that you should try to avoid. Some elements can have a bigger impact for the same cost so you also need to know how to compare different features and costs so that you stay in the budget you have set.

The Best Trade Show Booths Get Noticed Immediately

Conventions and trade shows are all about exposure for products and services. Dull and insignificant exhibits blend into the sea of booths. However, the best trade show booths, that are unique and appealing, make an impressive display that is quickly noticed. They stand out on the event floor and never blend into the background along with their competitors.

BASIS trade show booth by the Design Factory

The Five Elements Involved with Booth Design

The booth design for the best trade show booths all include five carefully thought out and planned elements. These include:

• Logo and branding
• Lighting
• Graphics
• Interactivity and advanced technology
• Promotional materials and collateral

When each of these five elements is combined seamlessly and chosen carefully the end result can be spectacular. If you neglect even one of the important elements, you could end up with a display that is ho hum and does not attract the traffic that you need for your exhibit to be a success. Planning the right design is essential so that you do not waste your time and effort.

Colors Can Have a Dramatic Impact on Booth Appeal

Color helps the best trade show booths really stand out and grab the eye, attracting people immediately and drawing bigger crowds to your display. The colors used should be very carefully selected so that they each complement the others. Just throwing bright colors all over the place will not be effective; the shades used must all blend perfectly.

Interact With Your Visitors for More Traffic

Some of the best trade show booths are those that interact with the visitors in some way. Take advantage of interactive displays that use the latest in technology and engage people who stop by. This can be videos, demonstrations, and other methods of interactive marketing that visitors find useful and informative.

Using interactive exhibit booths in order to show how your products can help consumers is much better than simply saying the benefits.

From the Design Factory article: 7 Reasons to Use Interactive Exhibit Booths at Trade Shows. Click here to read the complete article.

Consider Traffic Flow in Your Final Design

When you think about the best trade show booths, it is apparent that a lot of thought and consideration for traffic flow was used with the booth design. If you do not think about how to direct the flow of people around your displays then you could end up with long lines, large crowds, and people who avoid your area because of this.

Keeping the flow of traffic effective and orderly is critical. Think about how you can make it easy for visitors to reach your materials and staff quickly, find out what they need to know, and then move on. This will help you reach more consumers and get the word out about your company much better.

Make an Incredible First Impression on Visitors

The best trade show booths use displays and an incredible booth design to make a fantastic first impression immediately. When you exhibit at one of these events then you only have a few seconds to be noticed before visitors will move past and visit a competitor instead. Once you have thought about the entire design process and the finished results take a second look to be sure.

You need to create an exhibit that wows and astonishes. It may be possible to get decent results from your marketing efforts even if you do not have a bigger budget. Just don’t expect to compete with a company spending $10,000 or more if your design budget tops out at $1,000.

What features and components have you found appealing with the best trade show booths?

The Design Factory is the trade show exhibit builder for this custom, modern exhibit for Holsag Canada.

1. Which trade show exhibit builder has considerable experience in this industry?

You want a person or company that has a considerable amount of experience in this area so that you get exceptional results and exhibits that are attractive and highly appealing. Ask how long they have been in business, how many displays and booths they handle each year, and how many repeat customers they have so you get an idea of whether the business is well qualified.

2. Will the builder help with booth design aspects?

Some companies that specialize in building exhibits do not handle any aspect of design; they simply take your specifications and then create what you have imagined. Others will offer a complete range of services to cover every aspect of the design and creation of your displays and exhibit components so everything is handled for you.

3. Who will actually build your display?

A common misconception is that the trade show exhibit builder you hire will always be the one who builds your displays, but this is not always true. Some of the businesses in this industry may contract the work out to subcontractors, and you could end up with someone you have never interviewed or compared working on your project.

4. Can the company provide references?

Any trade show exhibit builder who cannot provide references for the services that you want should be eliminated from consideration. If you want booth design, then make sure that you get references for this service, not ones that talk about building skills or unrelated aspects of the project. Verify the references before you finally hire the company.

5. Does the company have a website?

Any reputable trade show exhibit builder will have a website that you can visit and check out. If this is not the case then the company is probably not the best choice. Creating a website shows that the builder is not just in the business for a short time, they plan to stick around enough to invest in a website for potential customers to view.

6. Does the trade show exhibit builder have a portfolio?

If you are interested in booth design services then pay close attention to the portfolio that the business provides. This will help you see what the company has done in the past and will give you an idea of whether they can deliver on the exhibits that you want created.

Take a look at a few of the trade show exhibits created and built by the Design Factory here.

7. What time line is involved for your displays?

Even the best trade show exhibit builder may be the wrong choice if they cannot deliver by the deadline that you have. You should start talking to builders as soon as you realize that you will be exhibiting at an event, usually six months to a year minimum before the event will be held. This will ensure that you have plenty of time and your exhibits will be completed when you need them.

8. Is the price within your budget and includes shipping and other costs?

Look at the cost for the booth design or other services and determine whether the price will fit in your budget or if it is too much. Avoid going with the lowest cost without looking at all of the other important factors as well. Going cheap could cost you dearly in the end if you end up with a poor quality booth or little appeal to the visitors.

Don’t forget shipping and transportation to the trade show venue…and who will set up the exhibit? These are important things to know and can add on considerably to your final cost.

Oversized or heavy displays can be very expensive to ship to the trade show, and may also require that you hire expo personnel to bring them into the exhibit hall and help you set them up.

Source: StreetDirectory.com

9.  How much time will the builder spend going over everything?

When you hire a trade show exhibit builder they will need to take some time with you to understand what you are looking for and get a basic idea of your company and product goals. If a potential business is only willing to spend a few minutes on this then you will not usually get the best possible results.

10. Does the trade show exhibit builder have a brick and mortar location?

As mentioned in #3 here, some companies merely sub-contract out the work to build exhibits. Some of these businesses do not even have a brick and mortar location. Don’t assume just because a trade show exhibit company has a pretty website and looks official that they are a full-fledged business.

Be sure you are working with the actual trade show exhibit builder that will design and construct your exhibit. If possible, ask to schedule an on-site meeting to find out just what sort of business you will be dealing with.

What do you evaluate before you choose a trade show exhibit builder and why?

The Best Exhibit Ideas for Automotive Trade Shows

Trade Show Exhibit by the Design Factory

1. Espresso Bars are Popular at Automotive Trade Shows

One of the most creative ideas for automotive trade shows is an espresso bar. What better way to provide a pick me up to visitors who may be tired and need a boost of energy? When the aroma of espresso starts to filter across the floor, crowds will flock to your booth to get a taste. You can include syrups, whipped cream, and other additives.

When you create an espresso bar you are engaging visitor’s sense of smell and of taste. This will make your area extremely enticing. Whether you are showing vehicles, car accessories, or automotive parts this idea is just creative enough to ensure you get a much better flow of traffic to your booth.

2. Simple Exhibit Ideas May Work Best

Don’t get too elaborate and complex with your exhibit ideas for any of the popular automotive trade shows. Remember that simplicity speaks for itself. If you have vehicles or auto products that shine without any help, then clean lines and a simple and uncomplicated display may show these off best. It can be a more effective method to get noticed faster on the show floor, drawing more traffic to your booth.

3. Include Unusual Architecture in Your Booth Design

When you are choosing the best booth design for automotive trade shows add some unusual architecture to make your company and display really stand out. An innovative display with a modern twist, such as several angles or unusual design shapes can set your booth apart on the trade show floor and give you better results from any event.

4. Make White your Favorite Color and Avoid a Wide Array of Colors

One of the most innovative exhibit ideas for automotive trade shows is to use a great deal of white space with minimal accents in one color. This will make your area seem like a beacon of light, with a bright yet stark appearance that can be the perfect backdrop for the newest model cars or high end automotive products that sell without any help or marketing hype.

Some of the most successful booths in the last few years have used this concept, and some of the most recognized automobile manufacturers and car companies in the industry have achieved exceptional results by staying simple and keeping color use to a minimum, if any color at all is used in the exhibit and booth display.

 5. Utilize Large Screens and Oversized Displays

One of the top marketing techniques for automotive trade shows is to create massive displays and utilize large screen monitors to design a booth that is over the top and excessive. It is possible to combine two or more large screens to result in a display that is crisp, clear, and highly impressive to anyone who sees it.

The cost of an enormous display made from large screens can be high at times, especially if the screens use the latest in audio/visual technology and high definition. Touch screens can also be an option if you want something smaller that will still impress everyone who stops by your area, but these will typically be more expensive.

6. Add Interactive Games with Car Themes

One of the most exciting and appealing exhibit ideas for automotive trade shows is to .add interactive games with auto themes. Racing games, driving simulators, and other vehicle-based games that are interactive can make your booth an instant hot spot for visitors. Everyone will want to stop and see which games you are offering.

Every interaction is a chance to create relationships… that generate leads… that turn into sales and repeat customers.

Source: Trade-Show-Advisor.com

The traffic that you get at your booth will be thrilled and delighted to get a chance to sit down and spend a few minutes relaxing while they play a game. Mix up the titles so that you offer several choices, and there are games that appeal to a very wide audience.

 7. Take Advantage of the Appeal of Neon

If you plan on attending automotive trade shows, one of the top exhibit ideas that you may want to use is to take advantage of neon. This type of lighting can be used in a number of ways to make your area more appealing and attractive.

What creative and eye catching ideas have you used for automotive trade shows in the past?

This choice of booth design can be very impressive, but it also involves some special considerations that need to be examined in order for you to make the best choice for your situation and budget.

Before you decide on this design type you need to look at the total cost that you will incur to determine whether the cost is reasonable and within budget or not. These exhibits may require special floor placement due to their increased height and size. This can limit your location possibilities and could increase the cost some.

The real estate motto, LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION, applies to the placement on the convention floor too!

Setting up and tearing down two story structures will require special safety precautions and considerations. On the plus side, these booths are usually one of the first ones noticed at many events, and the size and height of the display can be quite impressive to the visitors and draw larger than normal crowds for your company.

How much do Two Story Exhibit Booths Cost?

The cost of two story exhibit booths can vary, sometimes by a large amount. Each booth is different and will have a specific cost involved, and the price will depend on a number of factors including the graphics and other components that you choose. Some of these booths may cost much more than others, and they may not be right for everyone.

A Two Story Booth Design May Require Special Floor Placement

A booth design that has two stories may require special placement on the trade show floor. Because two story exhibit booths are taller and usually heavier than the typical exhibits they may need to be situated where these aspects are not an issue. If you are not sure then contact the event coordinators and ask about these issues so you know before you plan and go.

Make Your Display Extremely Noticeable Right Away

When you use two story exhibit booths you have a much better chance of having your exhibit noticed much faster. It will be hard to miss because it towers over smaller displays. This type of booth design allows you to display more content, materials, and graphics, and it usually draws in crowds very quickly so you get more traffic in less time.

SGIA Expo 2014 – Speciality Graphic Imaging Association

Impress Visitors with your Booth Size

Size matters. If you want to impress potential customers then two story exhibit booths are a great way to do it. These designs stand above most displays on the show floor and that gives them a distinctive look that is unusual. The impression that attendees will get is that your business is above your competitors, and they will be more likely to use your business if they need your products or services.

Special Care Should be Taken with Set Up and Tear Down for Safety Reasons

Setting up and tearing down two story exhibit booths will require special care and this has a number of safety concerns. This type of booth design may need to be reinforced, especially if the second story is heavy or the first level is not substantial enough. A professional will be needed to make sure that your display is safe and effective both.

Have you ever used two story exhibit booths? Where you happy with this choice or did you end up disappointed instead?

Trade show exhibit above by the Design Factory.

Specialized finishes can be chosen in order to give your materials added safety or appeal. The finishes that are available may change over time as technology advances. Today it is possible to add text, graphics, and vivid colors to this component in order to make your area and exhibit more attractive and visitor friendly.

When you are comparing the various backdrop options you may be amazed at how lightweight and portable these elements can be. They can be very affordable to purchase or rent and easy to ship and store. Make sure that you are aware of all the options that you have so you are certain to make the right choice. This will help you get the biggest impact for the least amount of money.

Pick from Many Types of Trade Show Backdrops

When you are looking at the various types of trade show backdrops, you may be surprised at all of the different products, features, and variations from which to choose. Examine the fabric variations and the assorted colors that can be used or added for the backdrop. This will help you choose the one that will work best with your overall design and visual preferences.

Consider the Overall Booth Design

The overall booth design and various components involved in your complete display will play a role in the perfect backdrop for your exhibit. Some designs may work much better than others may with certain trade show backdrops. Do some research and compare different finished designs to get an idea of which backdrops will work the best.

Specialized Finishes can be Included

Adding specialized finishes to your trade show backdrops can add a customized look, increased safety, better visuals, or other unique properties. Non-reflective finishes will minimize any light reflection and make your booth more appealing to visitors. Wrinkle resistant fabrics will help keep your backdrop crisp and wrinkle free. Flame retardant products are safer to use.

Easily Add Text and Print

No matter what booth design you choose it is very easy to add text and print to any trade show backdrops. This will give your area an edge and make your booth as attractive and appealing to visitors as possible. This also helps you to use consistent branding with all of the exhibit components and reinforces your company logo and graphics.

Materials that are Portable and Lightweight

Materials that can be chosen for trade show backdrops are very portable and lightweight today. This offers a number of benefits to exhibitors. You will find these items in different weights and sizes. Most of these can be easily folded up and transported with little or no effort, no matter what final booth design you have chosen.

What other features and choices are available with trade show backdrops? Which of these do you insist on with your exhibits?

Trade Show Exhibit Solutions

Whether you are having your first booth or you are a seasoned veteran there are solutions that make your product or service the hit of the show. Planning ahead to make certain your exhibit portrays exactly what you are about takes time and the right team.

Trade Show Booth Design

Incredible trade show booth design by seasoned experts is what it will take to get your exhibit noticed. Our creative designers will make you stand out from the crowd. With hundreds, and often thousands, of exhibit booths at large conventions it takes a unique design to draw potential clients to your booth. Our years of experience with trade show exhibits provides you an all inclusive solution.

Starting with a great design and seeing it come to life is a process you will savor and learn from for future shows. Each different type of business requires special treatment to bring the desired message to your clients.

Trade Show Booth Accessories

The addition of the right accessories for you trade show booth can make a world of difference. There are a variety of accessories that can give your exhibit the WOW factor.

• Custom carpet
• Brochure racks and stands
• Podiums
• Banner stands
• Table toppers
• Lamps
• Tables
• Desks
• Seating

Don’t leave out these additions when planning your booth! Accessories and a thought out design are the keys to success.