Right Brain Tips for Your Trade Show Booth

On our Esprit blog and newsletter, we have spent a lot of time talking about how to make all the different facets of your meeting appealing to the right side of people’s brains. Paying attention making your room set up, stage, lighting, colors, and every other aspect to a conference visually appealing can have a huge impact on your event’s overall success.

But what if you aren’t planning a large corporate event, but instead you are planning to have a booth to showcase your company’s products or service at a trade show? Do the same tips apply on a smaller scale? The answer is yes!

When you are planning an event for a large ballroom or meeting room, the key is to make the space feel comfortable and intimate, so people feel close to the speakers, yet not crowded. With a booth at a trade show, you have much less square footage to work with, so the challenge becomes to make your space visually appealing but exhibiting what will be both. Beneficial to your company and the attendees

First piece of advice: less is more. Never clutter up your booth with too much material. It can feel pushy to passers by and clutter is not pleasing to the right side of the brain. Keep your space tidy. Trade shows as a rule can feel cluttered and overwhelming, so a booth that conveys a sense of calmness and organization will stand out

Clear signage is also important and the less is more motto applies here as well. Don’t make it difficult for attendees to figure out what your company does or what you are selling. Like your sign, keep your message simple as well. Use a trade show as an opportunity to focus on one thing or message instead of trying to inundate attendees with multiple ideas and products.

Another great tip is to reach out to attendees before the event. Let them know you’ll be there, what your booth number is if possible, and give them a preview of what you’ll be showcasing. Like the preconference survey we have talked about, ask them their opinions, and ask them to bring them to your booth. It’s a great way to network in advance and people will remember you and seek you out.

Use technology when possible. For larger events, I have used 7 high definition screens side by side to create a social media wall. For a trade show booth, one small hanging high def  screen demonstrating your product or service (with colors that accent the rest of your booth, of course) can be very eye catching.

Every once in awhile, you’ll come across a company at a trade show that shows real innovation. At the 2012 ARF Re: Think Conference Research Now was THE company that set themselves apart. In their booth, they didn’t have materials on display and they didn’t give away pens with their company’s name on it. They did interviews with 14 industry leaders “to gain their thoughts on the future of consumer behavior and the impact of research on their business.” Then the posted all the videos on their YouTube channel. Now, that’s a trade show booth no one’s going to forget!